1. The robot ran into the wall and stopped.
2. The wall activated the touch sensor so the robot stopped like the program told it to when the touch sensor detected something.
3. Yes, if it didn't stop when it detected objects it would just get stuck running into a solid object.
4. It will stop when it runs into something so it won't get stuck, but it won't so anything to actually avoid the obstacle. It has to hit it before it stops.
5. It stopped 10 cm from the wall.
6. The wall set the sonic sensor off and so the robot stopped like it was programmed to.
7. It stopped about 10 cm away.
8. The robot stopped before it actually hit the object but it cannot sense smaller objects such as the legs of a chair.
9. This sensor is better for objects that you want to detect but not hit but it only works for larger or wider objects. The touch sensor will detect any objects but it has to actually hit it to detect it.
10. i) The sonic sensor detect objects without hitting them. The touch sensor has to hit it to hit it to detect it.
ii) With the sonic sensor it will stop in front of the object while with the touch sensor it will stop in contact with the object.
11. It will not hit the object which is good for delicate objects, however it cannot detect smaller objects such as the leg of the chair.
12. i) because the touch sensor can only detect the object when it is in contact with it while the touch sensor can detect an object from a distance and you have to set how far away you want it to stop.
ii) It will stop farther or closer to the object.
13. i) So a robot could do things like detect walls in a room, detect trees in woods, and navigate a maze.
ii) robots that are trying to navigate on their own. Robots that are trying to go through a maze.
iii) if the robot had to detect where a glass object was.
14. i) It can detect the object from a distance, it can stop different distances from the object, and it can prevent damage to the object or the robot.
ii) No, it cannot detect smaller/thinner objects.
iii) if a car like robot had to detect a wall. This sensor would prevent the robot from running into the wall and crashing trying to sense it.
iv) If a car like robot had to detect a street post it would not be able to sense it and would run into it.
15. A light sensor could look for dark objects to avoid.
16. It shows 6 question marks.
17. yes, if its too small it can't detect it
18. hard objects are easier because they are more solid and easier to read.
19. it could detect the ruler
20. NO, it could not detect the pen at all
21. yes it does, it could detect the pen.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Faster Line Tracking
1. It just spun in circles with a slight hesitation over the black line.
2. It is moving too fast and by the time it starts to turn left because its dark, the sensor has already moved past the dark and onto the light of the other side so it has to turn right again.
3. Put it on the back of the robot.
4. Under the wheels.
5. because it is on the back which moves in the opposite direction as the front.
6. When the sensor is on the back of the robot it is on the center of the turn theretofore will remain on the black line longer and can register it for the turn.
7. i) done
ii) 30%, 24 seconds
iii) 91%, 14 seconds
iv) 14/24-58.3%
8. If it registers light, it turns right and if it registers dark it turns left. These are swing turns in reverse.
9. When the robot is backwards, right and left reverse. Label the wheels.
2. It is moving too fast and by the time it starts to turn left because its dark, the sensor has already moved past the dark and onto the light of the other side so it has to turn right again.
3. Put it on the back of the robot.
4. Under the wheels.
5. because it is on the back which moves in the opposite direction as the front.
6. When the sensor is on the back of the robot it is on the center of the turn theretofore will remain on the black line longer and can register it for the turn.
7. i) done
ii) 30%, 24 seconds
iii) 91%, 14 seconds
iv) 14/24-58.3%
8. If it registers light, it turns right and if it registers dark it turns left. These are swing turns in reverse.
9. When the robot is backwards, right and left reverse. Label the wheels.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Article Journal Post 14: Swarm Robotics
This article is about a branch of robotics called swarm robotics. SWARM stands for "intelligent small-world autonomous robots for micro-manipulation." It is all about inventing a large group of tiny robots that can work together. The idea is to create a swarm of robots that can act together, self assemble, and accomplish tasks together. The swarm in this article are programmed to follow a certain type of pheromone like ants would follow a trail of pheromones in a line. However the robots use optical pheromones, show by the video on the website. The robots are also solar powered.
Article
While these robots currently need a lot of work, they are a very good idea. These robots could be sent into places that humans could not go. For example, if miners were trapped underground, the swarm robots could be sent in to find the miners and establish communication. They would be very effective. They are also solar powered making them energy efficient. Finally they plan on designing the robots so that they are cost efficient and could be mass produced. Currently, these robots are not able to self assemble and need a lot of development before they reach usable levels. However in time, these robots promise to be very useful. I deeply admire the idea and design of these robots.
The largest swarm in the world
An example of swarm robots
Article
While these robots currently need a lot of work, they are a very good idea. These robots could be sent into places that humans could not go. For example, if miners were trapped underground, the swarm robots could be sent in to find the miners and establish communication. They would be very effective. They are also solar powered making them energy efficient. Finally they plan on designing the robots so that they are cost efficient and could be mass produced. Currently, these robots are not able to self assemble and need a lot of development before they reach usable levels. However in time, these robots promise to be very useful. I deeply admire the idea and design of these robots.
The largest swarm in the world
An example of swarm robots
Friday, November 12, 2010
Follow the Guidelines
1. It is looking for light or dark.
2. It should turn right to go back to the left edge of the line.
3. It should turn left to go off the left edge of the line.
4. 56+35/2=45.5=46
5. i) dark
ii) light
iii) light
iv) dark
6. i) light
ii) dark
iii) dark
iv) dark
7. i) left
ii) left
iii) right
iv) left
8. The robot is programmed to turn right when its is light and left when it is dark. Then the entire behavior is set inside of the loop block.
9. The light in the morning is different from the light in the afternoon. She needs to recalculate her threshold value in order to recognize the dark line.
10. i) yes
ii) In stead of turning off the left side of the line, it would turn off of the right side of the line.
11. i) If it was not right next to the ground, it would not be able to register the "dark" of the tape.
ii) If you raise it, your value for dark will have to increase. If you lower it, your dark value will not have to be so high.
iii) It will work if you put it on the right hand side of the line. It will mess up on turns because the body will be past the curve before it starts to turn.
12. It tracks the right side because if it sees light it turns left onto the right side of the line and if it sees dark it turns right off of the right side of the line. Therefore it is tracking the right side of the line.
13. If it were to try to track something like the edge of a table and it has to track the right side only or it will fall off.
2. It should turn right to go back to the left edge of the line.
3. It should turn left to go off the left edge of the line.
4. 56+35/2=45.5=46
5. i) dark
ii) light
iii) light
iv) dark
6. i) light
ii) dark
iii) dark
iv) dark
7. i) left
ii) left
iii) right
iv) left
8. The robot is programmed to turn right when its is light and left when it is dark. Then the entire behavior is set inside of the loop block.
9. The light in the morning is different from the light in the afternoon. She needs to recalculate her threshold value in order to recognize the dark line.
10. i) yes
ii) In stead of turning off the left side of the line, it would turn off of the right side of the line.
11. i) If it was not right next to the ground, it would not be able to register the "dark" of the tape.
ii) If you raise it, your value for dark will have to increase. If you lower it, your dark value will not have to be so high.
iii) It will work if you put it on the right hand side of the line. It will mess up on turns because the body will be past the curve before it starts to turn.
12. It tracks the right side because if it sees light it turns left onto the right side of the line and if it sees dark it turns right off of the right side of the line. Therefore it is tracking the right side of the line.
13. If it were to try to track something like the edge of a table and it has to track the right side only or it will fall off.
Article Journal Post 13
This article is about a competition hosted by Georgia Tech. It is known as the inVenture prize. it was designed for undergraduate students who show a sense of innovation, creativity, and adventure. The first place prize is $15,000 and the second place prize is $10,000. The competition has 8 finalists. However the most impressive aspect of this competition is that it, as the article's title says, "spurs inventions." Many of the students who entered into this competition invented devices in response to actual problems. These inventions include a headset that senses when drivers are getting sleepy and beeps to keep them awake, a French Press that prevents bitter coffee, a drum-tuning device that allows a musician to tune a drum in under 20 minutes when it previously took and hour, a mechanical Koozie that keeps drinks cold, and an exercise shirt that will not damage joints and can be used in physical therapy. While all of these inventions are impressive, my favorite was a water pump powered by a car. Six students heard workers complain that they had trouble getting water out of wells in developing countries. In response to this, the Georgia tech students invented a pump composed of objects that can be found in a junk yard such as rollers, compressors, and air tanks. This pump can fit into the back of a car and is powered by a car.
Article
This water pump is a very good idea. Firstly it is made of common and in-expensive objects that can even be found in a junkyard. This makes the pump cheap to build. It is small enough to be transported easily in a car and can be powered by a car. This allows the pump to run anywhere it is needed. Finally it also has more than one use. Not only can the pump be used in developing countries to pump water up from a well, it can also be used in floods and hurricanes to pump water out. This makes the product affordable, effective, and useful. It is soon to be tested in Nicaragua and other developing countries in need of it.
This article mentions a request put into Georgia Tech for a water pump for developing nations.
Article
This water pump is a very good idea. Firstly it is made of common and in-expensive objects that can even be found in a junkyard. This makes the pump cheap to build. It is small enough to be transported easily in a car and can be powered by a car. This allows the pump to run anywhere it is needed. Finally it also has more than one use. Not only can the pump be used in developing countries to pump water up from a well, it can also be used in floods and hurricanes to pump water out. This makes the product affordable, effective, and useful. It is soon to be tested in Nicaragua and other developing countries in need of it.
This article mentions a request put into Georgia Tech for a water pump for developing nations.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Frequency vs Amplitude
1.sound 1: 25
sound 2: 26
sound 3: 27
sound 4: 28
2. It got louder.
3. done
4.i) yes
ii) Amplitude increase, sound sensor value increase
5. If the amplitude is low, the sound sensor value is low. As amplitude increases, so does the value of the sound sensor. Therefore the amplitude affects the value of the sound sensor.
6. sound 1: 24
sound 2: 69
sound 3: 88
sound 4: 96
7. It got higher (but not louder) each time.
8. done
9. i) yes
ii) As frequency increases, the sound sensor value increases (though not with a steady value like with amplitude).
10. As frequency increases, the sound sensor value increases, but the sound sensor is not as sensitive to frequency as it is amplitude.
11. As wavelength or frequency increase, the sound sensor value will increase, though the sound sensor is not as sensitive to frequency as it is amplitude.
12. i) Yes, it would register when the amplitude got too high.
ii) No, because it is not very sensitive to frequency.
iii) No, It is not sensitive enough for something so prescience in frequencies.
iv) No it would not be able to distinguish between the amplitude of the cars and the frequency of the siren.
v) Yes it would simply wait for an increase in amplitude.
vi) Yes it would simply have to wait for an increase in amplitude.
13. You could do an experiment where you have a sound with a low frequency and you have to increase the amplitude on your own to see about how high the amplitude has to be to reach 50%. Then you could do the same for a sound with low amplitude and varying frequency. AKA Manipulate both amplitude and frequency.
14. volume, pitch
sound 2: 26
sound 3: 27
sound 4: 28
2. It got louder.
3. done
4.i) yes
ii) Amplitude increase, sound sensor value increase
5. If the amplitude is low, the sound sensor value is low. As amplitude increases, so does the value of the sound sensor. Therefore the amplitude affects the value of the sound sensor.
6. sound 1: 24
sound 2: 69
sound 3: 88
sound 4: 96
7. It got higher (but not louder) each time.
8. done
9. i) yes
ii) As frequency increases, the sound sensor value increases (though not with a steady value like with amplitude).
10. As frequency increases, the sound sensor value increases, but the sound sensor is not as sensitive to frequency as it is amplitude.
11. As wavelength or frequency increase, the sound sensor value will increase, though the sound sensor is not as sensitive to frequency as it is amplitude.
12. i) Yes, it would register when the amplitude got too high.
ii) No, because it is not very sensitive to frequency.
iii) No, It is not sensitive enough for something so prescience in frequencies.
iv) No it would not be able to distinguish between the amplitude of the cars and the frequency of the siren.
v) Yes it would simply wait for an increase in amplitude.
vi) Yes it would simply have to wait for an increase in amplitude.
13. You could do an experiment where you have a sound with a low frequency and you have to increase the amplitude on your own to see about how high the amplitude has to be to reach 50%. Then you could do the same for a sound with low amplitude and varying frequency. AKA Manipulate both amplitude and frequency.
14. volume, pitch
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Article Journal Post 12
This article is about a humanoid robot designed for space by GE and NASA. It is called the Robonaut 2, or R2 for short. It is scheduled to launch on a ship called the Discovery. It will be the first humanoid robot to fly to the International Space Station, or the ISS. The Discovery will bring it there where it will be stored until late next year. This is because currently R2 only exists from the waist up, but he weighs 330 pounds and is 3 feet 4 inches tall. Its arms are each 2 feet 8 inches long. Next year another ship will bring R2's legs and in another year they plan to bring the computer enhancements that will allow R2 to walk in space. R2's job at the space station will include not only the housekeeping chores but also the more dangerous jobs such as if a fore or leak were to break out. This will be a tremendous help to the astronauts. Eventually engineers plan to use robots like R2 to explore deeper into space.
Article
This robot will be useful in the future, but is currently ineffective. Firstly it only exists from the waist up. This leaves the robot unable to do anything. It is also large, bulky, and heavy. This would make it hard to move while it doesn't have its legs. In addition, the robot cost $2.5 million to build, which is highly impractical. Finally the length of time it takes to assemble the robot makes it ineffective. It will take 2 more years before the robot will even be able to help out at the space station and that is only if nothing goes wrong. However, despite all of these immediate drawbacks that make R2 ineffective in the short term, in the long term this robot will do jobs that would otherwise threaten the lives of the astronauts. It will also take over care of the ISS which a human would otherwise have to do, which will open up more time for the astronauts.
Support
This website shows that the launch of the DIscovery was delayed due to a hydrogen leak. It also states how a scientists had to replace a failed cable in the ISS for an experiment, which is an example of a job R2 could do (in the distant future).
Article
This robot will be useful in the future, but is currently ineffective. Firstly it only exists from the waist up. This leaves the robot unable to do anything. It is also large, bulky, and heavy. This would make it hard to move while it doesn't have its legs. In addition, the robot cost $2.5 million to build, which is highly impractical. Finally the length of time it takes to assemble the robot makes it ineffective. It will take 2 more years before the robot will even be able to help out at the space station and that is only if nothing goes wrong. However, despite all of these immediate drawbacks that make R2 ineffective in the short term, in the long term this robot will do jobs that would otherwise threaten the lives of the astronauts. It will also take over care of the ISS which a human would otherwise have to do, which will open up more time for the astronauts.
Support
This website shows that the launch of the DIscovery was delayed due to a hydrogen leak. It also states how a scientists had to replace a failed cable in the ISS for an experiment, which is an example of a job R2 could do (in the distant future).
Clap On Clap Off
1. 4%
2. 100%
3. 52%
4. wait for sound to go above threshold. wait for sound to drop below threshold. start motor. start motor. wait for sound to go above threshold. wait for sound to drop below threshold. stop motor, stop motor.
5.i) they are two wait blocks, one to wait for the sound to go above the threshold, the other to wait for it to go below the threshold.
ii) You need two because the program begins when it hears the clap, runs the motors, and moves immediately onto the next wait for block, but all of that happened so fast that by the time it gets to the second wait for block the sound for the first clap is still above the threshold so the program stops.
6. The threshold tells it how loud the sound has to be to meet the wait for block's requirements for the program to activate. If it was higher, you would have to create a louder sound to start the program. It it was lower, you would not have to make such a loud sound to start the program.
7. Because it is always above a quiet value, but it below the loudest possible value you could have, making the program easy to activate.
8. Yes, any sound that met the threshold value would activate the program, regardless if it was a clap or not.
9.i) Find the quiet value for the theater and find the loud sound for the door slamming. average the two together to find the threshold value to be used in the program we created.
ii)The sounds of the people in the theater (ex if they clap, cheer, or laugh) or the sounds of the actors might accidentally create a sound above the threshold value and set off the robot.
10. Write a program that says wait for the sound to reach a value that you determine it too loud. When it goes above this threshold value, turn the motor on to turn the light off. Wait for the sound to drop to the quiet value for the cafeteria and then activate the motor again to turn the lights back on.
11. After it runs, it will go back to the beginning to the program and start again with another loud sound. So after it stops, it will start again with another clap.
12. It will run infinitely until you turn the program itself off.
2. 100%
3. 52%
4. wait for sound to go above threshold. wait for sound to drop below threshold. start motor. start motor. wait for sound to go above threshold. wait for sound to drop below threshold. stop motor, stop motor.
5.i) they are two wait blocks, one to wait for the sound to go above the threshold, the other to wait for it to go below the threshold.
ii) You need two because the program begins when it hears the clap, runs the motors, and moves immediately onto the next wait for block, but all of that happened so fast that by the time it gets to the second wait for block the sound for the first clap is still above the threshold so the program stops.
6. The threshold tells it how loud the sound has to be to meet the wait for block's requirements for the program to activate. If it was higher, you would have to create a louder sound to start the program. It it was lower, you would not have to make such a loud sound to start the program.
7. Because it is always above a quiet value, but it below the loudest possible value you could have, making the program easy to activate.
8. Yes, any sound that met the threshold value would activate the program, regardless if it was a clap or not.
9.i) Find the quiet value for the theater and find the loud sound for the door slamming. average the two together to find the threshold value to be used in the program we created.
ii)The sounds of the people in the theater (ex if they clap, cheer, or laugh) or the sounds of the actors might accidentally create a sound above the threshold value and set off the robot.
10. Write a program that says wait for the sound to reach a value that you determine it too loud. When it goes above this threshold value, turn the motor on to turn the light off. Wait for the sound to drop to the quiet value for the cafeteria and then activate the motor again to turn the lights back on.
11. After it runs, it will go back to the beginning to the program and start again with another loud sound. So after it stops, it will start again with another clap.
12. It will run infinitely until you turn the program itself off.
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