Barclays Mobile Robotics Hour 1 Overview Session

Barclays Mobile Robotics

Hour 1

Overview Session

What is a Robot ?

• From Wikipedia• A robot is a mechanical or virtual artificial agent, usually an electro-

mechanical machine that is guided by a computer program or electronic circuitry. • Robots can be autonomous or semi-autonomous and range from

humanoids such as Honda's Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility (ASIMO) and TOSY's TOSY Ping Pong Playing Robot (TOPIO) to industrial robots, collectively programmed swarm robots, and even microscopic nano robots. • By mimicking a lifelike appearance or automating movements, a robot

may convey a sense of intelligence or thought of its own.

What is a Robot ?

• From The Oxford English Dictionary• A machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions

automatically, especially one programmable by a computer:

What is a Robot

What is a Robot – The Future ?

• What do you think a robot is ?• Could a robot replace your teacher ?

Using Robotics To Learn Programming• At Barclays we have found that using small robots teaches

programming in a way that helps everyone understand the basics• We will be using these robots from 4tronix• 3 different challenges• Programming at the end of the session - create your own robot zoog

on the screen

Icebreaker

• Ever wanted to be an app ? Now is your chance

Introducing the Robot

• How the Robot works• How to upload code• How to change code

Introducing the Robot – The IDE

• Where you write code• Save your sketch – the

app

Introducing the Robot – The Sketch

• The sketch is the app• void loop()• Curly bracket {}• Semicolon ;• Functions – command• Arguments to function• Debug print

void loop(){ Serial.println(“In the loop"); forward(1000,255,255); halt(0); reverse(1000,255,255); halt(0); }

Introducing the Robot

• Plug the robot into the laptop with the USB Cable• Load and run BRC_Move sketch• Make some changes to see what happens


Hour 2

Move Challenge 1


Hour 3

Shape Challenge 2


Hour 4

The Auto Challenge

The if instruction

• You can use the if instruction also called a statement to execute code if something is true• Each sketch for the advanced challenge contains a working if – for

example

If ( leftObstacleSensor() == true ){

//Execute this block of code within the curly bracketshalt(0);reverse(0,255);

}

Active Sensor - Ultrasonic

Passive Sensor - Motion

• Motion Sensors can detect movement – they look for IR / Heat

Passive Sensor – Light/IR

• Light Sensor can detect Light – Or Infra Red. Used a lot in Robotics for position and distance calculation

Laser Range Finders

• Laser Range Finders send out a laser beam. The beam bounces off its target and the light comes back and the sensors can measure the time difference.• This is a very accurate measurement. Expensive to buy


Hour 5

The Line Follower

Quick Revise on the if instruction

• You can use the if instruction also called a statement to execute code if something is true• Each sketch for the advanced challenge contains a working if – for

example

If ( leftObstacleSensor() == true ){

//Execute this block of code within the curly bracketshalt(0);reverse(0,255);

}

Passive Sensor – Light/IR

• Light Sensor can detect Light – Or Infra Red. Used a lot in Robotics for position and distance calculation


Hour 6

Robots with Line Follower – Speed Challange

Line Follower Track

• Line follower track – robot uses sensors to track line• Your code to keep robot on the

line and get it from start to finish


Hour 7

Programming With Processing

Software and programming

• First Programmable Computer – 1944 – World War II helped to break Codes• Colossus• Mainframes • Desktop PC• Smartphones• Credit Cards• Google Glass• What Next ?

Software and programming

• Computing Power has doubled every 18 months since 1980• A Cray XMP in 1990 cost 20 Million Dollars• Same computer in 2014 costs $200 dollars and is still 10 times more

powerful• If we had same comparisons with Aeroplanes – then you could by a

jumbo jet for the same cost as a pizza• Computing power in 20 years will be astonishing

Software – Lets Code

The Screen Grid

• Pixel

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7s

The Screen Grid• X Direction

01234567

The Screen Grid• Y Direction

0 1 2 3 4 51234

The Screen Grid• Coordinate• (X,Y)• 5,4

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 712 ?3 ?4 ?567

The Screen Grid• Coordinate• (X,Y)• (6,3)• ????

The Screen Grid• Coordinate System of

Screen could be 1280 x 1024• (X,Y)• (600,700)• ????

1280

1024


• Open Processing on Laptop• Get to first Screen• This is an IDE• This is where you will write code• Called a Sketch• Save the Sketch• Open an Example


• Example – Open the Bounce Sketch and have a look and run


• Have a look at the code – can you see how to make the ball get smaller or bigger ?• Faster or slower ?• Have a look and see what you

think – use the stop button and restart when you have made a change in the code


• Software programs are procedural • Real Life Demo! You are Sketch!• See how programs are procedures – one instruction then another • In a Loop


• Lets look at writing a few lines of code – create a new sketch and type these lines• size(500,500);• ellipse(100,100,50,50);• Now run


• Syntax is important – this sets the size of the window

size(500,500);


• Syntax is important – draw a circle

ellipse(100,100,50,50);


• We can change colour and size of lines.• Colour can be set by the fill

command• size(300,300);• fill(0);• ellipse(100,100,40,50);• fill(255);• ellipse(140,140,40,50);


• Some commands can set the colour• fill• If you use single number 0 is black

and 255 is white• If you use a triplet with RGB Red

Green Blue• 255,0,0 is red• fill(255,0,0);• ellipse(100,100,20,20);• Draws an circle that is red


• We can change colour and size of lines.• Colour can be set by the fill

command• size(300,300);• fill(0,255,0);• ellipse(100,100,40,50);• fill(255,0,255,0);• ellipse(140,140,40,50);


• Different commands • line(x1,y1,x2,y2);• stroke(34); ( Line Colour)• strokeWeight(3);• rect(x1,y1,l,w);• background(255);• Use these to make something!• http://processing.org/tutorials/

http://processing.org/tutorials/

http://processing.org/tutorials/

// zoog

size(200,200);background(255);smooth();ellipseMode(CENTER);rectMode(CENTER);

// Bodystroke(0);fill(150);rect(100,100,20,100);

// Eyesfill(0); ellipse(81,70,16,32); ellipse(119,70,16,32);

// Legsstroke(0);line(90,150,80,160);line(110,150,120,160);


• Lets look ad Sketch Structure so we can build more advanced sketches

void setup(){}void draw(){}

Software – Lets Codevoid setup() { // Set the size of the window size(200,200); }

// draw() loops continuously until you close the sketch window.void draw() { // Draw a white background background(255); // Set CENTER mode ellipseMode(CENTER); rectMode(CENTER);

// Draw Zoog's body stroke(0); fill(150); rect(100,100,20,100);

Type the first part into a new sketch

Save it!


// Draw Zoog's head stroke(0); fill(255); ellipse(100,70,60,60);

// Draw Zoog's eyes fill(0); ellipse(81,70,16,32); ellipse(119,70,16,32);

// Draw Zoog's legs stroke(0); line(90,150,80,160); line(110,150,120,160);}

Don’t Forget the Curly Bracket!

Then Run it – don’t forget to save it you

will need it

Dave Robertson

Software – Lets Codevoid setup() { size(200,200);}

void draw() { background(255);

stroke(0); fill(175); rectMode(CENTER); rect(mouseX,mouseY,50,50); }


• Go back to zoog sketch and see if you can use mouseX and mouseY to move bits of zoog around• Hint – you can write mouse+10 like • ellipse(mouseX+10,mouseY,100,100);


• Variables allow us to use names rather than values. • We can modify the values when the

sketch is running• mouseX is a variable

Software – Lets Code// Declare and initialize two integer variables at the top of the code.int circleX = 100;int circleY = 100;

void setup() { size(200,200); smooth();}

void draw() { background(255); stroke(0); fill(175); // Use the variables to specify the location of an ellipse. ellipse(circleX,circleY,50,50);}

Copy this code to a new sketch

Change the 100 values and see what

happens


• The if statement means you can test for a value and then only execute the code you need• Great for sensors on robots – if the sensor is on – then go forward

If ( test ) {

Execute this code(value);}


• The test can be greater than, less than, equal to AND OR and any combination you like:

If ( mouseX > circleX ) {

fill(255);ellipse(100,100,20,20);

}


• These are the most popular if tests

If ( mouseX > circleX ) - Great thanIf ( mouseX < circleX ) - Less thanIf ( mouseX == circleX ) - EqualsIf ( mouseX != circleX ) - Does NOT EqualsIf ( mouseX == circleX && mouseY == circleY) - ANDIf ( mouseX == circleX || mouseY == circleY) - OR

Software – Lets Codefloat r = 150;float g = 0;float b = 0;

void setup() { size(200,200);}

void draw() {

background(r,g,b); stroke(255); line(width/2,0,width/2,height);

If (mouseX > width/2) { r = 255; } else { r = 0; }}

Type this in – what happens ????

Change things around

END OF BARCLAYS MOBILE ROBOTICS COURSEWe hope you enjoyed it!

ResourcesResource Slides – see notes

1 - GOTO CENTRE OF ROOM

2 - MOVE FORWARD 2 STEPS

3 - TURN 90 DEGREES LEFT


5 - IF CLEAR AHEAD MOVE 1 STEP

6 - IF NOT CLEAR TURN 180 DEGREES


8 - GO BACK TO FIRST INSTRUCTION

Laptop Build

• 12 Laptops for 24 Pupils• Xubuntu• Arduino• Basic Shape• Basic Line Follower• Basic Follow• Basic Avoid

• Processing

Arduino

• 12 Arduino Boards – not all lessons required• 12 Ultrasonic Sensors• 12 Bread boards• 24 LED / Resistors• Ultrasonic Sketch provided to get distance and light LED• Circuit Design and Build Instructions

Processing

• Installed software• Prewritten Sketches

Final Challenges

• Shape follow – robots x 6 Cables and Wheels • Laptops 6• A3 / Flipcharts sheets for flow diagrams• 2 x A0 sheets with line follower. • 2 x Obstacles – could be TBC• For follower use a pupil!

Documents

Barclays Mobile Robotics Hour 1 Overview Session