BattleBOTS

This fall we will be having a Lego Battelbots class at HLACNY.  

Below is a tentative syllabus (an outline of the subjects to be covered in our course and schedule) for he class.

Also, refer to the video below that illustrates the kind of mechanisms we will be building in class, and the kind of interaction we will create.


Sr. BattleBOTS Syllabus. 

The purpose of this class is to build and test a number of robotic contraptions to be controlled by IR remote controls. Robots will need to be able to maneuver, posses motorized accessories able to “capture” flags and be able to structurally withstand moderate “attacks” by similar robots from opposing teams. To do this we will use Lego Technic, Lego Power Functions, and Mindstorm smart brick components. 

Days 1 and 2. Introduction to class expectration. Students become familiar with Lego Power Functions, Mindstorms smart bricks, and IR remote controls. Students are asked to integrate Lego Power Functions and Lego Technic pieces to build a wheeled mechanism able to move forward and backward.

Days 3 and 4. Students build and test a steering motorized vehicle of their own making.

Days 5 and 6. Students add new motors and start working of appendages and contraptions that can serve as “weapons” or defensive mechanisms in the competition.


MoshiB9865: Lego Battlebots

Intro to Mindstorms EV3

Yay!!!!

HLACNY has gotten two new Mindstorms EV3 education sets that we can use next year at co-op!

...and so I thought I would offer an Intro to Mindstorms EV3 class this fall; an ongoing class that will last four to five sessions and will emphasize coding.

Take a look at the video below to see what kind of activities we will be doing in this class. 

Please parents and students, be advised that homework will be expected from participants in this workshops and that I will post weekly blog entries to keep all of us connected. As you can imagine, some of the projects you saw in the above video are quite complex but, if you do your part, we will be able to cover a lot of material in the brief 40 minutes we get to meet at co-op every week. I expect you (student) to visit our blog regularly to make the most out of our time together in class. I know I can count on you!

Oh, I almost forgot...you can download a free version of the software (retail version) similar to the one we will be using in class (education version) here. If you want to, you can install it in your computer and start becoming familiar with it in preparation for next year. If you prefer to work on a tablet, you can download the free programmer app instead.

See you in the fall of 2016!

WeDo 2.0

Exciting news. WeDo 2.0 is here and HLACNY has purchased several sets for us to use in the fall.



That beeping contraption is an explorer vehicle called Milo and yes, we will be building it in future classes.

For a limited time you can download the FULL version app in the Android or iOS stores. It is fun to "play" with it :) You can also get a version for your computer here. You may need to register, so if you are a student, have your parents help you with this.

Meccanoid Challenge

Two teams, two robots, one final challenge! 

Using Meccano Meccanoid Robotics Building platform we will design and program robots that will be required to cooperatively perform a final challenge. 

Programming will combine the use of Learned Intelligent Movement, Ragdoll Avatar (3D virtual model of the robot), and (04:55) Motion Capture (Meccanoids will mimic your movements with the help of a smart device). 

Participation in this class requires the ability to work cooperatively in small teams.

LEGO WeDoBots

These are the three projects we will working on our LEGO WeDoBots class next session.

Enjoy the videos.



Wedobots: X-Wing



Wedobots: Batmobile.



Wedobots:  Monster Truck Crane

Walking Robot

Today we had our last class.

Students built a walking robot (four legs) and took it for a walk. It was quite a simple design but it was fun to see it walk all the same.

You all worked very hard building our three robots these past six weeks. Congratulations for a job well done!

I am sure going to miss this class.

Today we finished building and programming our first project!

It was very refreshing to see some of our students taking the initiative and  innovating on their own when it came to coding. By doing this they managed to reverse the action of the robot and make it go backwards. Neat!

Next week we will continue with our current project and add a second motor to our contraption. This will mean a small variation in the program, basically adding a port and changing parameters to match those of the one motor robot.

Once finished, and if we have time, we will get started with a scissor lift similar to the one in the picture above.

See you soon!