ORTOP

1
ORTOP

• NXT Robotics Techniques Workshop 2009
• Opening doors to the worlds of science and
  technology for Oregons youth

2
Goals

• Audience Rookie coaches/mentors, experienced
  coaches mentors
• Provide material that is immediately usable with
  your team
• Gain experience with 3 motor robot missions
• More experience programming Mindstorms NXT
• You should have already attended NXT workshops I
  II and/or coached a team in a 2008 tournament

3
Instructor Contacts

• Ken Cone
• kcone_at_hevanet.com
• 503-415-1465
• Dale Jordan
• Dale_A_Jordan_at_msn.com
• Leroy Nuckles
• Leroy.a.nuckles_at_intel.com
• 503-264-2088

• Jim Ryan
• james.r.ryan_at_intel.com
• 971-215-6087
• Roger Swanson
• swanson_at_hevanet.com
• 503-297-1824

4
ORTOP Project Administrator

• Cathy Swider
• cathy_swider_at_ous.edu
• 503-725-2920
• (after August 1, 2009)
• FLL Operational Partner for Oregon

5
Agenda

• Introductions (5 min)
• Slide Review (20 min)
• Review mission video(s)
• NXT Techniques lab exercises (90 min)
• Distance sensor
• Loops, Variables, My Blocks
• Mission exercise
• Review questions

6
Our Mission

• FLL is not just about building robots and
  competing in tournaments
• Develop team member skills
• technical
• team building
• research presentation
• Technical problem solving can be fun
• The youngsters do the work
• Introduce possibility of a technical career

7
CanDo Challenge

• Simple project, but good learning tool
• What did you learn?
• Unexpected things happen cans get caught under
  the wheel, it goes the wrong direction
• Take it in smaller steps Lets see what
  happens before it hits a can
• Mechanical problems may do you in
• Clarify the rules know the requirements
• Experiment Just go try it. We can rework it.
• Keep it simple

8
Engineering Design Process
Define theProblem
Research theProblem
Redesign
Develop Possible Solutions
Communicate
Choose the Best Solution
Test and Evaluate
Create a Prototype
9
Building Strong Structures

• Note how NXT parts are all pinned together using
  Technic parts
• Here are three cross bracing examples
• Ref Minnesota HighTekKids.org Robot Building
• http//www.hightechkids.org/coach-library

10
Gears

• Gears
• Spur Gear (show example)
• instructor holds beam
• class person turns axles and
• feels torque on other axle
• tactile feedback learning
• about gears and torque
• Gear Ratio and Speed
• turn the large gear one complete turn
• How may revolutions does the small gear turn?
• Is gear ratio the same as the ratio of gear
  teeth?

11
Gears

• Gears Pulleys
• Worm Gears (show example)
• one way transfer of power
• Crown Bevel Gears
• turn 90 degrees
• Spur Gears
• change direction change torque

12
Motors

• One Move block in the program controls both
  motors
• The robot moves straight - motors will adjust
  speed as the robot moves
• Try programming tests for straight and curved
  movements, adjusting the turn slider for each
  test
• What happens at the extreme ends of the turn
  slider?
• There are Move blocks and Motor blocks Motor
  blocks allow ramp up and ramp down of
  speed(speed vs. time)

13
Base Robot Chassis

• 3 motor base
• Level, square
• Screen location
• Attachments
• Nxtprograms.com
• TriBot design, built in Educational Kit
• Class comments on various designs

14
Program Memory

• Firmware programs stored in flash (like photos
  on a digital camera)
• Maximum available memory is 125KB
• Firmware refresh and all files deleted
• Each program is 0.1KB overhead
• E.g. Move block 5.1KB, two 5.8KB
• E.g. Move Wait for light sensor 7.7KB
• Use My Blocks for subroutines for better memory
  usage
• Click NXT Window then Memory to view memory usage
• Instructor show this command
• Refer to NXTmemory.doc for more details
• Instructor, show this file

15
Writing Efficient NXT-G Programs

• Maximize free space by deleting default files
  that are downloaded with firmware
• Maximize code reuse
• Use only Move or only Motor blocks
• Loops and My Blocks
• Combine multiple programs can combine 2
  programs into 1 and select which of the two
  sequences to run programmatically (using a touch
  sensor, for example)
• Minimize Sound and Display blocks
• Use Mini-Blocks

16
NXT SoftwareV1.1, 2.0

• New version V1.1 released summer/fall 2007
• 2008 kits will have v1.1
• 2007 kits may or may not.
• Check and see
• As of Jan 2009, kits shipped with 2.0, 80 single
  license
• Main advantage is performance enhancements
• Downloading to NXT is faster
• Size of blocks on the NXT is smaller
• Mini-Blocks can be downloadedmindstorms.lego.com
  /support/updates

17
Lab Exercises

• Lab Sections
• Lab 1 - The Distance Sensor
• Lab 2 Loops, Variables My Blocks
• This exercise shows 2 different techniques to
  program the robot to go in a square
• Introduces different programming techniques
• Shows memory usage of different techniques
• Mission programming using 3 motor design

18
Lab Exercises

• Show video examples of robots with fixtures for
  each mission
• Introduce yourself to other team members
• Begin with Lab12 exercises
• Add attachments to 3 motor base to run 1-2
  missions
• 90 min to complete the labs
• Ask questions, chances are someone else has the
  same question
• Have fun!

19
Lab Conclusions

• LAB Conclusions
• Each team briefly explain a section of what you
  learned in this workshop
• What advice would you have for a team starting
  out with NXT?
• Teaching for understanding creates challenging
  situations in which students test their knowledge
  by solving problems, building products, and
  giving performances or writing reports that
  synthesize thorough analysis of a topic, a
  concept, or an idea.

20
Next Steps

• Register your team with FLL
• Share with your team
• NXT Robotics Techniques slides
• NXT Techniques labs
• Mindstorms NXT tutorial (show tutorial)
• Build and test 2-3 robot designs, then have your
  team select a hybrid of best features
• Challenge the kids!
• Make up your own exercises stress basics
  reliability

21
Resources

• Tutorial, Dale Yocum
• Download from http//cgsinfo.catlin.edu/msrobotics
  /html/downloads.html
• takes time, go through in sections
• NXT Tutorial is also available online
  http//www.ortop.org/NXT_Tutorial/
• Requires Adobe Macromedia Shockwave Player and
  high speed download connection
• Inscite www.hightechkids.org
• www.nxtprograms.com

22
Parting Thoughts

• From All I Really Need to Know (About Creative
  Thinking) I Learned (By Studying How Children
  Learn) in Kindergarten Tips from 12 year olds
  on being creative
• Start simple
• Work on things that you like
• If you have no clue what to do, fiddle around
• Dont be afraid to experiment
• Find a friend to work with, share ideas!
• Its OK to copy stuff (to give you an idea)
• Keep your ideas in a sketch book
• Build, take apart, rebuild
• Lots of things can go wrong, stick with it
• MIT Media Lab

23
Review Questions

• Please give us your input
• Let ORTOP know how we can improve the program
• Thanks for volunteering! Your effort make
  learning possible.
• Disassemble robots (keep caster assy together)
  and put pieces back into kits
• http//www.ortop.org/fll