11th February – Lift Up the Ball & Recycle

For this week, we have been assign two tasks which is to create a robot that can lift a ball and use the robot as a recycle robot. It is up to each group’s creativity on how to make it work. After having some discussion, we have decided to make the robot grasp the ball due to several reasons. First, we want to make sure the ball did not fall after being lift and second, we want to make sure even if there is wind or other distraction the ball will stay in the arm of robot. We also decided to use 3 motors instead of 2 for the robot’s arm.

For the robot construction, we find it was not really easy since this time we have to use 3 motors and make sure the design did not distract the movement of robot’s arm. After several modification, we finally have come out with final design. Even though it was not really pretty, but it function well and really effective.

After the first task finished, we change the programming of the robot for the second task. This time, the robot must grasp things, bring it to the particular place and put it in the designated box. Even though we met some difficulties, we still managed to finish the task. For the report, you can view it below:

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DATE: 11th February 2009

TIME: 0800 – 1330

TOPIC: Lift Up the Ball & Recycle

AIM:

The aim of this project is to lift up the ball. After that, the robot will be use as a recycle robot which can lift up and put the things in a particular box.

OBJECTIVES:

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1.  Demonstrate a robot which can lift up the ball.

2.  Demonstrate a robot which can lift up things.

3.  Demonstrate a robot which can put the things in a particular box.

4.  Programming the robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Software.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENTS REQUIRED:

1.  (9797) LEGO MINDSTORMS Education Base Set

2.  (2000080) LEGO MINDSTORMS Education NXT Software v2.0

3.  Light sensor

4.  Ball

5.  Box

PROCEDURES:

1.  Design a robot using your own group creativity.

2.  Fix the components according to the design which had been thinking.

3.  Use the light sensor and put it at the suitable places at the robot.

4.  Setup the programming using MINDSTORMS Software.

5.  Download the program to the Intelligent NXT Brick.

6.  Test the robot to see whether it can function well or not.

7.  If it does not function well, modify the program again until it meets to the objectives given by the lecturer.

8.  Present the robot to the lecturer and other classmates.

RESULTS:

The robot manages to lift up the ball. When it comes to the recycle session, the robot manages to lift up the things and put it in the particular box. The light sensor is use to detect the right box according to the things that the robot hold.

PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED:

at the beginning, our robot cannot manage to lift up things because the hands of the robot not strong enough to hold or grab it for long time. The robot hands should be able to hold the things for long time and make sure the things not fall down. After a few trial of designing the hands, at last our robot manage to hold the things for long time and the things not fall down until the robot meet the particular box.

4th February – Tug of War

This week we also got the second task which is Tug of War. This task seems to be the most interesting until now because it involving a robot ‘fight’ among other groups. So we start the task by thinking how to make our robot strongest from other. We have consider some attribute that seems to be important such as the type of tyre, the number of tyre and the programming. So from all that consideration, we finally have come out with a design that strong and have big tyres.

After the competition finish, we finally managed to get 3rd place out of 6. We find that even though we have done some discussion, our robot still have weakness such as not heavy enough and the tyre still not really strong. For the report of this task, you can view it below:

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DATE: 4th February 2009

TIME: 0800 – 1330

TOPIC: Tug of War

AIM:

The aim of this project is to design a robot that can compete in the Tug of War competition.

OBJECTIVE:

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1.  Demonstrate the robot which can compete in the tug of war.

2.  Programming the robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Software.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENTS REQUIRED:

1.  (9797) LEGO MINDSTORMS Education Base Set

2.  (2000080) LEGO MINDSTORMS Education NXT Software v2.0

3.  Small rope

4.  Tape

PROCEDURES:

1.  Design a robot using your own group creativity.

2.  Fix the components according to the design which had been thinking.

3.  Setup the programming using MINDSTORMS Software.

4.  Download the program to the Intelligent NXT Brick.

5.  Test the robot to see whether it can function well or not.

6.  If it does not function well, modify the program again until it meets to the objectives given by the lecturer.

7.  Start the competition with the other groups.

RESULTS:

Our group robot manages to get 3rd place in this Tug of War competition. Some problems had been identified by our group on why our robot cannot win the competition.

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED:

1.  The robot not really stable.

2.  The tyres not enough strong to pulling the other robot.

SOLUTIONS:

1.  The base of the robot should be heavier.

2.  The tyres should be strong to give stability to the robot body.

4th February – Hit the Ball

In this week, each group have been given a task of Hit the Ball. The aim of this task is to create a robot that can hit a ball using light sensor. So the first thing we do is planning how to create the robot. This stage is quite easy after we have done it several times in previous task. Next, we put the light sensor on the suitable place. We have decided to put it in lower front of the robot since the ball is not very big. We also have chosen a red ball instead of blue.

Then after the several trial of programming, we finally manage to completed the task. As usual, for the report you can see below:

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DATE: 4th February 2009

TIME: 0800 – 1330

TOPIC: Hit the Ball

AIM:

The aim of this project is to design a robot that can hit the red ball using light sensor.

OBJECTIVE:

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1.  Demonstrate the robot which can hit the red ball.

2.  Programming the robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Software.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENTS REQUIRED:

1.  (9797) LEGO MINDSTORMS Education Base Set

2.  (2000080) LEGO MINDSTORMS Education NXT Software v2.0

3.  Light sensor.

4.  Red and blue ball.

PROCEDURES:

1.  Design a robot using your own group creativity.

2.  Fix the components according to the design which had been thinking.

3.  Use the light sensor and put it at the suitable places at the robot.

4.  Setup the programming using MINDSTORMS Software.

5.  Download the program to the Intelligent NXT Brick.

6.  Test the robot to see whether it can function well or not.

7.  If it does not function well, modify the program again until it meets to the objectives given by the lecturer.

8.  Present the robot to the lecturer and other classmates.

RESULTS:

The robot managed to hit the red ball. If we put the blue ball, the robot will not hit it. the light sensor is use to detect the red ball.

22nd January – Interview Session for Research Paper

In 22nd January, all groups have been assign with a task of interviewing teacher. Each group have to choose one school or more from the list of school where all these schools have already included Robotic in their syllabus. Unfortunately for us, some groups have shown bad attitude by choosing more than two schools for interview session. This situation quickly make the other groups with no option except schools that far from our institute.

Some group still decided to choose the leftover school but for us, we choose to find other school that not in the list. Luckily we have found one school not far from our institute which only about 10 minutes rides. After arranging the appoinment, we go to school and meet the teacher for the interview. Since the teacher have lot of experince in teaching robotic and have several times lead the students in National Robotics Competition (NRC), we were able to collect lots of data and information. The interview session finally finished without any problem. For the report, you can view it below:

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DATE: 22nd January 2009

TIME: 1200 – 1400

TOPIC: Research Paper (Interview Session)

AIM:

The aim of the interview session is to gather information from the teacher who involve in robotics and to collect data from local schools in the Kuala Lumpur.

OBJECTIVE:

By the end of the interview session, students should:

1.  Had completed their interview session.

2.  Collect data on how robotics is currently used in schools.

Name of school: Sekolah Menengah Taman Connaught, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur

RESULTS:

Our group able to interview the teacher, collects data on the usage of the robotics in that school and how the school getting involves in the robotics competition.

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Courtesy from http://wensen91.blogspot.com/2008/02/hack-and-turn-your-canon-point-and.html

Courtesy from http://smktc.edu.my/image/smktcmap.jpg

14th January – Design Robot and Use Sensor

In week one, we also have been given the second task which is use any sensor to make the robot move. For this task, we try to expand our creativity with some weird design. We have choose to use sound sensor where when it hear hands clapping, it will start move and when it hear hands clapping again it will stop. At first our design did not work very well, but after several modification it work smoothly. For the report, you can view it below:

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DATE: 14 January 2009

TIME: 0800 – 1330

TOPIC: Design Robot and Use Sensor

AIM:

The aim of this project is to give experience to the students on how to use sensor in their robot.

OBJECTIVES:

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1.  Be familiar with all of the sensors and know how to use it.

2.  Build a robot that can move and stop when people clapping hand using the sound sensor.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:

1.  (9797) LEGO MINDSTORMS Education Base Set

2.  (2000080) LEGO MINDSTORMS Education NXT Software v2.0

3.  Sound sensor

PROCEDURES:

1.  Design a robot using you own group creativity.

2.  Fix the components according to the design which had been thinking.

3.  Use the sound sensor and put it at the suitable places at the robot.

4.  Setup the programming using MINDSTORMS Software.

5.  Download the program to the Intelligent NXT Brick.

6.  Test the robot to see whether it can function well or not.

7.  If it does not function well, modify the program again until it meets to the objectives given by the lecturer.

8.  Present the robot to the lecturer and other classmates.

RESULTS:

The robot will move when hearing hands clapping and stop moving when hearing another hands clapping again. The robot manages to work according that had been setup using sound sensor.