Week 2 - Robotics
Robotics
Robotics is a branch of technology and engineering that deals with interactive hardware, by designing a robot to create the most efficient usage for a given purpose.
Computer Science
Computer Science is the study of computers and their systems. This deeply delves into technology looking more into the software aspect, such as designing programs to be linked to hardware
Learning the Basics
Arduino Tutorial Kit
Following the instructions in the kit we build multiple different circuits that would teach us the basics of Arduino. Below are those projects that taught us various lessons.
Light.movLight
This section taught us how to use LEDs in various ways with the Arduino. Shown above is a circuit/code that uses a dial to change the color of an LED.
Happy Birthday.movSound
This project explored how Arduino's can control sound. Shown above is a breaboard with a speaker connected to code that plays "Happy Birthday".
Motion.movMotion
This section illustrated three ways distance sensors can be utilized with arduinos. Above is an LED and speaker controlled by motion.
Display
LCD boards were used in this section to broaden the communicative abilities of the Arduino.
Robot
To end the kit we built a "robot"(wheels) onto the board and wired it up so that a motor spun and allowed the wheels to drive on the table.
We also made simulated designs of all the projects on Tinkercad. Here's an example of just one of them.
Simulation of the light system that uses an RGB light to produce a different color light based on the dial of the potentiometer
The RedBot...
IMG_0238.MOVFollowing a Line...
After we put together the RedBot using the instructions in its digital manual, we began testing its line-following capabilities. After adjusting the line sensor threshold and running some tests, the bot was able to follow a line and turn as the line turned accordingly.
Obstacle avoidance...
Attached to the RedBot is a whisker that bends into a bumper so that the robot knows when an object is near. When the robot detects an object in front of it, it is supposed to turn and go in a different direction. The video on the right showcases this process.
redbotBumper.mov
Virtual Simulation
We also created a short virtual simulation of a robot with distance sensors that avoid obstacles in its way by turning and going in a different direction. Attached is a video of that simulation running and the source code of the robot. The code is extremely simple, and just updates the distance value that is taken from the sensors on the robot, and senses when an object is there. Then, when the robot senses that there is an object near, it turns and continues going forward in a new direction where there are no objects in the way.
Tamiya Robot
Creating a Robot
In order to create our final robot that utilizes an ultrasonic sensor to detect objects and come up with feasible and safe paths to travel. To the left is a picture of the robot at the end of its design process.
The Finished Robot
To the right is a video of the finished robot Tamiya that uses its sensor to detect objects and move around. We had some issues with the belt so we had to remove the bottom wheels, but other than that it can still move around pretty effectively.
tamiyavideo.mov
^ our beloved robots! ^