RoboDesigners

VEX CAD

2012-01-23T12:00:00.000-05:00

A VEX Robot in Autodesk Inventor

The VEX Robotics system requires much more time and effort to build with than LEGO Mindstorms. Breaking parts is also much more expensive. As such, planning what you want to build is important. CAD software, such as Autodesk Inventor and Google SketchUp can help you plan what you want to build before ever touching your Allen wrench.

Autodesk Inventor
Autodesk Inventor is a professional grade CAD software. If you are a student or educator, you can download it free (and legally) from the Autodesk Education Community. The learning curve is steep to start off with, but you can do some pretty amazing things with this software, including center of gravity calculations and realistic renderings.
If you are using Autodesk Inventor, the Super Sonic Sparks (VRC #24) have published an amazing library of parts here, with preconfigured weights and materials.

A VEX Robot in Sketchup

Google SketchUp
SketchUp is a free product from Google. It has a simple learning curve, but doesn't have as many features as Autodesk Inventor. I like to use SketchUp for quick designs--just to get the design saved in memory--and then use Autodesk for more detailed work.

Getting Help
CAD can be a hard topic to start learning, but don't worry--help is just a few clicks away. If Google-ing your problem doesn't provide an answer, post a question on the CAD section of the VEX Forum.

VEX LCD

2012-01-22T22:01:00.003-05:00

What is the VEX LCD, and why should I use it?
The VEX LCD is a two line text screen that can display 16 characters per line. It also has three buttons for user input. The LCD connects to one of the Cortex Microcontroller's I2C ports using a Serial Y-Cable.
I have found the LCD to be exceedingly valuable in VRC. It allows the robot to give feedback to the operator, informing the drivers of a low battery, of current sensor readings, or the currently selected autonomous program.

Ideas for use:

Display Battery Voltage: I like to use the LCD to display the battery voltage before the match begins. To do this in ROBOTC, use the "nAvgBatteryLevel" variable to access the current battery voltage (in millivolts), and display it using the command "displayNextLCDNumber(nAvgBatteryLevel);" These commands should be done in the "pre_auton()" subroutine.

Select Autonomous Program: This topic is a little more complex and probably deserves its own post. However, I will cover the basic idea here. In the pre-autonomous function monitor the LCD buttons in a loop. If the left button is pressed, decrement a counter; if the right button is pressed, increment the counter. When the counter is changed, display the current counter value (or a bit of text dependent on the counter value). Exit the loop when the center button is pressed. Now you can use the counter to select the correct autonomous routine. Again - this probably deserves its own post...

Display sensor readings: For example, if you want to see the current light sensor reading when calibrating your light sensors before the match, you can send the current reading to the LCD. This is also helpful for arm potentiometer if presets stop acting as expected.

Learn to Program Using Python

2012-01-16T15:24:00.000-05:00

Check out this book - Hello World Computer Programming for Kids . It is about $21.00 from Amazon. It will give you instructions on how to download the Python programming language for free. It will also teach you step by step how to program. If your child has an interest or an aptitude for computer programming this is a good way to learn. There is also lots of help on the web. Look at this list of online information to help with learning Python.

Making Math Interesting

2012-01-16T15:11:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to a website with a great article full of ideas on how to make math classes more interesting. One of the ideas is to use robotics!! (That doesn't surprise us does it!?) Part of making math interesting is to make it meaningful. I often tell my students that the things that they learn in math are like tools for their tool belt. These tools are quite useful in problem solving -- and there are no shortages of problems waiting to be solved! So go read that article - and while you are there you might want to check out the rest of the site.

A basic control loop for VEX robots

2012-01-16T14:30:00.001-05:00

A common task in VEX competitions is to hold an arm at a specified height. However, due to the weight of most robot arms, the programmer can't just tell the motor power level to go to zero - the arm would fall. If the programmer tells the arm motor to constantly run at a certain power, that value may not work when the arm is holding something. In this post, I will introduce the concept of a proportional control loop, as well as the basic idea behind programming one.

What is a control loop?
Simply put, a control loop is a repeating program that will provide output to try to achieve a target input. A good example is a thermostat - when the temperature dips below the setpoint, the heater comes on, and when the temperature gets too far above the setpoint, the A/C comes on.
An important concept in a control loop is that of error. Error is the target value minus the current value. So, if the target value (setpoint) in the thermostat example is 68 deg F, and the thermometer reads 65, the error is +3 degrees (the temperature has to come up 3 degrees to meet the setpoint). If the thermometer reads 70, the error is -2 degrees (the temperature needs to go down 2 degrees).

Proportional control
A proportional control loop (sometimes abbreviated as a P loop) is a type of control loop in which the output is directly proportional to the error. Remembering from math class, directly proportional is when the dependent variable is equal to the independent variable multiplied by a constant. For example, y = kx, where k is a constant. In this case, k is called the proportionality constant, which I typically abbreviate as Kp. (K is a typical constant letter, in case you haven't noticed.)
So, here's the basic idea of a proportional loop in pseudo-code:

while(true){ //control loop
error = TARGET - SensorValue;
output = Kp * error; //Kp is a constant
}

Applying proportional control to an arm
At the beginning of this post, I posed the question of how to make an arm hold a specified height. Now I will apply proportional control to this problem. For this example, I will assume that the arm has a potentiometer on it, which will tell at what angle the arm is held. Here is the pseudo-code:

TARGET = <some number>
Kp = <some number>
while(true){ //Loop
error = TARGET - Sensor;
output = Kp * error;
motor[arm] = output;
}

Both the TARGET value and Kp are dependent upon the construction of the robot. Now, this loop will work, but some programmers may spot a potential flaw. When the error becomes large, the motors may reach their full power level. This is typically not something you want in an arm. So, we need to establish a maximum/minimum value for the motors. This is easy with a if/then statement:

TARGET = <some number>
Kp = <some number>
MAX_OUT = <some power>
while(true){ //Loop
error = TARGET - Sensor;
output = Kp * error;
if(abs(error) < MAX_OUT){
motor[arm] = output;
}
else{
motor[arm]=output/abs(output)*MAX_OUT;
}
}

MAX_OUT is the maximum power level you want the motors to attain. The "output/abs(output)*MAX_OUT" segment simply adds the sign of output to MAX_OUT.

Improving the Proportional loop
The proportional loop is the first part of a PID loop. I think that this article does a good job of explaining PID in simple terms.

VEX motor or drive issues?

2012-01-15T23:08:00.001-05:00

In VRC, teams will often find that their robot operates just fine for a few minutes or matches, but after those few minutes, the motors will stop responding to driver control. In most cases, this is either a result of stalling motors, or of drawing too much current on a breaker in the microcontroller or power expander. In this post, I hope to describe the symptoms of each, and some ways to fix these problems.

Stalling Motors:
Basically, this occurs when the motor isn't strong enough to lift the load to which it has been attached. When a motor stalls, it begins to heat up. Inside each motor, there is a thermal breaker which will cut power to the motor when the motor has reached a certain temperature. A symptom you're stalling your motors is when just one (or two linked) motors "die" after driving for a long time (or after pushing another robot).
Here are a few ways to fix this problem:
1) Add more motors to whatever you're trying to lift/turn. This isn't always an option, but is effective.
2) Change the gear ratio. You want to "gear down" the motor - it will spin slower but with more torque (turning force).
3) Add something like elastic or rubber bands to counter-act the weight of an arm.

Breakers in microcontroller/power expander are tripping:
This occurs when too much current is being pulled from a single breaker on the microcontroller or power expander. The Cortex microcontroller has two 4-amp breakers: one for ports 1-5, and a second for ports 6-10. The PIC (old controller) has a single 4-amp limit for all motors. The power expander has a single breaker for all four ports.
This has the same symptoms as a motor stalling, except all motors plugged in to the breaker will turn off - not just one or two. This is often seen on robots with all four drive motors plugged into the power expander.
Potential fix:
Spread out the "high load" motors, and use a power expander. I would suggest putting drive motors on ports 1, 2, 9, and 10, and other motors in a power expander plugged into the appropriate ports. If this doesn't fix the issue, try some of the solutions for a stalled motor.

Suggestion:
Test your robot before the competition! Drive your robot around for about 10 minutes, in a heavy practice environment. If nothing breaks, your motors will probably hold up under the strain of elimination matches at a tournament.

Project Euler

2011-12-14T22:29:00.001-05:00

Have you ever needed a challenge to guide your programming pursuits? Even if you aren't very interested in programming, working Project Euler problems can be incredibly fun and challenging.

What is Project Euler? Project Euler is a website that provides mathematical problems, but the vast majority of the problems require more than just mathematical knowledge to solve - a strong programming ability will aid you greatly on your journey. Here is the first problem from the website:

If we list all the natural numbers below 10 that are multiples of 3 or 5, we get 3, 5, 6 and 9. The sum of these multiples is 23.
Find the sum of all the multiples of 3 or 5 below 1000.

This particular problem is fairly easy - even inefficient programs can arrive at the solution under the "one minute rule." However, as you advance through problems, contriving ways of eliminating unnecessary steps becomes increasingly important.

Project Euler has helped me become a better programmer and mathematician. Researching the concepts behind the problems (i.e. triangular numbers, prime number algorithms, Pythagorean triplets etc.) has broadened my knowledge base, while solving difficult problems trains my mind to look for patterns in numbers and conditions. Project Euler places meaning behind the math you learn in school. (While teaching some math you don't learn in school!)

How do you get started? First, create an account on the Project Euler website - it's free, quick, and easy. Next, find a problem on the problems page that looks interesting, and commence work. If you get stuck, don't worry - some persistence will get you to the right answer eventually!

Judging at the Lynchburg Tournament

2011-11-27T15:22:00.001-05:00

It was a bit strange this year attending the Lynchburg regional FLL tournament on November 12 without bringing our robot, pit display and research materials. This was the first year since we started FLL in 2006 that we didn't have a team. This year we served as judges for the event and we had a great time!

You get a very different perspective of the tournament when you are sitting in a judging room for most of the day. This was the first year we didn't hear the robot tournament music! After meeting with 20 plus teams, we went to the deliberation room, to determine the award winners. When we were done, the tournament was practically over. We were happy and exhausted!

As a Technical Design Judge, I got to see all the Division 1 teams' robots. There were many similarities in the teams, especially in what the kids would say. Most felt like their robots weren't finished or weren't working as desired just yet. I was encouraged by the all the teams' creativity, presentations skills, and knowledge. I saw lots of budding engineers!

It was very encouraging to see the coaches who attended the workshop only 10 short weeks ago. I was just as proud of the coaches as the teams. Many first time coaches are often overwhelmed with all the details of coaching a team -- and you all did great! I was happy to see smiles on everyone's faces! Congratulations on surviving your first season! It definitely much easier after the first year!

The Lynchburg regional FLL tournament is the largest in Virginia. I'd be willing to bet that it is also the best run and the most fun! This community really has a lot going right. The vision of the Region 2000 Technology Council and CVCC is planting seeds for tomorrow's success. There is a spirit of cooperation and caring that you don't find everywhere. I'm already looking forward to next year! ~Cari

Reflections on the Coaches’ Workshop

2011-09-12T20:04:00.000-04:00

The CW is always a tricky thing to prepare for since the audience is so varied. There are new people and experienced people. There are school teachers and parents, as well as technical people and those that are not technical. Meeting the needs of such a diverse group can be challenging.

I must admit that I also have my own interests and agenda that tends to shape the day’s topics too.

For the past two years, attendees have asked for more programming time. I think because programming is the part most coaches are least familiar with. This year I decided to do more programming. Programming is one of our main strengths, so we were excited to talk about it. I really would like to see more people understand the NXT and how to use it more fully. Working with the NXT would be more enjoyable, if they could make it do more. But so much talk about programming especially at the end of the day, left me wondering if we presented a balanced view of FLL.

Looking back now, perhaps we should have had a review or summary at the end of the workshop. So in this blog I will say the things I should have said in my summary of the day…

Remember, the robot is only 25%, so programming is only a small part of FLL. Teams need to read the challenge documents carefully, evaluate the missions, and choose which ones they want to do. Beginners will use the MOVE block for most of their programs, and maybe the WAIT block too. But a lot of their time will be in learning to work together as a team, making decisions, enjoying learning new things and solving problems. They will be researching Food Safety, identifying problems, having discussions, coming up with creative solutions. They will take what they’ve learned and share it with others. This way of learning is FUN!

Also, each group will have a different story, since there is room within the challenge to define it to suit the team’s skills, interests, and experience. There is not one right way of doing FLL. Each team will find their own way that is uniquely theirs. The season is defined by the decisions the team makes. Do what you can do, and come to the tournament prepared to share and celebrate your learnings and accomplishments.

For some groups the robot will be the favorite part, for others it will be the project they enjoy most. Many will say it was the tournament that was most fun. FLL is a fun learning experience and there is something in it for everyone.

If you need help check the listserv and the forums. Post a question to the group. You can also contact us at info@robodesigners.com .

Thank you for coaching. I’m looking forward to hearing your team’s story of this year’s FLL season.

Cari

Winning Design eBook

2011-08-18T16:00:00.003-04:00

A while back I told you about my favorite NXT book, Winning Design! LEGO Mindstorms NXT by James Trobaugh. I noticed today that I could purchase the eBook version (pdf) from (http://www.apress.com) for $10 since I already owned a paperback copy. I decided to buy it and I really like it! Here's why...

First, the illustrations are in color. This makes looking at the programming blocks and robot photos much easier. It is a significant difference. The color coded blocks leap off the screen. I like it because I don't have to look so closely to tell which block I am looking at.

And second, I opened up the book on one half of my screen and had NXT-G open on the other so I could create some of the examples from the book. It is nice to have the two side by side. (If you only have the two windows open on your computer, right click on the task bar at the bottom of the screen, and select "Show Windows Side By Side" in pop up menu. See illustration below).

So, if you are thinking of buying this book you may want to consider buying the eBook version, in place of or in addition to the paperback book. It's a great book!

Right click task bar to display windows side by side.

Techbrick Resources

2011-08-17T09:47:00.002-04:00

Body Forward Field Mat w/Robot Path

Just wanted to let you all know that Techbrick (a Maryland robotics club) has added some resources to their website (www.techbrick.com).

One of our favorites is the image of the mat. We use it to plan the robot’s paths. Sometimes we laminate it and use wet erase pens to draw the paths. Other times we have copied it into Microsoft’s OneNote (a great application!)and draw our paths on the image using colored markers in that application. We copy it multiple times and have an image for each robot run. Using OneNote we can save our work and print it if desired. OneNote is like having an electronic notebook with tabs and pages within each tab. It has a clipping feature that lets you clip things from the web – great for saving research info. It adds the URL under the clipping so you can remember where it came from.

After the challenge is released, Techbrick usually publishes a score sheet, which we have found helpful. This, too, we have laminated for reuse. It sums up the missions nicely all on one page with pictures of the mission models. So check www.Techbrick.com in September for that item. Also, check back here too, for more tips!

Learning about Mechanics

2011-08-04T17:59:00.001-04:00

Engino Pumpjack

Mechanisms are essential to robot design. Mechanisms are used to transform forces and motion in a controlled way. So what's a good way for young people to learn about them? We have recently discovered the Engino Mechanical Science kits. We purchased both the Linkages kit and the Cams and Cranks kit. Kits come with building instructions for several models as well as an informative activity book. We purchased them on Amazon.com. Kits range in price from around $20 to $30. We have uploaded a couple of videos of the Engino models to our YouTube Channel. Check them out!

RobotC Resources

2011-07-20T19:53:00.000-04:00

Interested in learning RobotC? RobotC is easy to use and versatile. You can put it on an NXT, use it in VEX, and I believe FTC too. You'll learn a lot about programming that will help you when learning other languages. Get more information about RobotC at www.robotc.net, including how to download a free trial verison of RobotC.

So if you are interested in learning RobotC I have 4 items that may be of interest.

1. Learn RobotC online for free using Virtual World. Doing it this way, you don't even need a robot!

2. Check out, Programming with Robots, which is a pdf file. It was written by Albert W. Shueller of Whitman College. It is a tutorial with clear explanations and exercises. Be sure to note the footnotes that contain links to additional information. (No answers to the exercises, however).

3. Another great resource is CMU Robotics Academy's RobotC Curriculum . If you were to purchase it, it would cost $269, but you can access most of it, if not all, online. Carnegie Mellon does a great job explaining programming. Their use of videos makes learning fun and easy. Click on the red buttons along the top to get started.

4. Last, but not least, use the RobotC forum if you need help. Remember to search the forum, before posting your question.

Enjoy!

Using a Test Bed to Learn about the NXT

2011-07-20T18:22:00.001-04:00

We do robot demonstrations to share our passion of robotics with others. For a recent demo we created a couple of "test beds" to demonstrate some of what you can do with an NXT.

Sometimes it is difficult to easily see how a robot is using its sensors and to tell what all is happening when it is driving around on the floor. For our demonstrations, we do have robots that drive around on the floor, but the test bed demo helps people see the parts and how they work much better.

One of our test beds is pictured above. We had an NXT, a motor, a light sensor, and ultrasonic sensor all mounted to a base plate. We wrote a program that would turn on the motor when the light sensor saw dark. While the motor was on, if the ultrasonic sensor detected something close (within 4 inches) it would turn the motor off. We explained that the motor would turn off and on based upon what the sensors detected. The kids had fun moving the slip of paper with different colors on it and sticking their hand in front of the ultrasonic sensor to see turn the motor on and off. We also had programmed the sensor readings to be displayed on the NXT's display.

This is a great learning tool for FLL teams too. I wish we would have done this before we started using sensors for FLL. It was very interesting for us to see how the readings fluctuated. Experimenting in this manner helps you realize what kinds of readings the sensors produce. Move the light sensor up and down to see how distance from the surface affects the reading. Place a shield over the light sensor and see how that affects the readings. This will help you understand the capabilities of the sensors and what is required to get a good reading.

We created another test bed for demonstration purposes (pictured above). This one features a menu on the display that allows the user to press arrow buttons to increase or decrease the power level of the motor. The wheels attached to the motors spin faster as the power level is increased. This also shows that a menu can be created to prompt input from a user.

From this kind of display, people new to robotics can quickly see the sensors and motors and gain an understanding of what is happening. FLL teams can use a test bed set up to test the capabilities of the various sensors. This better understanding encourages and enables people to do more with the NXT. Give it a try!

Another GREAT Book!

2011-07-20T17:25:00.000-04:00

Looking for great tips and advice for your VEX or FTC robotics team? Check this book out! It is GREAT!

FTC Robotics: Tips, Tricks, Strategies, and Secrets. It is only $8.63 at Amazon.com. Click here to "look inside" on Amazon.

Even though written for FTC teams, the book would be a help to VEX teams too. Filled with practical advice and well organized, you won't be disappointed!

Starting an FLL Team

2011-07-07T14:01:00.000-04:00

Do you have a child (age 9-14) who might enjoy robotics? If so FIRST LEGO League might be for you! If you can't find a team in your area to join, I suggest that you start your own team.   You can do it! :) By starting a team you are giving the kids on your team an opportunity to learn robotics, engineering, problem solving, teamwork, and more. From what I've found, that's all they need is the opportunity. If you give them the opportunity, they can do the rest.

What do you have to do to start a team?
1. Find a few kids who are interested in learning about Science, Technology, etc. not just robots. There is a research project and skit/presentation in addition to building and programming a robot.
2. Register your team through the FLL website. Team registration costs around $225. When you do this you will get your team number and a Coaches Handbook will be mailed to you.
3. When you register, purchase a Field Kit (around $70). This is REQUIRED as it is what goes on the FLL Table. It consists of a vinyl mat, lots of Lego Pieces and a disk with building instructions. This will arrive in mid August.
4. Purchase a robot kit. You can do this when you register. It costs around $420. This will include a FLL Team license of the software used for programming the robot. If you already have a LEGO Mindstorms NXT then you can use what you have.
5. Find a place to meet and store your supplies.
6. Build a 4' x 8' table to hold the mat and field models. Instructions are on the FLL website. (Cost around $75).
7. In the beginning of September look for the Challenge to be released. Read this document several times to get familiar with the Challenge and the rules.
8. Find out when registration opens for regional tournaments in your area. In Virginia, tournament registration is in October, the regional tournaments are in November, and the state tournament is in December. These dates vary by state, so look for the dates for your area. In Virgina, the cost for regional tournaments is $50 and the state tournament is $100. The state tournament is a 2 day event, so may include some travel expenses if it is far from where you live.
9. Show up on tournament day prepared for the various activities.

Where do I get information about coaching a team?
1.Read the Coaches Handbook. It has great information.
2. Read the Coaches Promise - (in the handbook).
3. Join/Read the online Forums. You can search for answers or post a question. Here's a link to the FLL Forum
4. Buy and read books written by other teams. (see blog for our recommendations)
5. Visit websites of other teams.
6. Attend a Coaches Workshop in your area.

How do I learn how to build and program a robot?
1. Mostly by trial and error. :)
2. Begin by building robots from building instructions and looking at programs others have written. Look at NXTPrograms.com.
3. Before building a robot, create a test bed. Write programs and test them to see what happens. (I hope to put some examples on this blog soon, so check back later.
4. Have your own robot so you can experiment on your own.
5. Read the help files that come with the NXTG software. (They aren't that easy to follow, but can still be helpful).
6. If you have the Educational version of the NXTG Software (vs. the retail version - this depends on where you purchased it). Look through the tutorials (RobotEducator).
7. The Ortop NXTG Tutorial is a little dry, but has good information.
8. Read the NXTStep Blog for inspiration.
9. Just start doing it and learn from your mistakes. :)   Ask for help when you need it.

Finally, my best advice is to just do it. This is something that you learn by doing. The sooner you jump in and start the better. It is important to model a can do attitude, how to find answers, and how to solve problems. This learning experience is different than classroom learning and more of a guided discovery process. This is about learning engineering...and as I tell my students: Engineers do things no one has ever done before!

The New Cool

2011-05-23T15:19:00.000-04:00

I recently read the book The New Cool, by Neal Bascomb. The book relates the experiences of three FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) teams during the 2009 Lunacy game. It primarily focuses on team number 1717, the D’Penguineers, but mentions the ThunderChickens, Heroes of Tomorrow (HOT), and 2Train. I learned a lot about the FRC experience in this book, and am excited to share it with you.

The D’Penguineers come from Goleta, California, a town west of Santa Barbara. Led by their mentor Amir Abo-Shaeer, the all-seniors team from Dos Pueblos High School competed in three tournaments throughout their ten-week season, including the FIRST World Festival. The book begins with the team’s early-morning drive to Los Angeles to hear the simulcast of the kickoff, and follows their successes and failures throughout the season.

The journey made by the team members of the D’Penguineers was remarkable. They went from disliking and/or fighting with each other, to a unified team in the course of only ten weeks. Learning to work and get along with others is a valuable skill, which the team learned throughout the season.

What amazed me most though while reading this book was the limited time allowed to build, program, and test the robot with. Ten weeks is a short time, even for less involved robotics leagues like FIRST LEGO League and VEX. Although they didn’t complete the robot as early as they could have, even finishing such a task is an extraordinary feat.

How a team who just met each other could create a washing machine sized robot is beyond me. But I guess that is what makes this story so noteworthy. A team of over 25 people who didn’t know (or necessarily like) each other all working together in a short amount of time to accomplish a single goal- to win. And they did, in addition to learning a lot in the process, not just about robotics, but about teamwork, time management, and hard work. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in robotics, whether experienced or novice; we can all learn something from this team.

Suggestions on Starting a High School Robotics Team

2011-05-10T15:35:00.006-04:00

Thinking of starting a high school robotics team? Here are some suggestions to help you get started.

First Steps
1. Set a team goal of participating in 2 robotics tournaments. (Multiple tournaments encourage design process – lots of learning takes place at the tournament, which can then be applied to next tournament).
2. Choose type of competition (FIRST, VEX). (My experience is with VEX, so this document is mostly about VEX. However it would be good to consider both before proceeding).
3. Choose tournaments at www.Robotevents.com (date, location, amount). Check often as more are added as the season continues.
4. Secure funding for robot kit, laptop, software, team fees, etc. (see cost estimate below)
5. Find adults to coach and mentor team.
6. Find space for team meetings and storing materials.
7. Determine team size and roles. (see below)
8. Recruit team members.
9. Purchase equipment and register team.
10. Determine when will students meet and work on robot. Class time? After school/Weekends? (Robotics does require time to be successful. Students should have time in their schedule to give to robotics (4-6? hours/week). Students should be able to participate multiple years, so they can apply learnings and pass along to new team members. May work better as a club instead of a class.
11. Purchase a 12' x 12' field and store it in a location that multiple teams can use. This is optional, but valuable for planning, testing, practice, and scrimmages. (Or find another team with a field that will allow you to use it).

Possible team member roles.
Smaller teams may require team members to have multiple roles. A first year team may reduce the scope of work. A team benefits from a diverse group of people – with an assortment of skills-- you can see why when looking at this list.

• Project Leader – lead meetings, track progress to schedule
• Designers – develop design for robot – list of features, sketches, CAD drawings, prototypes, etc.
• Builders – Build the robot – divide into subsystems.
• Programmers – program the robot to do the required tasks
• Drivers – drive robot during tournament (need practice before the tournament). Will have input for design after first tournament (what makes it easier to drive).
• Research and Development – experiment with new ideas, learn from other teams, build prototypes to show others, read the forum, look at robot videos on YouTube. Find resources for the teams (websites, books, speakers, tv shows/videos).
• Strategists/Rules Experts – develop winning strategy for game. The strategy will develop over the season. Also involved in scouting. (Scouting is done at tournaments, since top teams choose other teams to form an alliance for the elimination rounds). See rules for Gateway, the VEX 2012 Challenge.
• Fundraising – write letters seeking sponsors. Come up with advertising opportunities for sponsors (name on shirt, website, robot, pit poster). (Pit is work area/home base at tournament).
• Treasurer – Track spending – give reports. Manage budget.
• Marketing/Communications- develop logo, name, banner, t-shirts, website, press releases/articles for local papers, involved in scouting.
• Historian -Take and publish photographs, and videos. Document work done by the team.
• Outreach – create demonstrations, materials, or hold classes, to help other teams or start new teams.
• Support- Food for meetings, travel arrangements.

Schedule –
Season begins/ends in April for VEX, but you can start just about any time. The new challenge is released at the World Championship in April. Not all teams begin work right away, but you can if you choose to and work through the summer. In the past, we have started in January after doing FIRST Lego League in the fall. Your team’s schedule will depend upon which tournaments you decide to compete in, how much time you have, when people can meet, etc. Be sure to allow time for testing your robot, practicing driving and playing the game.

Cost-

Rough Cost Estimate For VEX - (shipping & handling not included).

Basic Team Expenses
Robot Kit $850
Laptop $800 (you might need more than one?)
Programming Software $75 (one license)
Storage Containers $300? (for organization &suitable for traveling/shipping)

*Extra Parts $300 (extra metal, sensors, motors, batteries)
*Team Registration $75 first team/$25 second team from same school
*Tournament Registration (varies Free to $100)
*Team materials (tshirts, banners, paper, posters, etc) $150
*Travel to tournaments (varies)
*Challenge pieces (new each year) Small Sample Set $50

Summary
First year $2700
*Subsequent years $675

~Extras~

• 12' x 12' Field w/ Challenge Pieces $1500 first year/ $500 subsequent years (Shared by several teams?)

• World Championship - 3 day event, 2012 travel to California, shipping robot, $750 tournament registration, Hotel expense, food, etc.

Additional Considerations-

• It is best to reach students early (elementary/middle school) to fill supply pipeline for high school programs.

• Loaning your field to nearby tournaments for a nominal fee could help offset the cost of purchasing the field.

• Using your field to host a tournament and charging a tournament feel could also offset the cost of the field. Or, perhaps let other teams use it for small fee? Or divide the cost between several teams.

• Explore grants to help fund the program.

• Students can learn programming (Robotc) on online using Carnegie Mellon’s Virtual Worlds (http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/h99/) – no robot required!

• It is real important that the adults let the students do the work and learn from their mistakes. This is a “learn by doing” approach. Students learn out of necessity to reach their goal. Doing well in the competition motivates and focuses the students. The time constraint in the season, as well as during the game, forces a prioritization of tasks.

• The students could raise additional funds for parts, as well as for covering the expenses to attend Worlds, should they qualify.

CODE: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software

2011-04-23T17:08:00.011-04:00

Have you ever wondered exactly how a computer works?
Charles Petzold, answers that question in his book, CODE: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software. I have been reading this book over the past couple of days, and am truly enjoying it.

CODE is about how computers and computer programs work. Mr. Petzold starts by describing codes and how humans have used codes, for example, Morse code, to communicate. He proceeds to show how telegraph relays can be used to make logic gates, and how those logic gates can be combined to make an automated adding machine. Eventually, though many small steps, Mr. Petzold constructs a fully functioning computer in the reader's mind, and touches on graphical user interfaces. To make this computer useful, he also describes how to program it - first with binary commands, then with assembly, and finally with higher-level programming languages.

I enjoyed reading this book because it provides a "big-picture" view of how computers work. Today's computers are highly complex, and sometimes seem impossible to fully understand. However, in my opinion, the overview CODE provides is neither too detailed, nor too vague. While reading this book, I learned the "why" behind many things that I take for granted in programming (i.e. data types). Most technical people know that the higher your processor speed, the faster your computer operates. After reading CODE, I now know why the processor speed matters.
Another reason I enjoyed this book is that it is easy to read. Because Mr. Petzold starts from the very beginning, then builds on what he has discussed, even someone with no prior knowledge of programming or computer history/construction could read and understand this book. (However, some knowledge about the topic is always helpful...)

Although this book won't teach you the specifics of how to program C++, or exactly how to connect different chips together, it provides an overview of how computers work - from the ground up. If you enjoy programming, or want to know more about how computers work, this book is for you.

It's Amazing What Kids Can Do!

2011-02-03T11:15:00.002-05:00

I recently got a new phone. It's an Android. So far, I really like it. I use Google products on my PC and so this phone feels familiar. I am in my late 40s and often appreciate not having to climb another learning curve! After a month and a half of ownership, I am still learning how to use my phone and downloading new apps almost everyday.

Meanwhile, we are getting ready for an upcoming VEX tournament in Richmond. I thought it would be cool to have an app for my phone that would tally the score for the matches. I learned about Google App Inventor from a book, "The Rough Guide to Android Phones" by Andrew Clare, which I got for Christmas from my son. :)

After a while of reading through the tutorials, I was becoming quickly frustrated. My book said, "This web application lets you build your own apps from scratch without any programming knowledge". Well, it wasn't working for me.

VEX Scoring App

That's when I called Andrew, my 15 year old, over to help. Within a few hours he had created a score keeping app for my phone! It not only calculates the score, but also Tweets the results! I must admit I was a little jealous of his quick success. I used to be able to do things like that...

As I sat beside him and watched him connect little puzzle pieces of code together, I was amazed. It was only a few short years ago that I showed him a BASIC program on the PC. In the last 6 years he has taught himself BASIC programs, NXTG, HTML, Visual Basic, RobotC and more. His experience, not only of teaching himself, but also of programming, enabled him to create his first app in only a few hours.

Kids can do amazing things when given the opportunity and are encouraged to do so.

Testing

2011-01-14T10:31:00.003-05:00

I ran across these videos on testing at the Consumer Reports website. You might want to show these videos to kids to demonstrate how testing is used in the real world. Perhaps these videos would encourage them to test and evaluate their design ideas. There are many to choose from, testing dishwashers, car batteries, ranges, and more.

This video, No One Tests Like We Do, is really a commercial for Consumer Reports, but could make kids aware of all the testing they do. Here is one on Auto Testing. How did they determine what to test? This video, Range Testing, interesting too.

Testing is done to evaluate several choices to a set of defined criteria. Testing helps us select the choice that best satisfies the criteria. We don't have to guess which one is better. A well designed test will show which one is really better. After all, our guess could be wrong.

What kinds of tests could robot teams do? Well, you can test your chassis to see how it handles. A robot should be able to go straight, turn, and not tip over. How well does it go straight? How well does it turn left and right? Does it tip over easily? A robot should have predictable performance. You can test the repeatability of a mission. How many times does it work out of ten total tries? You can test for timing. How long does it take you to do all the missions? How long does it take to do each mission individually? Does your robot need to climb up an incline or go fast? What ever criteria or requirements you have for your robot, you can design a test to see how it measures up.

Check out the videos and have fun testing!

My Favorite NXT Books

2011-01-06T19:47:00.003-05:00

I recently added a new book to my library of NXT books. It's called "Winning Design! Lego Mindstorms NXT Design Patterns for Fun and Competition" by James J. Trobaugh. We have just finished our 5th year of FLL. This book explains what it took us 5 years to learn... actually it covers more! If you've wanted to know what the winning teams know, this book will tell you.

Another book that I like a lot is, "Preparing Your Team for FIRST LEGO League" by K. K. Quah. This book tells you how to help your team improve their skills in the off season. The author provides material for a week long camp. This book has a lot of good ideas that have helped our team. This book can be purchased at Lego Education.

For more great resources check out our FLL Resources page on our website. Be sure to check out our YouTube Channel. I just uploaded some tutorials (by others) on how to use LABView to program your NXT.

Got A Plan?

2010-10-15T23:34:00.000-04:00

Working as a team is different than working by yourself. When you work as a team communication is important. Planning is also important.

This year I've asked my team to draw up their ideas for the robot and its attachments. I wanted a plan before they started to build. It seems most would rather skip this step and get right to building.   For beginners that is probably fine.  (Sometime I think you need a little experience before you can plan).   But my team this year is an older team. This is the 5th year of FLL for two of my team members.

It is better to discuss the ideas for the robot before beginning to build. With the same plan in everyone's head all can work to make it a reality. A sketch will do or if desired you could use Lego Digital Designer, a free CAD program for making LEGO creations. If that is too much, even a list of things the robot should have, a requirements list, would be a good start.

For planning the programming steps, an image of the field is helpful. We layout the route of the robot on this image. You can get one on the FLL site (see our FLL Resource Page for a direct link). You can print these out and draw on them. We've laminated them in the past so that we could draw on them with a wet erase marker. But lately we've been loading them into OneNote or Paint and drawing on them that way.

Can you imagine what a house might look like if we didn't use a plan?  It probably wouldn't turn out very good. Without a plan at the beginning, the parts probably wouldn't fit together very well. It's just not the way it's done! Working without a plan takes more time and money.

Sometimes our designs and programs are modified and changed and then modified again on the fly. Too much of this adding on to something makes for a bad design. You've probably been in a building that has been added on to time after time. It doesn't look good and the flow isn't good. When you need to make a change to your design, go back to the drawing board. Plan it out. Do you still have an even weight distribution? Can you still access the battery? Don't loose sight of the big picture.

Planning happens all the time by many. A writer starts with an outline. A programmer starts with a flowchart. The traveler plans their route. Builders use blueprints. Gamers have a strategy. A money manager has a budget.  Busy people have a schedule. Can you think of more examples?

A plan lets everyone know where the team is headed.  It's an important step to having a successful outcome.  Even though it takes time to plan, you'll save time in the long run.

Future Focus Expo 2010

2010-10-13T07:55:00.007-04:00

This morning I am a bit more tired than usual... a little sore and stiff. Yesterday our family spent all day (10am-9pm) at the Future Focus Expo telling others about First Lego League and the LEGO NXT. This event wore me out physically, but it was so uplifting, satisfying, encouraging, that I felt compelled to write about it here.

Above all, I am thankful for the leadership in the Lynchburg area. I think of leadership as being the structure and framework that allows people within it to be effective and productive. Leadership is also about having a vision of the future, while working and planning today to bring about a better tomorrow. I see that kind of leadership in Lynchburg by the Region 2000 Technology Council. The Expo yesterday is one example of how they provide the structure and framework for much to be accomplished. All who attended (students, teachers, parents, employers) were enabled to think about our future and what steps we can do now to prepare.

It was very cool to see the partnerships and cooperation of businesses working together in the area towards a common goal. This successful event was a result of many working together. A great picture of teamwork! The opportunity to network with the other exhibitors I'm sure will bring about more good things. It was encouraging to talk with others excited about technology, education and young people.

I must say that I was also thankful for the use of the facility. There are often times I have to find a meeting place for a group-- and it's not always easy to do. The facility was perfect for handling the large number of people. The existence of this facility is also result of leadership and vision. Many people worked hard and still do, so that we could meet and be productive in that facility yesterday. I appreciated this yesterday, however often I take things like this for granted.

Lynchburg is a community that cares. I am thankful for the sponsors and exhibitors, who work hard enough to have extra left over, and then decide to invest that back into the community, the children, and our future. I told my kids that we received the benefit of other peoples' labor yesterday. There were lots of people there yesterday who were sharing with others. These were people who care. They care about their work, their community, the children, our country and our future. This also includes the attendees who were made up of parents and teachers who care. I believe the kids sense that caring and that it will make a difference in their lives.

My kids learned so much by going around and talking to the exhibitors. They had a great time. This event provided ideas and possibilities enabling them to create a vision for their future. They were encouraged, treated with respect, and appreciated. Excited about all they heard and saw, I expect they'll have renewed interest in their studies. As mentioned earlier, we were at the FIRST LEGO League booth. My boys prepared a cool robot demonstration for the event. (A remote controlled forklift, with the remote working like a Wii remote due to the accelerometer). I helped them connect the dots... What you learn impacts what you can do, and colleges and employers will value and appreciate it. Studying and hard work is an investment for which there will be a payback later. They experienced some of the payback yesterday. The attention and interest in their work encouraged them. Thank you all who stopped by and encouraged us!

I saw yesterday people who care about our country, the future, our kids, and our community. I saw people who value education and technology. I saw people who are actively working to create a skilled workforce for tomorrow... not leaving it to chance but actively working and investing in the future

So even though I am achy this morning... I feel great! :)

10th Meeting

2010-10-07T19:29:00.001-04:00

We have decided our project topic! We each presented our ideas to the team, and discussed them. It took a while, but we chose our topic.

We also prepared for hosting the FIRST LEGO League booth at the Future Focus Expo, a career expo for middle and high schoolers. Ian and Andrew worked on a digital presentation for the Future Focus Expo about our project topic, and David and James built a NXT forklift to demonstrate.

9th Meeting

2010-10-02T18:42:00.003-04:00

We have ordered our team shirts! They should arrive in time for the Future Focus Expo, but it will be tight. Can't wait until they arrive!

Work continued on the attachments. Next week we will probably program some.

We will also decide on our project topic next meeting. Until then, we will make design briefs about our proposed problem/solution.

8th Meeting

2010-09-30T17:08:00.002-04:00

We chose our logo today. Andrew says he'll have it done by Saturday, so we can order the team shirts in time for the Future Focus Expo.

We also divvied up the robot runs today. James will cover the first run, then Andrew second, Ian third, and David the fourth and fifth runs. Work commenced on the attachments. We will also have another build session on Saturday.

7th Meeting

2010-09-23T16:58:00.004-04:00

Today we decided on what robot to use. The syncro-drive robot seemed too complex and hard to program, so we went with the differential drive robot.

We then discussed strategy over pizza. We decided to not go for 400 points. See previous post for details on why.

Next we discussed project ideas. And, like with the team name last meeting, we postponed the decision.

WE CHOSE OUR TEAM NAME!!!! We are now ACME Robotics. Next meeting we will discuss logos.

Is Repeatability in FLL Important??

2010-09-21T09:33:00.003-04:00

In FLL the work of getting a robot to do what you want is often difficult. It takes longer than we might first expect. We are used to seeing videos of robots that work. What we don't see is what goes on behind the scenes, the long hours of trying again and again to get it to work.

So after many attempts, hopefully we do see our plan work. This is a time for celebration! It is very encouraging to see a robot carry out what you have envisioned. The bad news is that you aren't really done yet... (sorry). You won't really know if you are done until you have a feel for how reliable your solution is. Just because it works one time doesn't mean it will work every time. You know, you've been there... The robot does what it was supposed to do, so you call someone over to see it. You do the same thing again and... it doesn't work!?! And you say, " It did work, really!! Let me try it again.... "

The way we measure the reliability of our robot is to do repeatability testing. We run the robot ten times in a row, counting how many times it worked. We write this number as a decimal or percent. The team should determine what is an acceptable score. It does take more work (aka more time) to get the repeatability score higher.

You might be wondering if the extra work of raising your repeatability is worth it. Let's say you want to go for all 400 points, but by doing so you spread yourself a little thin. Your repeatability scores for most runs are 7 out of 10, (or 0.7). When you multiply the possible score by the repeatability score, your answer is your average score. On average, your score would be 285, even though you were trying for 400.

What if we were to drop the lowest scoring run, and spend our time instead on raising the repeatability of the other runs? Our possible score might be reduced, but on average, our actual score goes up when our repeatability increases. A higher score is achieved, even though we aren't going for all the points. See the chart below.

A spreadsheet application, such as Excel, is meant for What If analysis. Creating a table like this could be a good exercise for team members. Formulas in the "average score" and "total" cells will allow you to input different repeatability scores to see how it affects your average score.

Going for a high repeatability is really like striving for excellence. The examples above show that hard work is compensated with a better score. Excellence is also rewarded in another way too. The more repeatable your robot, the less you will have to rescue it, right? If you don't rescue your robot, you get to keep the penalty points. In Body Forward there are 8 pieces worth 5 points each, for a total of 40 points. We could think of these points as an Excellence Bonus.

So is repeatability in FLL important?? I think so. :)

Time Management Tips for FLL Teams

2010-09-15T16:45:00.001-04:00

In FLL time is always short. This season we have 8 weeks to get ready for our regional tournament. I've always been pretty good about having a loose schedule for the season to guide us in getting everything done.  If you are looking for an idea of what a team's schedule might look like, see the FLL Coaches Handbook. One thing I do is set the deadline for the robot work to be complete the week before the tournament. We spend the last week getting our documentation and paperwork in order, packing up for the tournament, and practicing.  It is also a good time to review all you've done during the season. We work so hard and so fast, that it is easy to forget all we've done. Reviewing with the team will help them answer the judges questions at the tournament.

This year however I have realized that we need to budget our time in another manner as well. There are roughly 18 tasks to this year's challenge for the robot to complete in 150 seconds. Done individually, that is less than 10 seconds per task!  Often we divide the missions up among the team members only to find at the end that we don't have enough time for all the missions. Someone's work gets left out or we have to make a lot of changes at the last minute. This year we are going to try to allocate time to each of the runs. If someone needs more time they will have to get it from another run. The understanding up front that time is tight, will hopefully cause us to look for ways we can be faster. Some ideas might be to reuse attachments, use bigger wheels, or group and order the missions to be faster. Our robot really needs to be efficient.

When the robot leaves base to score points, our team calls that a "run". We divide up all the missions into the scoring parts, which we call "tasks". We then analyze the tasks to determine the best order and grouping. You might want to write the tasks on index cards, noting the point value.  We assign runs to pairs of team members, who design and build the attachment, and then program and test it. This pair of team members could also be the robot drivers for their run at the tournament...or you could have designated drivers for all the runs.

Practicing "driving the robot" definitely helps save time. Driving the robot means practicing the robot match part of the tournament and timing it. I tell my team that we should learn from the firefighters, who need to go fast in an emergency. What do they do? They have everything orderly and in its place and they practice to get good at it. To help us practice, sometimes we turn up the music really loud to simulate the noise and distractions at the tournament.

This year we are trying to spend more time planning up front.  Planning sometimes feels like a waste of time. It feels like nothing is getting accomplished since we are just talking. Planning, however, can be a time saver. When working in a group, it is good that everyone has an idea of what is being done and their part. It allows more participation. Hopefully we can also get to the best idea sooner by talking things over together.

Activating the models by hand.

We are also trying to spend more time understanding the missions. Handling and activating the mission models by hand will hopefully help us design better attachments. Ask yourself if there is more than one way to activate the model? Where should the force be applied? How much force is needed? What happens if you hit it hard or if you hit it lightly?

Prioritizing should help with time management as well. There is plenty to do to stay busy. Be sure you are spending your time on the important things.

There are so many things that kids can learn in FLL besides robotics, like time management. Don't let the time pressure rob you of having fun. We are all in the same boat. Manage your time well and enjoy the adventure!

Sixth Meeting

2010-09-15T15:18:00.005-04:00

Today we worked on strategy. First, we discussed potential robot design. Our two best ideas are a syncro-drive robot and a robot with a highly versatile differential drive system. Since we don't want to give away all of our secrets, I'll move on to strategy.

Each of member of our team organized different theoretical robot runs on a mission spreadsheet found here. We also marked field setup print-outs with paths the robot could travel.

We also (briefly) discussed the name and decided to wait on making a decision.

Andrew planning out the robot's runs.

David showing his robot design.

Turning , Degrees & Motor Duration

2010-09-13T14:40:00.005-04:00

One thing that can be confusing for those first starting out with an NXT is the term "degrees".   The reason why is because we use this one word for more than one meaning. We use this word to specify how much something turns or the turning angle. And since there are several things turning, it can be confusing as to which one you are talking about. The robot turns, the motor's shaft or axle turns, and the wheels turn about their axle. For robots that have their wheels connected directly to the motor's axle, the number of wheel rotations will equal the rotations of the motor. If there are gears between the wheel and the motor, you must take into account the gear ratio (which I will leave to another discussion another time).

The most common way of using the word degrees would be in talking about how much you want your robot to turn.  Often we want our robot to make a 90 degree turn to the right or left. So when entering values in the MOVE block's configuration panel, people often enter 90 for the motor duration, thinking it will make their robot turn 90 degrees. Unfortuneately, this is not the case.

In the MOVE block's configuration panel, there is a place to specify duration.  Duration refers to how long you want the motors to run. You have 4 choices (unlimited, rotations, degrees, seconds). Unlimited means that you are not specifying the duration in this MOVE block.  This might be because you are planning to stop the motors somewhere else in the program.  Another choice is seconds. Seconds means you will have the motors run for a specified time.  We only use seconds for special circumstances, as it isn't really good for going a specified distance since the battery level affects the speed of the motors. Lower battery level means the motors go slower, and therefore don't go as far in a specified time. Rotations and degrees in the duration part of the configuration panel are refering to the number of revolutions of the motor's shaft or axle. Sometimes (often) we don't want to work with whole rotations, we want to use a fraction of a rotation and so we use degrees. (360 degrees = 1 rotation) Remember that if we attach our wheels directly to the motor, motor degrees will equal wheel degrees.

For each rotation of the wheel, the distance the robot travels is equal to the wheel circumference. I like to think of the diameter of the wheel as being the stride of the robot.  This is because the diameter is closely related to the circumference of the wheel. (Circumference = Pi * D)   For one of the LEGO wheels, the circumference is about 7 inches, so for every motor rotation (which in this case is the same as a wheel rotation) the robot will go forward 7 inches. From this we can calculate that for every 51.4 motor degrees the robot will travel 1 inch.   You can use this as a multiplier to calculate the motor degrees to go however many inches you desire.   If I want my robot to go 10 inches, I multiply 10 times 51.4 to get 514 degrees. I will enter this number for the motor degrees in the duration area of the MOVE block's configuration panel.

You don't really have to measure your wheel's diameter if you don't want to. Plug in a value for degrees into the configuration panel, and then measure how far your robot travels.    Divide the degrees you used by the distance the robot traveled and you have your multiplier. Cool, huh? :)

Turns are kind of the same. There are several ways you can determine the number of motor degrees you need to enter to get your robot to turn a desired angle. Measure the distance between your two wheels (measure from the center of each tread). This will give you the width of your robot. For a swing turn, one wheel stays stopped and the other wheel travels a distance until the robot has turned 90 degrees. That distance is W * Pi/2, where W is the width you measured. Multiply this by the multiplier above and you have motor degrees. You might have to tweak this value a bit, but it should get you close. (The reason we have to tweak it is because of error... our measurements aren't exact, etc). For a point turn, both wheels travel the same distance, just opposite directions. The distance each wheel needs to turn for a 90 degree turn is equal to W*Pi/4. I'm assuming that everyone knows Pi is 3.14159. Once you get the distance, multiply it by the multiplier we got before (51.4). Your answer is the motor degrees you put into NXTG. Did you notice that the distance for a point turn is 1/2 that of the swing turn? So if you know it for one you can calculate the other.

Too much math? You can always use trial and error to find the value. If the turn is too big, reduce the duration. Too small? Just increase the duration.   If you know the degrees for a 90 turn then you can double it for a 180, etc.

If you change your robot's design, you may have to calculate new values. This is because the values are determined by the geometry (or dimensions) of your robot.

I hope this has made sense and has been helpful!

Fifth Meeting

2010-09-09T19:00:00.006-04:00

Today we had our fifth meeting for the FIRST LEGO League Body Forward Challenge. It was the first time we met since the challenge release, so we were all excited.

After eating pizza, we gathered around the board and discussed the missions and how we could solve them. To practice seeing what a 400 point match would look like, each of us would try to set up the table and then complete all the missions as quickly as we could. It took us about two minutes to completely set up the table, and anywhere between 30 seconds and one minute to score 400 points. We talked a little bit more about the challenge and then discussed robot qualifications.

Next meeting we will continue discussing the robot, and maybe the project and team name. This will be a great season!

4th Meeting

2010-08-26T18:57:00.002-04:00

Today we met in the Hollins Library to discuss team names and the design process.

We used the Intel Design and Discovery Curriculum to learn about the design process. We built new paper clips and recorded our designs and learnings in a design journal. It is amazing how hard it is to build a completely original paper clip! Try it sometime.

After completing our clips, we talked about team names. We each had previously drawn up logos and taped them to the wall. Not all of our team members were there so we couldn't make a decision, but we did learn a lot about good logo design.

Third Meeting

2010-08-19T19:34:00.002-04:00

Today we had our third FLL meeting. Our first activity was to make pizza as a team. This was a team-building exercise as well as a lesson on making decisions together as a team. It took us about 30 minutes to decide what to put on the pizzas, and another half-hour to make the pizzas. We all learned a lot and had a fun time making and eating the pizzas (especially eating!).
We discussed our findings on biomedical engineering over lunch. We were previously assigned to read some articles on the topic, and to be prepared to talk about them to the group. At this time, we instigated the process of passing an item (such as a Sharpie) to whoever wants to talk as to prevent multiple people talking at once.
Next we split up, Andrew, Ian, James, and Josh went downstairs to build the chassis, while David and Andy stayed upstairs to create our schedule. We made significant progress in the robot, all we need now is add an arm and structural support. Significant work was also made on the team schedule, and so we regrouped upstairs to end the meeting.
Overall, we got a lot done, considering that it still is two weeks until the Challenge Release (Sept. 3). Our next meeting will be on the 26th.

Field Setup Kit

2010-07-30T03:18:00.000-04:00

The Field Setup Kit has just arrived! We will build the mission models on our first meeting, but in the meantime I am looking forward to a great challenge. Can't wait till September 3rd and the Challenge Release!

Free Time- Key to Success

2010-07-29T11:42:00.005-04:00

The cover story on my latest "Texas A&M Engineering News" (Summer 2010) tells of a young man who founded a mobile app business soon after college. For his popular mobile shopping app, ShopSavvy, he won the 2008 Google Android Developer Challenge, earning a $275,000 prize. His name is Rylan Barnes.

What led up to Rylan being able to do this? He says, "I always wanted to build things, and even during free time at A&M, I was always on my computer building something new." He also says, "Looking back on my computer engineering coursework, perhaps the most critical skill professors helped me develop was learning to teach myself. Because technology changes so quickly, it's something I do every day."

Of course this article caught my eye and my interest! He is such an example! First, his internal motivation and drive caused him to spend his free time in college working on computer programs. All accomplishments take time and effort, and this often means spending free time working on a project. To this young man working is fun! As he closes the article he says, "In short, I get paid to do what I love." When you are doing something you enjoy the time flies and it doesn't feel like work.

He built his current business on what he learned in a venture he made in college. He created a website called Textbook-Trader.com, for students to buy and sell used textbooks. The life of a student provides free time and freedom to think and do things the way you want to. Freedom brings creativity. He is currently an entrepreneur and co-founded a company that recognizes the importance of creativity and encourages it.

Another thing I noticed is that Rylan gives credit to others for his successes. None of us would be where we are today without the help of others. It is great to see him acknowledge this support. In this short article he credits to A&M, his professors and an Aggie for helping him achieve his success.

Since RoboDesigners' teams enter challenges, I think it's cool that he entered the Google App challenge. This young man was not only aware the Google opportunity existed but also worked hard to enter. When I look through the rest of this newsletter, I see stories of others who have entered engineering contests. These contests are great motivators for learning, while identifying who the up and coming engineers will be! If I were a company looking to hire engineers, this is where I'd be looking!

However, the part that really caught my eye is where he said that self-teaching was perhaps the most critical skill he learned! To some this could be a surprising statement, since don't you go to school/college to be taught? When we think of school, we typically imagine teachers pouring facts into students' heads. But college is different. As a student, you might have some guidance and help, but the student carries the responsibility for learning, not the teacher. It reminds me of the saying... Give a man a fish and he will eat one day, teach him to fish and he will eat for a lifetime. Teaching people how to teach themselves is way more valuable!

Hopefully this is what we are accomplishing at RoboDesigners-- sparking an interest in technology, learning through hands-on work in contests and challenges, and starting early in laying a foundation for future work. The RoboDesigners teams have all been comprised of home educated students. Although each home school is different, generally I find that many of these kids do know how to teach themselves. They also have free time in their schedule to be creative and think. Robotics competitions, and home education are two effective means to develop the technology leaders of tomorrow.

I encourage you to think about how you spend your free time. Or do you even have free time? Each day is an opportunity, a valuable resource, that we can use for good or waste. Are you planting seeds today for a future harvest? Don't wait around for someone else to teach you what you need to know. Take initiative and make it happen!

Thinking about Forces

2010-05-31T10:45:00.000-04:00

There are a lot of good websites that discuss forces and more specifically Newton's Laws.  Here is one example: http://www.cet.edu/?cat=online_learning&page=46. It did take my computer a little while to load the items, so be patient. :)

When designing, building, and testing robots, its good to think in terms of forces. A force can be thought of as a push or a pull.  Motion results from forces. Since we want to control the movement of our robot, it makes sense to understand the forces acting on our robot.

Here are some examples of forces: Weight is a force pulling down due to gravity. Friction is a force that opposes motion. And there are more. What other forces can you think of?

How can thinking about forces help our robot design? Well, here is an example. Balanced forces cancel each other out.   This is why having a symmetrical design, or having a balanced weight distribution is important. Balanced forces will help your robot to go straight. If your robot is going crooked, basically there are unbalanced forces acting on your robot. People often talk about the things that cause robots to go crooked, like uneven wear of your wheels. This would be when one wheel is more worn than the other. The older, more worn wheel will be smoother, perhaps slipping at times. It will produce a smaller frictional force. The newer wheel, with a good tread, will grab the surface more, resulting in a greater frictional force.   So the difference in wear results in a difference in the frictional forces. These forces being different are unbalanced forces, and cause a turning motion in the robot.

This idea is similar to a balance or scale. We have a math balance, which I like to use to illustrate this point. If you want the balance or scale to be level, the forces on both sides must be equivalent. If one side has a larger weight (weight is a force pulling down), it is going to turn about the midpoint or balancing point. This concept is true for our robots too. Our robots have a balancing point. It is called the center of mass or center of gravity. For symmetrical shapes it is in the center. If you apply an unbalanced force on one side of the robot, it will turn about its balancing point.   If you apply the force at the balancing point, no twisting or turning will take place. It will move forward. If you apply two equal forces, one on each side, the robot will go straight.

In college, mechanical engineering students draw "free body diagrams", which show all the forces acting on an object. Forces are vectors, so they have both a direction and a magnitude. On the free body diagram they are drawn as arrows. Math is used to combine the forces into one resultant force.  Using Newton's Laws we can calculate the direction it will be moving and its acceleration.  Newton's Laws give you some principles or truths that you can use in designing and troubleshooting your robots.

Summarizing, movement and motion result from forces. So understanding forces will help you in your robotics work. Spend some time reading about Newtons Laws, Forces, and Mechanics. It might take some time for it all to sink in. That's OK.  The sooner you start thinking about it, the sooner it will all make sense.

Here is another site to get you started on your study of motion and forces.
http://www.physics4kids.com/files/motion_intro.html

MoonBots Progress Update

2010-05-29T13:34:00.000-04:00

Our MoonBots team, NXT Generation, has worked hard and completed the requirements for Phase One. This included designing a robot in LDraw, creating a three minute video essay, blogging their accomplishments, and creating a team website. View their work at http://www.nxt-generation-robotics.com/.

Why I am Excited About the MooonBots Challenge!

2010-05-14T09:37:00.002-04:00

Here we go again! There is another robotics challenge awaiting us... MoonBots! You can read about it here http://www.moonbots.org/ and here at the WIRED website.

I think this challenge is really cool for several reasons.

1. It doesn't cost any money!  There is no team registration fee. You don't even have to have your own robot or buy one! I like this idea because a lack of money doesn't eliminate anyone from participating. In the first phase of this competition teams submit their plans. Twenty teams will be selected to advance to the next phase and will be awarded the materials needed to do the challenge. Also, there are no travel costs.

2. The prizes are cool and are great incentives.   What techie wouldn't want more robots, an iPod touch, or a trip to see LEGOs being made??

3. It forces the team to plan and design before they build! Teams submit their robot design that will be used to solve the challenge. The teams with the good designs get to advance.   The design is created with software such as LDraw or LEGO Digital Designer.

4. It gives kids an reason to learn website design, movie making skills, and other computer skills. They have to make a movie, display info on a web page, etc. Creating a good video isn't as easy as it looks! But this also gives opportunity to upload videos, embed them in a blog. Learning more about Google applications, such as Google Groups, Picasa, YouTube, Google Sites, and Blogger.

5. The challenge is written like a Request for Proposal (RFP) and the team presents their proposal in response. This gives kids exposure/experience with how these things work in the real world.   Also, we'll be designing a robot for an environment that we've only seen in pictures. We don't have all the details when we make our design. This is similar to what the NASA Engineers face in designing the Mars Rovers.

6. This challenge allows them to use more sensors and motors than what they're allowed in FLL.  It's fun to have a reason to use these other parts.

7. It is completely autonomous - no touching the robot when it is in action! We'll have to have to get our design to be highly repeatable!

8. Communication skills are important in this challenge, but in a new way! Videos, blogs and websites are used to document and communicate what the team is doing and learning.   Teams will document their progress weekly in Phase II of the challenge as well as create a team documentary. Phase I requires a video essay.

9.  With each team sharing their progress via the web means the teams are more visible to one another than in other types of competitions. This is exciting as it provides a great opportunity to learn from others.

10. The length of the season is roomy enough to still be able to fit in a summer vacation and do some of the other things that need doing during the summer months! Learning can happen at a more relaxed pace as there is not as much going on (typically) during the summer.

11. This challenge is also a springboard to learning about space exploration. Kids have a reason to learn about the history of it, what has been done before with robots in space, etc.

12. They also get exposure to the Xprize Foundation along with their purpose and method of encouraging learning and technological advancement.

We are looking forward to a great MoonBots season!

Get Ready for FIRST LEGO League

2010-05-07T11:00:00.000-04:00

Here are a few ideas for preparing kids to participate in the FIRST LEGO League competition. These are not required for FLL, but would help to prepare kids and perhaps enable them to get more out of the FLL experience.

1.  Gain experience building with LEGO Technic parts. Buy some LEGO Technic kits.  Start with just having fun getting familiar with the pieces. Then have kids learn how the parts connect by following building instructions. After some experience following building instructions, kids can modify a design or create their own.

2. Gain experience with the NXT Mindstorms Kit. By having your own NXT Mindstorms kit, kids can begin to get familiar with the parts and how it works. Build models following building instructions. You can find building instructions in books, online, and some come with the kit.  Inspiration can come from the NXTstep blog and http://www.nxtprograms.com/.   To find others just Google NXT Building Instructions. Building experience is helpful.

3. Get familiar with the NXTG software that comes with the kit. If you buy the Education version (There are two versions to the NXT Kit... The one sold on the retail market, and the other to the schools.) use the Robot Educator to learn to program. Find programs in books or on the web to try and then modify. Study programs created by others to try to figure out how they work.

4. Learn to program using other languages. My kids started out with QBASIC.   They would type in programs and run them and then modify the programs to their liking.   Our web site's programming page provides information on languages kids can learn. There is enough similarity between them that learning any language will be beneficial. Have your kids work through tutorials.

5. Encourage a trial and error approach when learning how to use computer applications, such as NXTG.   Click and see what happens. Explore the options.  (I don't recommend this approach while surfing the web however...)

6. Model the behavior, approach, and attitude you want to see in your kids. Model how to look for the answers when you have a question or a problem. Be optimistic. Be persistent. Read help files. Refer to books on the topic.   Ask someone for help. Avoid negative talk, such as "I can't do that", instead say "Let's try to figure this out together."  Before long they'll be helping you and answering your questions!

7. Spend the money! It is expensive, but think of it as an investment.   The money you invest in your child's education today will allow them to produce more income tomorrow.   Spending the money communicates to your child that it is important to learn technology. Kids can learn this now. There is no need to wait.   Having skills provide choices. You don't have to use them if you don't need to, but if you have them if you do. Having skills creates confidence. Meaningful work is important for kids. Spend the money.

8. Go to a competition to see it in action the year before you join a team. Seeing the event will help kids understand what it is they are working towards. Seeing all the different robots will inspire the kids to get started working on their own robot.

9.  Stay on a team more than one year.  Each year adds new knowledge and experience. The longer you do it the better you get.  The better you get, the more you enjoy it. :)

10. We have great resources on our website. Be sure to check them out!

FIRST LEGO League is a great learning experience.  For us, it has been excellent preparation for other robotics competitions. So what are you waiting for!?! Get started today!

Team Registration - 2010

2010-05-03T12:07:00.000-04:00

We have just registared our FLL team for the 2010 Body Forward Challenge! We completed registration seven minutes after it opened at noon, and got team number 12. This is going to be a great season!
We can't wait for the field kits to ship! See you all at the tournaments!

State Championship

2009-12-09T18:13:00.000-05:00

Our FLL team, Nosco Mechanicus, competed at the VA/DC State Championship on December 5 and 6. Although we did not win anything, we had a great time, proving that the experience is fun, not just winning. We congratulate team Vector 67, and all the other award winners.

FLL Challenge Released!

2009-09-03T16:16:00.001-04:00

The First LEGO League challenge is live! If you would like to download the documents in a .pdf format, please visit our Resources page.

We're looking forward to a great season!

Design Squad

2009-08-04T12:22:00.000-04:00

One entertaining resource I have found is a PBS television show called Design Squad. I am not sure if it is still on the air, but you can watch the episodes for free on the Design Squad website. Design Squad is a reality show where two teams of high schoolers compete to fulfill their client's request. The team that presents the best solution to the client gets 100 points per member. The teams are shuffled, and are given another challenge. The person with the most points at the end of all 13 episodes gets a $10,000 scholarship from Intel.

Not only is this show entertaining to watch, but it also illustrates engineering principles that are applicable to robotics. The teams follow the design process while solving the challenges. The use of prototyping and planning is emphasized to save time. This mindset is good for VEX robotics teams, as it is very time consuming to build a VEX robot and then take it apart. Planning and prototyping reduces wasted time.

This show is both entertaining and educational. I recommend it.

Visiting the FIRST Robotics World Championship

2009-07-23T19:37:00.000-04:00

My family had the privilege of visiting the FIRST Robotics World Festival in April. It is a great experience for anyone interested in robotics. There is much to do, even if you are not competing.

See our pictures by clicking here.

The World Festival is held every year in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The best FIRST robotics teams in the world go there, so it is a great place to go to get robot ideas. We saw some really cool robots there!

The pit area is a very busy place during the three days of competition. In order to go into the area that has FTC and FRC teams, you need safety glasses. A team there was providing some for those who didn't have any, but I still suggest to bring some.

While we were in the FLL section of the pits, we stopped by to see the Green GLOOOCS, who we competed with at the VA/DC State Championship. They had brought their papier maché GLOOOC with them, and even got it autographed by Dean Kamen!

Also in the pit areas were several booths, and one of the most noticeable ones was the LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 booth. Some of the developers of the NXT were there, such as Steve Hassenplug. They had some touch sensors and light sensors as give aways! Steve Hassenplug gave us four LEGO bricks printed to look like NXTs!

We went to the FTC section of the pits, and saw our friends from TechBrick. They had to go compete, so we continued on our way. A coach of another FTC team told us that they were also doing a VEX competition, and told us some of the benefits of the VEX competition. That started us looking into VEX, and has resulted in us buying a VEX kit, and purchasing the game pieces.
The robots compete in the main stadium of the Georgia Dome. This year there were six different sections set up - four for FRC, one for FTC, and one for FLL. Competitions run simultaneously in all sections. The FTC and FLL have more than one playing field in a section. They have projection screens set up with close-up video of the fields. This is very helpful, because the seats are so far away from the fields.

If you want another reason to go to the World Festival, you can visit the Atlanta Aquarium and the Atlanta Zoo after walking around the Georgia Dome!

Visiting the World Festival is both very rewarding and fun. I highly suggest going to all robotics fans.

See you in Atlanta 2010!

Volunteering in Maryland

2009-07-23T16:54:00.000-04:00

At the close of the 2009 Virginia and D.C. FIRST LEGO League season, my family found an opportunity to volunteer at the state competition in Maryland. We used to live in Maryland, and had been involved in FIRST LEGO League there. So, we jumped at the chance to volunteer at the competition. My mother, father, and brother were all technical judges while I supervised practice tables.

If you have never volunteered at a competition, I highly recommend it. You can discover a lot about how judges judge. For example, the judges rely on documentation of the programs. The judges might know a lot about C++, but NXT-G is unknown to most of them. My brother was called in to interpret the program printouts for the technical judges. The moral of is that you really need to document your programs!

In addition, you can see lots of robots. You can find many good design features that you could use in your robot next season. Learning from others can save you time and money.
Since none of my family were project judges or referees, I can’t tell you that much about them. That’s why you need to volunteer!