Robot Art Show
IMG_1129.MOVIn this project, we were assigned to create a circuit, using an arduino board, and code an arduino board to do something. Additionally, we created a diagram of our arduino, and presented our project, explaining what we did an how it works. For our project, we decided to create the dinosaur game, using two buttons and an LCD.
Code
This code was used to make the dinosaur game work, from the start up, to the scrolling, to the hit detection. Along with the code, there are notes provided for every line, marked with a "//". One thing I learnt while coding is bit-shifting. Bit-shifting is the action of take a line of bits, and shifting it to the right or left. We used this concept for the scrolling mechanic of the dinosaur game, shifting it one bit every frame.
Arduino Diagram
This arduino diagram showcases the setup we used for our dinosaur game. For our game, we both an lcd screen, and a button. Instead of using a potentiometer to change the screen brightness, we used a regular, set resistor of 3.3k Ohms.
Electromagnet Experiment
As a preparation for our main project, we were also assigned to conduct an experiment on the topic of electromagnets. Electromagnets are a magnet created using a circuit. This circuit, wrapped around a conductive material, creates a magnetic field. Afterwards, we were to create a lab write up, documenting our procedure and results of the experiment. For our experiment, we decided to test this question, "How does voltage affect the strength of a magnetic field?"
Content
Electromagnet
An electromagnet is a magnet created by a circuit, wrapped around a piece of conductive material. The electricity running through the circuit causes a magnetic field to form, which in turn makes the object behave as a magnet. We used an electromagnet to conduct our electromagnet experiment, changing the voltage that runs through it.
Voltage
Voltage is the potential energy difference from one side of a component to the other. Voltage is measure in volts, and is calculated using the equation v=ir. Our electromagnetic experiment independent variable was the amount of voltage running through the circuit.
Resistance
Resistance is the amount of current slowed through an object of obstacle. Resistance is measured in ohms, and is calculated using the equation r=v/i. In our robot art show, we used a 3.3k ohm resistor for the back-light of our LCD display.
Current
Current is the flow of charge or electricity through the circuit. Current is measured using amps, and is calculated using the equation i=v/r. Many of our electrical experiments required us to calculate the current of our circuits.
Power
Power is the rate of transferring electrical energy through a circuit. Power is measured in Watts, and is calculated using the equation p=iv.
Charge/Coulomb's Law
Charge is defined as the magnitude of electrical quantity. Charge is measured in Coulombs, and is calculated using Coulomb's Law. Coulomb's Law is F=(kq1q2)/d^2.
Power
Power is the rate of transferring electrical energy through a circuit. Power is measured in Watts, and is calculated using the equation p=iv.
Charge/Coulomb's Law
Charge is defined as the magnitude of electrical quantity. Charge is measured in Coulombs, and is calculated using Coulomb's Law. Coulomb's Law is F=(kq1q2)/d^2.
Series circuit
A series circuit is a circuit with one single path, connecting components one after another. In a series circuit, you calculate the total resistance by adding up the resistance of each component (rtotal=r1+r2+r3+...)
Parallel circuit
A parallel circuit is a circuit that branches a path for each component, running it in parallel. In a parallel circuit, you calculate the total resistance by adding up the reciprocal of the resistance of each component, then finding the reciprocal of that (1/rtotal=1/r1+1/r2+1/r3+...)
Reflection
During the first half of the project, the electromagnet experiment, I showed great leadership and commitment. I would be assigning others their tasks, and was hands on with the experiment. I also collaborated well with my teammates. We would work together on setting up the experiment, as well as collecting and analyzing data. However I did struggle with my productivity and time-management. Although I did lead the experiment, I still had issues with focusing on my write-up, and used all the time till the deadline.
During the second half of the project, the arduino kit, I struggled more with staying on task, and collaborating. My main task assigned was the assemble the arduino circuit every single day. Additionally, I would help with the logic of the game. Despite being assigned these tasks, the majority of the work lied in the coding, which was done by my other teammate. My other teammate had been coding for two years, making him perfect for this project. Because of this, I struggled to find tasks to keep myself occupied, while waiting for my teammate to finish.
To conclude, I showed my understanding of the concepts learnt in this project, despite getting distracted often.