— Tutorial Series CANCELED due to COVID-19 virus situation —
Want to build a robot? Here is your chance to do it, with some help, and in a group of similarly minded individuals. The Build More Robots Series consists of 4 sessions, each 2 hours long, held on consecutive Saturdays. The sessions will cover the assembly of the robot, basic Arduino programming, line following robots, and sumo robots. In the line following and sumo sessions, you will reconfigure your robot to accomplish line following and sumo robot functions. There may even be some friendly competition!
The series is aimed at beginners. Prior knowledge is not necessary. The classes are open to everyone, including students, however, note that the classes move quickly, and the classes may not be a good fit for young students.
To join the series, you must bring at least the robot kit, batteries, tools, and $5 to the 1st session. The sensors will be needed in the following sessions.
You also must sign up for the class at:
https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/15255
Seating is limited so sign up quickly. A count of students is needed to make sure that enough Platform Upgrade Kits are available.
It is also suggested that you get your robot kit and sensors as soon as possible.
Total Cost: ~$40.00 for parts (note: parts are listed below, tools not included in cost).
Sessions:
Mar 21 at noon – Robot Build Session
Mar 28 at noon – Basic Arduino Programming Session
Apr 4 at noon – Line Following Robot Session
Apr 11 at noon – Sumo Robot Session
What you will need:
- Robot Kit – https://smile.amazon.com/VKmaker-Avoidance-tracking-Ultrasonic-tutorial/dp/B01CXVA6IO/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=smart+car+robot&qid=1580782367&sr=8-3, or similar.
- Sensors – https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I57HIJ0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 , or similar.
- Platform Upgrade Kit – Provided by instructor at a nominal cost ($5).
- 6 AA Alkaline batteries.
- A Philips head screwdriver (#1), a small pair of pliers, wire strippers (optional), and wire cutters (optional).
Example set of tools
The session descriptions:
Build More Robots Series – Robot Build Session
In this first session, you will need the robot kit, platform upgrade kit, batteries, and tools. During the session we will build the robot together and learn about the different components of the robot while we build.
Build More Robot Series – Basic Arduino Programming Session
You have built the robot, now what? In this session of the Build More Robots Series we will explore how to program the robot’s Arduino microcontroller board. We will learn the different commands, and how to develop a programming style that makes the process more organized and easier to change. The session is geared for the novice and should help anyone move up the learning curve with confidence.
Build More Robot Series – Line Following Session
In this session of the Build More Robots Series we will explore how to make our robot follow a line. We will cover some of the sensor strategies used in line following, then build our line following sensor using the infrared obstacle avoidance sensor modules that we purchased. After assembling and mounting our new sensor, we will program a basic line following program using what we learned in the Arduino Programming session. You will need the listed sensors for this and the next session.
Build More Robot Series – Sumo Session
What is Sumo? When talking robots, we mean a competition where two robots are placed in a circular arena and proceed to try and push each other out of the arena. It is a sort of bumper cars for robots. In this session of the Build More Robots Series, we will discuss basic strategies used by Sumo robots, and why they are used. We will also modify our robot into a Sumo robot and demonstrate a basic robot sumo program. Next, we battle!
Graduation Competition
After the last session, the attendees will have a chance to test their robot in a friendly competition. They may also consider attending DPRG’s Roborama on April 25th, and competing for prizes.
Have Questions?
You can contact the instructor by emailing info(at)dprg.org.
