GearsBot Tutorial
A beginners' guide to programming with gearsbot
By MINT Genie Team (https://mintgenie.de)
Embedded Files
Table of contents
Table of contents
How to: Get Started
How to: Get Started
Visit https://gears.aposteriori.com.sg/
This is a programming environment we can use to prepare for the competition.
File types:
We will be working with different types of files here and we will learn about them as we go along:
Programs - XML file
Robots - JSON file
Worlds/Mats - JSON file
How to: Use the “Blocks” tab
How to: Use the “Blocks” tab
This is very similar to makecode block programming. However some of the features are limited. We will learn how to use it during our sessions.
To save and load programs:
Give a proper name to the program
Once you make changes, you can save blocks to your computer (it is not saved online). The file is saved as an XML file
To Load your programs again or to load sample programs, click on “Load blocks…” and select the xml file.
Use this xml file to share assignments
How to: The “Simulator” tab
How to: The “Simulator” tab
If you click on the “Simulator” tab, you should see the view as this:
The “Follow” option on the right corner controls the camera (this should be default)
The “Sensors” options lists the values read by the sensors and also the shows which ports the sensors are connected to.
“Reset” option places the robot back on the default location and stops everything
“World” option is the choose the table type. The default here is “Grid”
“Play” icon option on the left most side of the screen is used for running the program. Note: Stopping it will not stop the robot if it is moving
“Scale” icon option shows the measurements and also position of cursor on the screen
To change the viewing angle: Place the mouse cursor somewhere near the Click and hold left mouse button and move the mouse:
moving left/right will change the view in sideways direction
Moving up/down will change view from above or under the table.
Download Learning Package
Download Learning Package
Download all the files needed with this userguide
How to: Load Custom Worlds
How to: Load Custom Worlds
To Change the world:
Click on the “World” option in simulator
Choose different listed worlds and challenges (these are built-in options)
Click “Ok” to load it
To load custom worlds
Download the json-file provided by the MINT Genie Team (do not copy text, download it by clicking on the download icon or the 3 dots at top right corner.)
These have “Mat” in the filename for reference.
Select “Generate from Image” in the Select World menu
Click on “Load”, select the downloaded json-file
Click “Ok”
How to: Robot setup
How to: Robot setup
Load built-in Robots:
Click on the “Robot” menu option and click “Select Robot”
Choose different listed Robots (these are built-in options)
Click “Ok” to load it
Load Custom Robots:
Download the Robot file with a .JSON extension to your computer
Example: RoboCompete_MainRobot.json
Click on the “Robot” Menu icon, click “Load from file” and select the downloaded “RoboCompete_MainRobot.json” and open it.
Robot features:
In the “Simulator” tab, click on “Sensors” to check where the motors and sensors are connected
All available sensors are connected to some input port and named with “in#” - where # is the port number.
All Motors are connected to Output ports and named with “outX” - where X is the port letter.
Note that when using an electromagnet, the motor is not listed in the sensor list. (it is the next available Out-port). However, this can still be verified in the Python tab.
How to: Move around
How to: Move around
Robot (built-in): “Single Sensor Line Follower” - Default
World (built-in): “Grid”
Sensor/Actuator port: OutA, OutB - Motors
The Wheel motors can be moved together as a tank or separately.
The blocks in “Motion” group is used to control both the left and right wheel motors together.
The blocks in “Motor” group is used to control individual motors and also read the current speed and position of motors
Unless you specify the amount of rotation, the motors will keep running. You will have to stop it with the Stop block
Watch the reading of Motors/Actuator in the sensor window to see the how many degrees it has rotated.
We will learn usage of Motor group in upcoming examples.
How to: Draw and Print
How to: Draw and Print
Robot (built-in): “Single Sensor Line Follower” - Default
World (built-in): “Grid”
Drawing with Pen:
A pen can be added to draw where the robot is moving.
Just add the pen block into the program, start and stop drawing using the blocks in “Pen” group.
The color of the ink can also be changed.
Print Text :
Information can be printed to show value of variables in the console.
Text can be manipulated using blocks in the “Text” group.
Use the “Print” block to print variables, messages, or sensor values.
How to: Move, Draw and Print example
How to: Move, Draw and Print example
GearsBot - Motor_draw_print.mp4How to: Rotation using Gyro
How to: Rotation using Gyro
Robot (built-in): “Double Sensor Line Follower”
World (built-in): “Grid”
Sensor port: In4 - Gyro sensor
The Gyro sensor gives the orientation of the Robot.
It is possible to check if the robot has turned by a certain amount.
When drawing a square with a Pen on the Robot, it is necessary to keep reading the gyro when turning to make sure, we are not deviating too much.
We start by moving forward for 4 seconds
Now we determine how much we should turn - thats 90 deg for a square
Till the gyro angle is less than the target angle we SLOWLY turn the robot
The repeat block exits as soon as the gyro value is more than target, so we stop immediately and print the value.
We repeat the above steps 4 times as we want to draw a square
It is ok to deviate a little - this is normal.
Watch the reading of Gyro sensor in the sensor window to see the orientation.
GearsBot - Gyro test.mp4How to: Avoid obstacles
How to: Avoid obstacles
Robot (built-in): “Double Sensor Line Follower”
World JSON file: “Practice_mat_Obstacles.json”
Sensor port: In3 - Ultrasonic sensor
The ultrasonic sensor is used to detect obstacles
Read the sensor continuously in a loop and when there is an obstacle close by then, move robot in a different direction
Also note the use of “Move Steering” block, the direction can be between -100 and +100 and the speed in percent.
Try different values for sensor and check behavior.
Watch the reading of distance in the sensor window to see the how far away the obstacle is.
Avoid_obstacle.mp4How to: Follow a line
How to: Follow a line
Robot (built-in): “Double Sensor Line Follower”
World (built-in): Line following Challenges - Simple Curves
Sensor port: In1, In2 - Color and Line Sensors
The color sensor can recognize both lines and colors.
Here sensor 1 is on the left and sensor 2 is on the right
If the intensity of sensor 1 reduces below 85; it means that left sensor is closer to the line
We should move the right motor forward and left motor backward to center the robot on the line again.
If the intensity of sensor 2 reduces below 85, it means that the right sensor is closer to the line
We should move the left motor forward and right motor backward to center the robot on to the line again.
If neither sensors are reporting less intensity, it means that they are seeing the white area and can continue.
Watch the reading of color sensor intensity in the sensor window.
Try to move slowly to get it working, also try with other challenges in this world (click select challenges in “World”
GearsBot - Line follow.mp4How to: Recognize colors
How to: Recognize colors
Robot JSON file: “RoboCompete_MainRobot.json”
World JSON file: “Practice_mat_colors.json”
Sensor port: In1, In2 - Color and Line sensors
The color sensor can recognize both lines and colors.
It can also detect a few colors by name
(Red, White, Blue, Black, Green & Yellow)
In our example here,
Create and variable called “Color_found” and initialize it to“Null”
Set the Robot to move with 15% speed
In a loop keep checking if the color changed and if yes then try to recognize the color.
The first color it sees will be different so it will go into the “if” block
Save that color name to “Color_found” variable and print it
Stop the motor and also the program if Black is found.
If not Black then on next time it checks if the color sensors reports same or different - if same, then does nothing
Some colors have unique numbers, find them using this block and print them:
Note that you have to initialize “Color_found” to a number if you want to show the color number instead of name
GearsBot - Color detect.mp4How to: Swing the Arm
How to: Swing the Arm
Robot JSON file: “RoboCompete_MainRobot.json”
Sensor/Actuator port: OutC - Swivel Actuator
The arm of the robot can be made to swing left or right or even go around
Control the individual motor by using blocks in the “Motor” block group.
Note: The blocks in the “Motion” group usually control only wheel motors only.
Our program just moves the ARM to a specific position, waits for a second and moves to another position and keeps repeating.
Try different values for degrees. 360 moves the Arm for 1 full circle. Giving values more than 360 will make the arm turn multiple times.
Try to make it turn 2.5 circles.
Watch the position value of the motor in the sensor window to see the current position.
GearsBot - Swivel Arm test.mp4How to: Lifting the Arm
How to: Lifting the Arm
Robot JSON file: “RoboCompete_MainRobot.json”
Sensor/Actuator port: OutD - Arm Actuator
The arm of the robot can be made to go up and down (0 - 180 degrees)
Control the individual motor by using blocks in the “Motor” block group.
Our program just moves the ARM to a specific position, waits for a second and moves to another position at a different speed, returns back at different speed and keeps repeating.
Try different values for degrees and speed. Give values between 0 and 180 only
Watch the position value of the motor in the sensor window to see the current position.
GearsBot - Lift arm test.mp4How to: Pick up objects
How to: Pick up objects
Robot JSON file: “RoboCompete_MainRobot.json”
World JSON file: “Practice_mat_magnets.json”
Sensor/Actuator port: OutE - Electromagnet
An electromagnet can be turned off and on with different strengths (in our case motor % - 100% is max power and 0 is OFF)
This mat has some magnetic objects added.
Control the individual motor by using blocks in the “Motor” block group.
Our program moves ARM near an object, enables electromagnet, lifts arm, moves arm to different position, turns off electromagnet to drop the object and returns the arm starting position
Try different values for electromagnet power %.
Move closer to different objects and pick them up. Try to drop them outside the table for Fun!!!
Moving arm very fast can throw magnetic objects, so try to move arm slowly
GearsBot - Electromagnet.mp4Page updated
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