ROBOTICS MERIT BADGE REQUIREMENTS 4 and 5 USING VEX IQ KITS
Learning Objective -
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Work on Requirements 4 and 5 of the Robotics Merit Badge Students will explore the Vex Iq Robot with Sensors behaviours and program the robot to drive forward and backward.
Materials Required Vex Iq Kit Laptop with VexOS Utility and VEXcode IQ Blocks softwares installed for Programing Paper and Pens
Steps 1. Welcome the scouts and introduce yourself. 2. Have the Scouts get into teams of three or four. They will be working together on the Vex Iq kits and sharing their kit and the responsibilities. It is better to assign roles within each group: a. Builder — This person checks that the robot is properly built and ready (e.g., Are all the motors and sensors plugged into the correct ports? Is the Robot Brain turned on?) before a project is run. b. Programmer — This person will use the drive block to create a project on the computer or tablet. This person will also download the project to the robot. c. Driver — This person selects the project and then runs it on the robot. This person will also be the one to retrieve the robot after it as run. d. Recorder — This person writes down all of the group answers/reflections in the engineering notebook. 3. Go over Requirements 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 4. Explain that the Scouts will be working on Requirements 4 and 5. These are about designing, building, programming, testing and improving a robot. Today you will building a robot that will: a. drive around either autonomously or with the controller in a short amount of time. b. Use Sensors: distance sensor, color sensor, gyro sensor, touch LED, bumper switch. c. The built robots will race each other. 5. Before we get started, explain the importance of the organization of kits. a. Ask Scouts to keep the kits halfway sorted as they will be responsible for organizing the kit at the end of the session. b. Talk about the spare parts at the front of the classroom. Scouts must ask before using these spare parts.
c. Explain that a Scout is trustworthy and no parts of the Vex Iq kit should leave the robotics classroom. 6. Get creative with building a base robot using the Vex Iq kit. Make sure you place the sensors correctly according to their use. 7. Use RobotC programming to create, compile a program. Then download this program onto the Vex Iq brain. 8. Test your build. 9. Improve your design and program. 10. Disassemble the kit.
Introduction to Robots Robots are programmed with instructions so that they know what to do, and when. A robot can be programmed to, for example, go forward five axle rotation, turn left, and then go straight indefinitely. They can also be given much more elaborate programs to follow however, such as feeding a robot code that lets it identify a target, and launch a Frisbee into it all by it's self.
Requirement 4 and 5: Design, Build, Program, Test and Improve The process to build a good robot is as follows:
Design
Determine what you want your robot to do. Research and explore new ideas on how you can work towards your objective.
Build
Construct the robot keeping the end result in mind - what you want your robot to do.
Program
Create a software program that makes your robot work the way you want it to.
Test
Test your build, observe how it functions. Check if the prototype works as intended. Did it manage to complete the task it was intended for? Did it perform the task well?
Improve
Identify what needs to be improved and come up with ideas to improve it then build those improvements. Test to see if your improvements worked and then improve your robot further in this never ending cycle.
Real world automakers use these methods every year when they improve their car models.
Robot Design ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
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Briefly explain the Vex Iq kit contents. Discuss how a Vex Iq robot brain and controller works. Explain how the robot can be connected to the laptop for programming. Remind the scouts that they should be finished with the build within an hour. Start building the robot according to the build instructions in the link below: https://education.vex.com/xyleme_content/drive-forward-reverse/pdf/drive-forwardreverse.pdf Try to discourage complex robot designs at first, as these become difficult to work with, program and debug later. The design can be improvised/made complex once the entire process is understood. Encourage Scouts as they are working on their final bot to be mindful of their kits.
Programming Setup Before you begin programming, check if you have each of these items ready: ● Are all the motors and sensors plugged into the correct port? ● Are the smart cables fully inserted into all of the motors and sensors? ● Is the Brain turned on? ● Is the battery fully charged? ● Is your Vex IQ robot system firmware updated on VexOS Utility? ● Is the Robot brain paired with the Controller for wireless communication? ● Is the Robot system set up in VEXcode IQ Blocks?
Check if your Vex IQ is updated with VexOS Utility software All of the VEX IQ Smart Devices (Robot Brain, Controller, Smart Motor, and sensors) contain their own internal processors and run special software. The best way to ensure that your VEX IQ system is functioning properly is to keep the Robot's software up to date. 1. Open the VexOS Utility software on the Laptop 2. Connect the Vex Brain to the Laptop using the black microUSB cable.
3. Check if the Vex Brain OS, sensors and motors are all up-to-date with respect to the system software. This is where you will get a graphical image of the sensors and motors connected to the different ports of the Vex brain. You can verify if your connection is correct and working here.
See the video under link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ti89ErD3VI&list=PLvvcc7S26YEgp60fNJwh64aj9ywiZ79T a&index=15
Pairing the Controller to a Robot Brain Before driving a VEX IQ robot, the Controller must be paired to a particular Robot Brain. To do so: 1. Power on the Vex Iq brain. 2. Press the ‘x’ button to open the ‘Settings’ menu.
3. Using the up (^) and down (v) buttons, go to the ‘Radio Data’ settings.
4. Make sure that the Radio Data button is turned ‘On’ using the Check button.
5. You can see that the Radio Data has been turned on when an arrow icon appears on the top of the screen. 6. Turn off the Vex brain by pressing down the ‘x’ button for about 5 seconds. 7. Connect the Controller and Robot Brain together using the included blue ethernet cable. 8. Turn on the Robot Brain 9. You will see a Tethered logo on the top-right of your LCD screen
10. Now remove the cable from the Robot Brain and the Controller. 11. Once you remove the cable, you will notice that the Tethered logo has been replaced by a Radio logo on the top-right of the LCD screen. This means that the Robot Brain and Controller are now communicating wirelessly.
Setup your robot using VEXcode IQBlocks 1. Power on the Vex Iq brain and go to ‘System Info’ setting.
2. Press the Check button to open ‘System Info’. 3. Inside ‘System Info’, you will need the Id number of your Vex brain. Make a note of this number.
4. Open the VEXcode IQ Blocks software.
5. Click on the ‘Brain’ menu inside VEXcode IQBlocks and click on the ‘+’ sign
6. Enter the Id number of your Vex Iq brain and select submit.
7. The tablet begins to search for the Vex Iq brain. Wireless connections usually take a few seconds to connect. 8. Once connected, the ‘Brain’ menu icon will turn green and the Radio data button on the Brain LCD screen will be bolded. The Vex Iq brain is now wirelessly connected to the laptop/tablet.
9. You can configure the Controller, Sensors and Motors for your robot with the ‘Devices’ window.
10. Select the ‘Devices’ window and select the devices that you will be using.
11. Then, select which port your device is connected to.
12. The devices configured will appear as a list under the ‘Devices’ window. 13. You can now wirelessly download the program from your laptop/tablet to the Brain using the ‘Download’ button. 14. Once you click the ‘Download’ button, a progress bar will appear to indicate progress(Compiling, Downloading etc).
Program your robot using VEXcode IQBlocks 1. Open VEXcode IQ Blocks software. The user-interface is the same as Scratch. 2. Drag and drop commands from the Behaviors list on the left sidebar onto the program window.
3. Save the project file.
Download the program to your robot 1. Choose a slot (in the Vex brain) to download
2. Connect a microUSB cable from your laptop to your Vex Iq brain
3. Switch on the Vex Brain. When the Brain is successfully connected to the computer, the ‘Brain’ icon in VEXcode IQ Blocks turns green. 4. Click on ‘Download’ to send the project to the selected Brain Slot. 5. Select ‘Run’ to start the project from your computer or run the project from the Brain.
Test The Operator should now run the project on the robot by making sure the project is highlighted and then press the Check button. Congratulations on creating your first project!
Disassembly of the Vex Iq kit The last half hour of class is devoted to disassembling robots and organizing kits. Make sure any spare parts they got during the week are returned to their rightful place.
Discuss Requirements for Robotics Merit badge REQUIREMENT 1: SAFETY Do each of the following: ● Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while working with robots and what you should do to anticipate, mitigate and prevent, and respond to these hazards. Describe the appropriate safety gear and clothing that should be used when working with robotics. ● Discuss first aid and prevention for the types of injuries that could occur while participating in robotics activities and competitions, including cuts, eye injuries, and burns (chemical or heat). ● ●
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Robotics is a fun activity, but depending on what tools you use, it could be prone to accidents. Always wear safety glasses. When working with robotics, things like projectiles, and screwdrivers, and drones may all approach you eye with considerable speed. You have to be careful. Robots use electricity. Be very careful, when wiring a robot, keep it unplugged and when inspecting wiring, look for damaged wires. Be especially careful around connectors with a lot of metal showing. The Vex Iq kit contains tiny objects made of plastic. They can be a real choking hazard to anyone, especially children. Never remove your boots as not only does it make the room smell, you could hurt yourself by stepping on any of the tiny pieces.
REQUIREMENT 2: ROBOTICS INDUSTRY Discuss the following with your counselor: a. The kinds of things robots can do and how robots are best used today. b. The similarities and differences between remote-control vehicles, telerobots, and autonomous robots. c. Three different methods robots can use to move themselves other than wheels or tracks. Describe when it would be appropriate to use each method. The kinds of things robots can do and how robots are best used today. ● Today’s robots have the ability to complete many complicated tasks. Robots use many operations and movements to find and remove dangerous items to keep people safe. Over time, engineers have developed robots to be able to complete tasks that benefit humans in many ways. These advancements have led robots to become widely used in our communities. ● They are many benefits for using robots. The 4 D's of Robotics
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Dangerous: Robots can perform dangerous tasks such as defusing a bomb. Dull: Robots can perform monotonous and repetitive tasks for hours on end without ever going on strike. Delicate: Robots can perform tasks that require a steady hand or small size such as surgery some robots can even move around individual atoms. Dirty: Robots can perform tasks that would make any human throw up such as working in the sewers or with biological hazards.
The similarities and differences between remote-control vehicles, telerobots, and autonomous robots. ● Remote-Control Vehicles: Robots whose every function is controlled by humans using a remote controller. ● Autonomous Robots: Autonomous robots perform all on there own with minimal/no human interaction, including some factory robots or a self-driving car. ● Telerobots: A Telerobot, or Tele-operated robot, is a robot that operates semiautonomous using pre programmed functions such as drones or Mars Rovers. Three different methods robots can use to move themselves other than wheels or tracks. Describe when it would be appropriate to use each method. ■ Basic Movement: ● Electric Motors - The basic way a robot moves is using electric motors, as these rotate wheel gears to move the robots or parts of a robot. ● Servos - Basically an electric motor but instead of rotating infinitely, it turns a finite amount adding more precision to a movement in exchange for speed/power. ● Linear Actuator - Creates a linear or straight movement rather than creating a motion through spinning. Very useful for making machines more compact, although it has a limited movement. ■ Locomotion: ● Wheels - The simplest method of locomotion for a robot is through a wheel. The wheel rotates which in turn moves the robot. Has the advantage of speed and simplicity but lacks superior all-terrain abilities. ● Tracks - The exact opposite of wheels; involves a belt rotating around several wheels to induce motion. It is slow and complex but makes up for its weaknesses with its power, grip, and all-terrain abilities. ● Legs - The most complex form of robot movement, requiring complicated mechanisms and programming. Our best-legged robots are nowhere near their animal counterparts. Like animals, however, these robots have very slow speeds but make up for it by possessing the best all-terrain abilities. ■ Miscellaneous/Thrusters - For moving through areas that aren’t flat terrain, such as space, water, or air, robots use a variety of thrusters. These robots are by far the fastest at our disposal.
REQUIREMENT 3: GENERAL KNOWLEDGE Discuss with your counselor three of the five major fields of robotics (human-robot interface, mobility, manipulation, programming, sensors) and their importance to robotics development. Discuss either the three fields as they relate to a single robot system OR talk about each field in general. Find pictures or at least one video to aid your discussion. Human-Robot Interface - The study of interactions between humans and robots. It is often referred as HRI by researchers. HRI is a multidisciplinary field with contributions from human–computer interaction, artificial intelligence, robotics, natural language understanding, design, and social sciences. Mobility - This field includes a large spectrum of disciplines, spanning from artificial intelligence to mechatronics, from navigation techniques to digital electronics, and from sensors to actuators technologies. Sensors are input devices for robots. They come in many different types, such as limit switches, gear decoders, light sensors, etc. These different sensors detect different things and have different uses. Sensors help robots to make vital decisions, or even go completely autonomous.Sensors can include: ○ Ultrasonic Sensors - Use echolocation to determine distance to surrounding objects. ○ Thermal Sensors - Determine locations of warm blooded targets or temperature of surrounding objects. ○ Touch Sensors - Determine if something has impacted the sensor. ○ Sound Sensors - Determine changes in sound level ○ Light Sensors - Determines distance to objects and used in line-following applications.
REQUIREMENT 4: DESIGN, BUILD, PROGRAM, TEST Do each of the following: a. With your counselor’s approval, choose a task for the robot or robotic subsystem that you plan to build. Include sensor feedback and programming in the task. Document this information in your robot engineering notebook. b. Design your robot. The robot design should use sensors and programming and have at least 2 degrees of freedom. Document the design in your robot engineering notebook using drawings and a written description. c. Build a robot or robotic subsystem of your original design to accomplish the task you chose for requirement 4a. d. Discuss with your counselor the programming options available for your robot. Then do either option 1 OR option 2. Option 1. Program your robot to perform the task you chose for your robot in 4a. Include a sample of your program’s source code in your robot engineering notebook.
Option 2. Prepare a flowchart of the desired steps to program your robot for accomplishing the task in 4a. Include procedures that show activities based on sensor inputs. Place this in your robot engineering notebook. e. Test your robot and record the results in your robot engineering notebook. Include suggestions on how you could improve your robot, as well as pictures or sketches of your finished robot. REQUIREMENT 5: DEMONSTRATE Do the following: a. Demonstrate for your counselor the robot you built in requirement 4. b. Share your robot engineering notebook with your counselor. Talk about how well your robot accomplished the task, the improvements you would make in your next design, and what you learned about the design process. REQUIREMENT 6: COMPETITIONS Do ONE of the following. a. Attend a robotics competition and report to your counselor what you saw and learned about the competition and how teams are organized and managed. b. Learn about three youth robotics competitions. Tell your counselor about these, including the type of competition, time commitment, age of the participants, and how many teams are involved. ●
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FIRST Robotics Competitions o FLL jr. - Grades 1-4 o FLL ▪ Grades 4-8 ▪ Lego Robots programmed autonomously. o FTC ▪ Grades 7-12 ▪ Small metal robots programmed both autonomously and teleoperated. o FRC ▪ Grades 9-12 ▪ 120 metal robots on a field the size of a basketball court. VEX Robotics Competitions o Middle school, high school, and college/university. o More than 11,500 teams from 40 countries playing in over 750 tournaments. o Local, regional, national, and world competitions. NAVSEA Robotics Competitions o Sea - Seaperch competition a water game o Land - Similar to Vex or FTC o Air - Drone competiton
REQUIREMENT 7: CAREERS IN ROBOTICS Name three career opportunities in robotics. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you. ●
Robotics Engineer: This is a profession for someone with a lot of patience along with a lot of training in engineering. An engineer has the responsibility for developing the robot on paper. This creation can take quite some time, because of research and the high technicality and sophistication of robotics. Then, as it’s being built, he will oversee practically every aspect of the development of the robot, from safety to testing to analyzing and reviewing every movement. This type of robotics job is very technical and time consuming. It requires a degree in mechanical or electrical engineering.
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Robotics Technician: Robotics technicians must have a range of technical skills and be able to troubleshoot various robotic systems using their knowledge of microprocessors, programmable controllers, electronics, circuit analysis, mechanics, sensors, and feedback systems. They must also be able to assemble and disassemble robotic parts when repairing equipment, as well as program and repair the controllers which handle the robots' movement and actions.
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Software developer: Software developers develop computer applications that allow users to perform specific tasks on computers or other devices. They may also develop or customize existing systems that run devices or control networks. A bachelor's degree in software engineering, computer science, or information technology is needed to be a Software developer.