Activity 1.2: Insect-o-Bot
Electrical System

Have students investigate a career in Electrical Engineering

• The following site provides a complete look at the field of Electrical Engineering  (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm)

As a warm-up/engagement activity, have students answer the following questions about a career in Electrical Engineering

• • What is the minimum required degree for entry to a career in Electrical Engineering?

  • List two typical activities related to a career in Electrical Engineering

  • When looking for engineering programs, what is the most accepted program certification that employers look?

  • What is the salary average for a professional starting a career in Electrical Engineering?

Data Acquisition, or DAQ, is part of the electrical system that allows the system to acquire information about its environment and functions.  For our Insect-o-Bot, we have two DAQ components, the motor encoder, and the line sensor. The data information paths in our schematic are marked with green lines (Figure 1).

• Motor encoder - is inside the motor housing and is designed to count the rotations/degrees that the shaft of the motor rotates.  This function allows us to count the rotations or degrees of the motor and through the control system tell the bot to react to the input.

• Line sensor - is located at the bottom of the bot in the center for best readings, and allows the sensor to detect when the bot crosses the black lines.  The led sensor picks up a reflected light and determines when it has a change in the light. The control system has a set value that when it is detected, it sends a signal to indicate that a line was seen.