Top 10 Lego Robot Dos and Don’ts Teacher Professional Development Spring, 2002

Number 10 Do: lUse books. lUse the web. lUse existing machines as inspiration. lUse any resource and reference that you can find to construct and program your robot. Don’t: l “Reinvent the robot.” l Work in a vacuum.

Number 9 Do: lUse sturdy and rigid connections. lUse square frames. lUse pegs to act as rivets in double- beams for additional strength.

Number 9 Don’t: lRely on robots that are held together by one Lego “pip”.

Number 8 Do: lUse cross-bracing!

Number 8 Don’t: lRely on mere friction to hold the robot together.

Number 7 Do: lHave good axle support.

Number 7 Don’t: lBend the axles. lPut excessive forces on the motor axles. This is a good way to snap the motor axle.

Number 6 Do: lUse gears. lGears give the robot more strength and control.

Number 6 Don’t: lAttach wheels directly to the motors. lThis makes the robot too fast and out of control.

Number 5 Do: lUnderstand that the robot’s hardware and software work together. A change to one means a change to the other. lHave your “hardware” guys and your “software“ guys know what each other are doing.

Number 5 Don’t: lWork in isolation. lFamous last words: “I didn’t change anything!” ?

Number 4 Do: lUse sensors! lSensors help deal with unknown conditions. lSensors relieve the tedium of programming using time alone.

Number 4 Don’t: l“Gip” your students out of learning something about sensors and robotics. lBut, at the same time, don’t force them either.

Number 3 Do: lPrototype early. lPrototype often. lGood way to sub- divide tasks without needing all of the Lego parts (e.g. the RCX).

Number 3 Don’t: lBuild the WHOLE thing first, program and all, and then try it. lIt is more difficult to make changes the more “final” the robot is.

TIE Number 1 Do: lKeep it simple! lThe more things that you add, the more that can break. Don’t: lBut by the same token, don’t stifle creativity or innovation.

TIE Number 1 Do: lTEST TEST TEST! lBuild the game boards early and start using them NOW. lWhen you’re finished testing, TEST SOME MORE! Don’t: lWait until the night before the competition to finally try out the robot.