Engineering Process
Stepn 1: Design, build, and program a robot that can find an object using the camera,
and successfully bring it back.
Step 2: Lego NXT Red Ball Finder Wireless Camera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjLeaarjweg
NXT Ball Finder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W1AHqvhu54&feature=related
Camera for NXT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfPz4RxxX1g
NXT Ball Hunter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRdqbKNiSew
Step 3: Our ideas were creating a stable structure able to move that was low to the
ground. This way, we would easily be able to connect the grabber, and
camera on the top surface. We wanted to use 3 motors (two for the wheels,
one for the grabber). We also thought of using some kind of gear ratio.
Step 4: We decided on creating a low to the ground robot, and connecting the
grabber, and camera to the top, using all three motors.
and successfully bring it back.
Step 2: Lego NXT Red Ball Finder Wireless Camera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjLeaarjweg
NXT Ball Finder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W1AHqvhu54&feature=related
Camera for NXT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfPz4RxxX1g
NXT Ball Hunter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRdqbKNiSew
Step 3: Our ideas were creating a stable structure able to move that was low to the
ground. This way, we would easily be able to connect the grabber, and
camera on the top surface. We wanted to use 3 motors (two for the wheels,
one for the grabber). We also thought of using some kind of gear ratio.
Step 4: We decided on creating a low to the ground robot, and connecting the
grabber, and camera to the top, using all three motors.
Prototype 1
Our robot worked on the first design that we tested. The robot was low to the ground (which made it easier for us to see from the camera), had two motors for the wheels, one for the grabber, and a flat surface on top. Once we got everything programmed correctly, everything worked out, even the grabber.
Program Behaviors
In this challenge, we didn't have a "normal" program. We used a different method and worked with a controller, connected through bluetooth. With this, we programmed it in tank. This meant that each motor was controlled by a different piece. Then two different buttons controlled the grabber going down, and the other making it go up.
What We Learned
We learned how to use and program the robot to navigate with a controller. We've done this once before with Sumo Bot, but this time we had to figure out how to use three motors. Two of the motors were used for the wheel's movement, and the third was for the claw on top. We figured out a way to move the claw down, then also figured out how to make it move back up if we weren't successful on our first attempt.
What We Would Do Differently
If I did this design challenge a second time, I would try to figure out a way to grab a larger object. Also, I would try to pick it up from the ground (since in this challenge we caught the ball and dragged it back to us).