Team+3B

toc

Back To Team Page

=The Fluffy Bunnies= = = = = =I. Team Members: Adit (L) and Joseph (E, C)=

=II. Instructions for Challenges=

A. For each challenge you must write a short description of the challenge using complete sentences. Please write in 3rd person, scientific writing. B. This is where you should include your programming code by including screen screen shots. You should place all multimedia on [|photobucket.com] and then incorporate it into the site using the embed code. C. For each challenge you must provide some form of multimedia exhibit. This would be images, a short video, an interview, etc. You should place all multimedia on [|photobucket.com] and then incorporate it into the site using the embed code. D. For each challenge you should provide a written explanation of the difficulties encountered with the challenge. = = = = = = =III. Challenges (Template)=

Copy this section for each of your challenges:

DATE: 4/?/2008
Title of Challenge: A. Description (Short Paragraph): B. Programming Code (Picture and Written Explanation): C. Multimedia: D. Difficulties Encountered/How You SOLVED the Challenge! (Paragraph):

DATE: 4/7/2008
Title of Challenge: Point Turn A. Description (Short Paragraph): The directions for this challenge are to make the robot 25 centimeters forward, point turn 180 degrees counter-clockwise, and then move backwards 10 centimeters. This purpose of the challenge is to teach participants how to use the motors to turn the robot and to move the robot forwards and backwards. B. Programming Code (Picture and Written Explanation):

//Image 1: Entire Programming Code for Point Turn Challenge//

Our programming code consisted of three commands (also called "blocks").

//Image 2: Details for Block 1// //of Point Turn Challenge//

The first block told the robot to move both of its wheels, which were connected to ports B and C, forward at 100% power for 1.4 rotations of the wheels. This took the robot forward 25 centimeters.

//Image 3: Details for Block 2 of Point Turn Challenge//

The second block told the robot to rotate just the wheel that was connected to port B for 2 rotations backwards, making it turn 180 degrees clockwise so that it was now facing the direction opposite of that from which it was facing in the beginning,

//Image 4: Details for Block 3// //of Point Turn Challenge//

The third block told the robot to rotate both wheels again for 0.6 rotations backwards, making it move backwards 10 centimeters and therefore finishing the challenge.

C. Multimedia: media type="custom" key="682207"

Video 1: Interview and Robot Demonstration for Challenge 1

D. Difficulties Encountered/How You SOLVED the Challenge! (Paragraph): Since there is no command that tells the robot to move a certain distance (there are too many variables that the robot can't account for), we had to find another way that would instead involve using a certain number of rotations of the wheels to make the robot go a certain distance. We first found the circumference of the wheels using measuring tape and discovered that it was 18 centimeters. To figure out how many rotations we would need to use in order to make the robot go a certain distance, we would just see how many rotations of the wheel fit into the distance needed. For example, the number of rotations needed to move the robot 25 centimeters forward would equal 25 (the distance) divided by 18 (the circumference), which also equals approximately 1.4 rotations. We found the number of rotations of wheel B necessary to turn the robot 180 degrees purely by trial and error, but we used the formula above to figure out how many rotations was needed to move the robot backwards 10 centimeters (10 divided by 18 equals approximately 0.6).

DATE: 4/8/2008
Title of Challenge: Square A. Description (Short Paragraph): In this challenge, the robot must move along the outside of a 61 by 61 cm square. This challenge teaches participants more about how to make the robot go where they want it to go using the motors. B. Programming Code (Picture and Written Explanation):

//Image 5: Entire Programming Code for Square Challenge//

Our programming code consisted of seven blocks.

//Image 6: Details for Blocks 1, 3, 5, and 7 of Square Challenge//

As you can see, ports B and C are checked and the forward button is checked, so the robot will move forward for 3.4 rotations at full power.

//Image 7: Details for Blocks 2, 4, and 6 of Square Challenge//

In this block, just port C is checked. The forward button is also checked. This makes the robot move its left wheel (which is connected to port C) forward for 1.05 rotations.

C. Multimedia: media type="custom" key="682209"

Video 2: Interview and Robot Demonstration for Challenge 2

D. Difficulties Encountered/How You SOLVED the Challenge! (Paragraph): We solved this challenge using the same solution that we used in the previous challenge. Since the length of each side is 61 cm, we just divided 61 cm by 18 cm to figure out how many rotations it would take to make the robot go the length of one side (which, as you can see above, is 3.4 rotations). We reasoned that a 90-degree turn would take about half as many rotations as the 180-degree turn would in the first example, and we eventually got the number of rotations exact.

DATE: 4/9/2008
Title of Challenge: Backing Up A. Description (Short Paragraph): In this challenge, the robot must follow the purple line. The line goes straight, and then does a wide curve. At that point, the robot must then move backwards for a certain distance while making a noise as it backs up. To see exactly what the challenge looks like, take a look at Video"?" below. B. Programming Code (Picture and Written Explanation):

//Image 8:// //Entire Programming Code for Backing Up Challenge//

Our programming code consisted of six commands.

//Image 9:// //Details for Block 1 Backing Up Challenge//

The ports B and C are checked and the "forward" button is checked, so the robot will go forward by moving both of its wheels for 2.8 rotations.

//Image 10//: //Details for Block 2 Backing Up Challenge//

As you can see, just port C is checked (the robot's left wheel is connected to port C), so the robot will turn about 45 degrees clockwise.

//Image 11:// //Details for Block 3 Backing Up Challenge//

You can see that ports B and C are checked and that the forward button is checked, so the robot will go forward for 1.3 rotations.

//Image 12:// //Details for Block 4 Backing Up Challenge//

As you can see, just port C is checked. The robot will turn about 75 degrees clockwise.

//Image 13:// //Details for Block 6 Backing Up Challenge//

This type of block has not been used in the programming before; it is a sound block. It will make the robot play a sound file while moving. The sound file that is selected is "! Applause". Because this block is placed directly before the final block, the sound will be playing while the robot is completing the final stage of the challenge.

//Image 14:// //Details for Block 5 Backing Up Challenge//

In this block, you can see that ports B and C are checked and that the backward button is checked. The robot will go therefore go backwards for 2.8 rotations of the wheels.

C. Multimedia:

media type="custom" key="682211" Video 3: Robot Demonstration for Challenge 3

D. Difficulties Encountered/How You SOLVED the Challenge! (Paragraph): The most difficult part of the challenge was to make the robot complete the turns correctly so that it didn't stray too far from the tape and so that it could start backing up from the correct place. If the robot made an error in the curve/turn, then it would be impossible for the robot to successfully complete the rest of the challenge.

DATE: 4/11/2008
Title of Challenge: Simple Obstacle Course

A. Description (Short Paragraph): In this challenge, we are supposed to make a short obstacle course. The course contains a starting point, some turns, and a black line that stands for an ending point. To see exactly how the course looks, see Video 4 below.

B. Programming Code (Picture and Written Explanation):

Image 15: First Part of Programming Code for Simple Obstacle Course

Image 16: Second Part of Programming Code for Simple Obstacle Course

Our program starts by telling the robot to begin the program once it hears a sound. All of the blocks with both of the letters C and B on it tell the robot to move forwards a certain distance. All of the blocks with just the letter C on it tell the robot to turn clockwise for a certain number of rotations of the wheel, and all of the blocks with just the letter B on it tell the robot to turn counter-clockwise for a certain distance. The final four commands tell the robot to move forward until the light sensor senses that it is over a black line and then to stop moving and to play a sound.

C. Multimedia:

media type="custom" key="682225" Video 4: Demonstration of Simple Obstacle Course

D. Difficulties Encountered/How You SOLVED the Challenge! (Paragraph): There were more difficulties in this course than in the previous challenges. In this course, there were many turns, which made the programming process long and frustrating. The robot was supposed to start by sensing a loud sound (clapping) and end by sensing a black line with the light sensor. Using the light sensor to sense the black line was very difficult because we had to get the sensor really close to the ground, otherwise it wouldn't sense the difference in the amount of light. Also, the robot frequently either didn't sense the line and went past it (because we made the sensor too sensitive) or stopped too soon (because we didn't make the sensor sensitive enough). However, after a lot of "trial and error" guesswork, the robot was correctly programmed and successfully completed the obstacle course.

5. DATE: 5/20/2008
Task 1 (10 points): At your work area on the table come up with a strategy to calculate the velocity of your robot at 30% power over 70 cm. Repeat the measurement 3 times and get an average. Think about the equation for velocity. Carry out your plan and determine the velocity.

a. Brief description and image (snip and you can upload to the wiki- give your image an uncommon file name) of the programming you used to solve this challenge. b. Description of what made this task difficult for your group.

To solve this challenge, we made the robot go for 5 rotations forward (because we knew that that would take it beyond 70 cm) at 30% power. We started the stopwatch when we started the program, and we stopped the stopwatch when it passed 70 cm. We repeated this 3 times and our average velocity was 8.1 cm/s. We did not encounter any major difficulties.

Task 2 (20 points):: At your work area, come up with a strategy to get your robot to accelerate over a 1 meter distance. Have it come to a stop at 1 meter.

a. Brief description and image (snip and you can upload to the wiki- give your image an uncommon file name) of the programming you used to solve this challenge. b. Description of what made this task difficult for your group.

To solve this challenge, we made five different blocks, each lasting for 20 cm. The first block would tell the robot to go straight at 20% power, the next block would make it go forward at 40% power, and so on. We didn't encounter any major difficulties for this challenge either.

Task 3 (30 points):: Determine the velocity of the rotation of the wheels on your robot. Program your robot at 45% power to rotate 10 times. Calculate the velocity of the rotation of the wheels at this power in cm/sec. (Hint: You need to know the circumference of a wheel and remember it goes around ten times!)

a. Brief description and image (snip and you can upload to the wiki- give your image an uncommon file name) of the programming you used to solve this challenge. b. Description of what made this task difficult for your group.

To solve this challenge, we made the robot go at 45% power 10 times. We knew that the circumference of the wheel was 180 cm, so we knew the distance. We found the time and figured out that the velocity, using the formula for velocity, was 14.1 cm per second during that experiment.

Task 4 (40 points):: On a graph, plot the velocity that your robot travels 1 meter at 20% power, 40% power, and 70% power. Include an image of your plot in your documentation by snipping it. Make sure it has units and axis labels. Using your graph, determine how fast you think your robot wold be traveling if you programmed it to go at 60% power. Calculate velocity in cm/sec. a. Brief description and image (snip and you can upload to the wiki- give your image an uncommon file name) of the graph. b. Description of what made this task difficult for your group.

Task 5 (50 points):: Create an obstacle course on your lab table with building bocks. It should contain one right point turn and 1 left point turn. The robot should stop at the end where you have built a small tower of blocks. Your robot should not knock the blocks over.

a. Brief description and image (snip and you can upload to the wiki- give your image an uncommon file name) of the programming you used to solve this challenge. b. Description of what made this task difficult for your group.

=IV. Challenge Multimedia Blog:= =V. Screencasts=