Course Syllabus

Note: All information, worksheets, and activities, Quizzes, and Test will be provided online through Intelitek.

REC Unit 1: Overview

In Unit 1 students are introduced to the world of robotics. It reviews fundamental robotic terms and concepts required throughout the course. The student learns about the engineering design cycle and how to record information into an engineering notebook. An entire section in Unit 1 is dedicated to safety in the classroom.

As the student progresses through the unit, they will be constructing their first Vex robot, the BaseBot. They will learn how to use basic assembly tools as well as how to identify available Vex robotic components from the classroom inventory system. The BaseBot construction is broken down into subsystems like chassis, drive train, wiring and radio control.

After the robot is constructed, the students test and troubleshoot their creation. They learn how to operate their robot using radio control in both Arcade and Tank style. The final project challenges them to draw their initials on the playing field using the BaseBot and a dry erase marker.

Students will learn:

• How to navigate the course
• Fundamental robotics terms and concepts used throughout this course
• The engineering design cycle
• How to set up and record information into their engineering notebook
• The guidelines for safety in the classroom

REC Unit 2: Overview

Unit 2 introduces the student to programming. EasyC, the block style programming language for Vex, is introduced and will be used throughout the course.

The student is shown the differences between operator control of the robot and autonomous control. The student learns how to connect the BaseBot to the computer and control it via an Online Window in easyC. Students are challenged to create pseudo code for their programs before trying to create real programs in order to better understand the concept of programming flow.

Fundamental programming concepts like loops, statements, variables, constants and assignments are reinforced with activities and worksheets. Students learn how to create simple programs to command the robot to go forward, backward, left and right. They learn how to simplify their code using functions.

In the final project, students are required to make an unstable robot drive without tipping over.

Students will learn:

• Fundamentals of computer programming
• Fundamentals of programming with easyC
• Fundamental programming concepts like loops, statements, variables and constants
• Precedents of operations
• How describe a process using pseudo code
• How to simplify code with functions

REC Unit 3: Overview

Unit 3 is the longest unit in the first semester as well as the most academic. It reviews many fundamental physics concepts such as speed and torque and shows how they apply to robotics.

Student will learn about motors and how they are used in robotics. Time is spent testing the Vex motors on the Basebot and logging performance information into the engineering notebook for future use. Topics like angular velocity, linear motion, gear ratios, weight, friction, torque and acceleration are all introduced and reinforced with activities related to robotics.

The final project challenges the student to pull a weighted sled 1 meter with the BaseBot. The BaseBot can be modified to take advantage of concepts learned within the unit.

Students will learn:

• The fundamentals of motors and angular velocity
• The different types of motors and the power sources they use
• The principles of physics involved in gears and gear trains
• The physics involved with motion along a straight line including speed and acceleration
• The fundamentals of rotational dynamics
• Newton's law of motion
• How friction and traction interact with one another and a robot
• The fundamentals of torque
• About power as it relates to robotics

REC Unit 4: Overview

Unit 4 introduces the student to open-loop and closed-loop robotic navigation using sensors. This unit builds on the dead reckoning programs constructed in Unit 2.

Digital bumper switches are added to the BaseBot so that it can interpret its environment autonomously. An ultrasonic range-finding sensor is introduced to allow the robot to sense its environment without touching it, and a line-following sensor is used to make the BaseBot follow a line on the playing field autonomously.

In the final project, several binders are standing on end and the robot must autonomously find and knock down each binder in the specified time period.

Students will learn:

• About different types of sensors and why robots need them
• The differences between open and closed loop control
• The differences between analog and digital sensors
• How programs use digital sensors
• About robotic range finding sensors and line following sensors
• How to program with advanced functions to simplify the control of the robot

REC Unit 5: Overview

Unit 5 combines the elements introduced in Unit 3 & 4. An arm is added to the BaseBot and a basic physics analysis is done on how the addition of the arm affects the overall robot design.

Center of gravity and its importance to robotic design is introduced. Stall torque is examined on the arm as well as the speed and gear ratio.

The student is challenged to incorporate two limit switches into the design of the arm to control the movement of the arm. This requires the student to create an easyC program to map the input from one of the channels on the transmitter to the motor on the BaseBot controlling the arm. An end effector is added to the end of the arm on the BaseBot using a servo motor to control the gripping range of the end effector.

In the final activity, the student must program the BaseBot to drive on the playing field and retrieve ball while being controlled with the radio control.

Students will learn:

• Fundamentals of robotic arms and degrees of freedom
• How physics effects robotic arms by exploring topics such as weight, torque, mass and, center of gravity
• How robots use remote control and limit switches
• How robots use end effectors to produce changes in their environment

REC Unit Unit 6: Overview

This is a two-week project that reinforces all the materials covered in Units 1 - 5.

The student must create a robot that can perform a particular task.

Projects to choose from:

Warehouse delivery

Disco Robot

To Do, Or Not To Do

Momentum alley

Speed Rush robot

Robo Soccer

Robo Rally

Med Bot

Students will be required to navigate the course and perform the task with their robot operated by radio control.

Students will learn:

• Creative Problem-Solving
• Positioning with the Ultrasonic Sensor
• Line Following
• Storing and Interpreting Sensor information
• Building and Operating a Closed-Loop End Effector