Oct
8
Second Requirements Meeting
Filed Under Uncategorized
These are my notes from the meeting on Monday, October 8.
First, we need a disclaimer for teachers to inform them that the modules are sturdy. Maybe not for off-roading, but sturdy enough to survive classroom hazards. Also, there are several modules that were created in previous projects (one on CD, another perhaps done by a CS major for an old honors project).
We have several modules planned for each sensor as well as modules that combine multiple sensors. We will also be suggesting possible project ideas for the student teachers, tying in additional concepts such as ecology, physics, etc.
MOTORS (three modules and two possible tie-in projects):
Description: Several aspects of the motors can be configured: power level, speed, direction, and duration.
Warnings: Don’t attempt the modules with the robots on a table. Gravity happens.
Modules:
1. We start with a module just with the most basic operations–moving forward, turning, etc.
2. The motors could be configured to form a grappling arm that could pick up objects (or just flex).
3. A more advanced project would involve moving a webcam around; the camera can’t be interacted with through ROBOLAB, so the robot would simply be a carrier. The robot could be piloted on an expedition into the hallway or spy on the classroom nextdoor.
Possible tie-in projects:
1. Physics: Surfaces and friction: robots will move more slowly over bumpy surfaces than smooth.
2. Engineering: Gears and machinery can be explained alongside the completion of the modules.
TOUCH SENSORS (two modules and one tie-in project)
Description: The touch sensors are little buttons.
Warning: The sensors are a bit fragile. Keep the motor speeds low.
Modules:
1. Have the robot beep when the touch sensor is pressed.
2. A more advanced project: have the robot move around and when it hits an object, it turns around in a random direction and moves once more.
Tie-in Project:
1. Physics: How much force does it take to activate the touch sensors of the robot? Suppose that there is a robot sitting at the end of a ramp. If we put a foam block in front of the sensor, how high does the ramp need to be to activate the sensor?
LIGHT SENSORS (five modules and one tie-in project)
Description: The light sensor gives a reading based on the brightness of light hitting it. We’re pretty sure it can detect colors too.
Warnings: Keep the lights low in the classroom to avoid bad readings.
Modules:
1. The simplest project would involve shining a light on the robot and putting objects in front of the light to see how the readings change. An opaque object would block the light, some clear plastic would let the light through, and tracing paper (or something translucent) would give a reading in-between.
2. The robot traces a path (a thick line on a piece of paper), or a maze.
3. The robot “navigates” a piece of paper with multi-colored squares. For example, when the robot hits a red square, it turns left and moves again. If it detects a blue square, it beeps and moves right and goes onward, and so on.
4. The robot moves along and slows down when a light shines in front of it.
5. Skittles (or M&M’s) Sorter.
Tie-in Projects:
1. Ecology/Environmental Science: Evaluate the muddiness of water (turbin…?).
ROTATION SENSOR (two modules)
Description: The user sets up a conditional in ROBOLAB and the robot evaluates whether the condition has been satisfied, based on the sensor reading.
Modules:
1. Move the arm of the robot and see whether the conditional set up is satisfied.
2. Make a “steering wheel” out of the arms; the robot beeps depending on the direction of the movement.
VERNEIR PROBES (one+ tie-in projects)
Description: There are all different kinds. Mostly the robot acts as a carrier. We would want to devote a section to it separately, since there’s a lot that can be done with them. The robot may or may not be controllable in real-time; e.g. we may or may not be able to pilot the robot from the computer.
Warnings: Don’t track the robots through the mud. LEGOs are washable, but the motors may not be.
Tie-in project:
Physics: Temperature of liquids. Attach the Verneir probe to the robot and have it grip a mug containing a liquid and then take the temperature of the liquid using a robotic arm.
ROBOT-TO-ROBOT COMMUNICATION (one module)
Description: It’s probably a simple sychronization problem. Odds are the robots use message-passing.
Warnings: The robots have to be close to each other and in the line-of-sight in order to receive the messages.
Module:
1. Robot Relay. This module is open. We could have the robots complete a miniature obstacle course. Suppose the first robot follows a line along and when it hits the next robot, tells it to go on. The next robot follows a light moved around by a student until it gets near the near robot. The next robot bounces against the walls of a pathway and eventually gets to the end. At that point, the next robot in line sings. No cigar necessary.
TIMELINE:
Wednesday: Meet from 2 p.m. until . . .? Elliott is going to the Speaking Center at 3 p.m. and we will accompany him there. After that, we can go back to working on the spec.
Thursday: I will have Dr. Polack look over the spec.
Friday: If the spec is still not done, we will meet in the afternoon.
Fall Break: Hopefully by this point we can simply tweak the spec on Google Documents, which everyone should have access to.
Tuesday (Fall Break): Meet if necessary to fix things.
Wednesday (after Fall Break): Deliver the document.
If I missed anything, leave a comment on this post.
– Juliette Zerick
Addendum to the robot-to-robot communication module:
Warnings!
1. Don’t try this in sunlight. The IR port gets flooded.
2. The communication is restricted to the line-of-sight of the IR ports.
Modification of the Verneir Probe Module:
Turn the tie-in project into a module. Just one, though.