Projects, Slides, & Videos

• Learning about robotics & the NXT
  • Introduction to robotics
  • Introduction to the LEGO NXT   Video
  • Fast Facts: Understanding how to hook things up.
    
• Robotic Design Options
  Choose a robot to build and get going!

• Introduction to LEGO-G Programming: How to move your robot

Thinking as a programmer...
Ideas about how to "talk" to a machine
Learning about the Lego Editor  Video

• Motor Basics Programming
  Moving the Robot Video
  Compare Motor Blocks & Move Blocks
   

• Pre-challenge: Testing your sensors and moving your robot.
  Program the bot to move forward 5 wheel rotations then go backwards the same amount using the MOVE block.
  
  Also figure out how to make the robot turn 90 degrees left and right. Be sure to record your results.
  
  Now, do the same thing but use the MOTOR block.

• Learning about Wait controls  Video

• Determining Your Robots Abilities

• Pre-challenge: Climbing and Sliding!
  How well can your bot climb, go downhill, etc? Use my ramp to test your machine.
• Inside your NXT slides
• Wheels & Distance Calculation slides
  
  Compile & record your robots capabilities in your team packet.

• Making controlled Turns & Controlling Speed

• Pre-challenge: Left & Right Programming
  Compute & record the turning specifications in your packet.
  
  Make your bot move forward about 3 feet and then turn left for about 2 feet and stop.
  
  Now make it go forward about 2 feet and then turn right for about 2 feet.
  
• Challenge #1: Hill Climb
  Your bot must go up my ramp, turn around at the blue line, and come back down without crashing!
  
• Challenge #2: Around the block Part 1
  Your bot must move around a big box in a square without crashing.
• Challenge #2: Around the block Part 2
  You will repeat the challenge in part 1 but this time, build your bot to include gears so you can test the effects of slowing/speeding up your machine!
  Overview of Gears
  • Drag racing demo
  •  Working with gear ratios video
    • Huge clock gears system
    • NXT Gearing calculator summary
    • Gears and tire size
• Differentials & Transmissions
  • NXT differential photo
  • NXT Car with transmission
  • How to build a transmission
  • Video of NXT transmission
• For our class, ratio = driven/driver
• Construction plans for adding gears

• The NXT Sensory Systems
   
  • Testing your sensors (P. 23 in pdf.)
  • Touch Sensor Plans
  • Light Sensor video  Plans
  • Ultrasonic Vision Sensor Plans
  • Sound Sensor Plans
     
  • Activity: Test your sensors.
    Use the NXT View Me program to test your sensors. Record the readings for the light sensor as it is over red, white, black, & Green colors on the test pad.

• More Programming Concepts: Introduction to Loops

• Making your program repeat   Video
• Line Follower Robot video
• Calibrate your light sensor (b&w)
• Get the Color sensor block here. I will show you how to install it!
• Challenge #3: Walk the Line
  Make your bot follow the line on my track I lay out for you.

• Making Decisions
• Introduction to the Switch Block Video
• Programming with the Switch block:
  
  A Simple Switch example
  Switch inside a loop
  "TouchNSee" (Two switches manage sonar & touch sensors)
  Get all three switch programs here.
  
• Making Multiple Decisions
  Using Cascading Switches   Video  
   
• Challenge #4: Watch Out!
  Build a bot to move around the room without crashing into anything. It must run for 3 minutes. (Sonar sensor detects objects 0-255 cm or about 8 feet within 1.5")
   
• Challenge #5: Amaze Me!
  Make your robot run my maze
  Recall that 1 inch = 2.54cm
  cm  x  0.39* = in
  in  x  2.54 = cm

• Working with Data Hubs  Video
• Project pack includes:
  • Real-Time sensor monitoring
  • Control speed via sound level
  • Random start-up speed

• Displaying Stuff
  Using the Display Block Controls   Video
  
  
• Working with NXT-G Variables  Video
   Project pack includes:
  • Creating and saving one variable (Tunnel Runner 1)
  • Creating and saving two variables (Tunnel Runner 2)

• Using Math blocks
• Calculating differences in sensor readings

• Working with Logical Conditions

• Project pack includes:
  • Distance, light, & touch
  • Using a logical OR test
  • Motion detector using the Compare Block

• Custom Code
  Using "My Block" as subroutines   Video
• Advanced "My Block Custom Code"
  Expanding on "My Block" subroutines   Video
• How to create a MY BLOCK(Sub)

• Multitasking
  
  Making the Robot do several things at the same time!   Video