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 ofLearned 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.
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.
Friday, September 18, 2015
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.
Every year Josep and I go back home to visit grandma and relatives. Our trip this year will mean that robotics is taking a little break from Mindstorms and is going to briefly revisit Lego WeDo.
For the next three weeks, students will be combining two sets of Lego WeDo (which means twice the pieces than before) and work on three quite complicated contraptions: a Ferris Wheel, a tower crane and a smart car.
Take a look at the three videos below to get a better idea of the kind of projects your students will be building.
Remember that Lego RoboSanta we played with at Academy a couple of weeks ago? Well, a while back Josep and I entered it in a contest and guess what...we won! The price? a six months of e-learning subscription to cityCAMP.
What is more important, HLACNY/Academy has generously purchased a Lego Mindstorms EV3 for us to build with and take full advantage of this opportunity. Thank you Home Learners Association of Central New York for your support!!!!!
So, as soon as we get it we will start building a helicopter, a scissor lift, a race car, a wind turbine, and a bulldozer among other models. Check out the motorbike below:
VIDEO: Motorcycle LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Education
This is going to be fun but it is also going to require a lot of team work and some serious programming effort. Notice the type of programming we are going to be using in the picture below, a more complicated variation of what we have been doing in the past in this class.
In preparation for class, I would like for you to download the version of the software we will be using in class so you start becoming familiar with it. It is free and you can get it here. Please ask your parents to help you with this!
Finally, please note that so far we have been able to work in teams of two because we had many smaller Lego sets to work with. However, as soon as we start working with Lego Mindstorms EV3 we will be working in slightly larger groups of three or four. Remember that I expect EVERYONE to be able to work COOPERATIVELY in this class. All students in each team will be able to contribute with the building, programming and testing of our models.
I look forward to starting these cool models in the near future with your help, my young Lego engineer friends!
Today we started two new robotic projects: a Ferris wheel and a tower crane. Teams were given a chance to choose which project to work on.
In the next few weeks we will complete them and hopefully move to our very own smart car (able to detect obstacles and backtrack) and a smart house that interacts with the car, so when a parent drives in it becomes active (see-saw and greeter at balcony).
Enjoy some of today's pictures and see you next week.
Today we had a blast with the EV3 RoboCAMP Santa. Students took turns controlling the IR remote. Maybe I will film it next week and we will post it here?
We then built very basic cars with our RCX bricks. Next day in class we will start programming them with RoboLab so they can perform some basic tasks.
Also, in the next few weeks I will distribute some PDF documents to parents so students can start familiarizing themselves with the icons most commonly used in this program.
I have a fantastic group of students in my class and I really look forward to working with them every week.
Enjoy the video below; a little bit chaotic true, but it seems like somebody was having fun!
