91.110 Interactive Robotics

Lab 1: Introduction to Robotics – The Cricket Bot

Don Rhine & Janna Thomas

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Figure 1: The Cricket mounted on top of the car

Introduction:

The Handy Cricket is an microprocessor with several input and output ports that allow the user to create interactive devices that can perform multitude of tasks. You will quickly see how easy it is to build and program a robot to solve a simple task.

Purpose:

To introduce to the concept of robotics using a hands-on approach
To introduce to the concept of planning, programming, program control, and debugging
To explore a variety of sensors
To use the formal language of robotics as introduced in the Matariç textbook.

Instructions:

1. Choose a partner. Several of you have already worked with the Cricket Bot as part of the TEAMS Exploration program. If so, you should work with someone who has not had this experience.

2. Go to the robotics seminar page and read though all the information before you start.

3. Complete all of the simple tasks (step 3 on the robotics seminar page) before you move on to the challenges (step 4).

4. Select one of the challenges and solve it!!

a. Discuss the challenge with your partner and develop a strategy to solve the task and create a team wiki page to document your strategy. (HW2 Due 9/11-12).

b. As your strategy changes, you should revise your wiki.

c. Be sure to use an appropriate name for your wiki page and make sure you create it in the Student group (e.g. [[Team Freedom’s Power Out at the Mall Strategy->Student.SallyFredLab1Strategy]] ). Be sure to include links to this page in a logical, easy-to-find location on each partner’s personal wiki.

5. Develop a deeper knowledge of the sensors that you are using. Make sure you work with all three sensors and WRITE down your observations from your experimentation. What do the sensors see/touch/smell/taste/hear? Make sure you change the environment in a variety of ways to see how each sensor reacts. What values to the sensors return the cricket? In what ways can you use these sensors (think outside the box). Go on line and see what technical information you can find about photoresistors and infrared reflector sensors.

6. Write a memo style lab report (individual assignment)

a. The typewritten report should include a cover page and the sections listed below. The lab report should be no longer than two pages (excluding cover page, appendices, tables, and pictures).

A cover page with the lab title, date, team members, cohort
Introduction
Discussion of Procedures or Methods Used
Results Obtained and Analysis Performed
Summary/Conclusions/Recommendations (did your solution work? If not, why not? What problems did you encounter and how did you overcome them? Any recommendations/pitfalls for new Cricket users? Did you notice any problems/limitations with Logo Blocks?
References
Appendices (make a list and attach the documents)
1. Print out your team’s strategy page from the wiki.
2. Write a description of the Cricket Bot using the key concepts & terminology from the Matariç reading (no more than one page).
3. Summarize the results your observations with the sensors—be sure to describe the experiments and provide data to support your conclusions. (limit to one-page, use a “mini” lab report format if you like)

b. If you would like some information about how to write technical reports, please visit the links below. The sample memo report is a bit more technical than your Lab 1.

2008Lab1

91.110 Interactive Robotics

Lab 1: Introduction to Robotics – The Cricket Bot

Introduction:

Purpose:

Instructions: