1. The Finch Robot and the While Loop
Pepper

2. The Robot Developed by Carnegie Mellon students to teach CS
Supports many compilers, including Java
Web site:
Why – Illustrate while and do /while loops with physical example
Why 2: See how hardware and physical actions can be controlled with code
Lab group practice

3. Hardware Input Sensors Output Power Obstacles Light
Accelerometer (how fast is it going)
Temperature
Output
Wheels turn
LED lights
Speaker
Power
Long USB Cord

4. Installing
Download Java package from ng,%20and%20Running%20Programs%20for%20 Finch/bluej
Place it in the folder you want to use
Unzip it
Open sample project in sourceFiles bluej.pkg
Create your own package inside sample project
(or add jar file finch.jar to bluej via preferences Or add finch.jar to the +libs folder inside SourceFiles)

5. Make a Finch Controller
Bring in the knowledge:
import edu.cmu.ri.createlab.terk.robot.finch.Finch;
Create a finch object that knows finch commands:
Finch myFinch = new Finch();
Always end with quit and exit:
myFinch.quit();
System.exit(0);

6. Controlling commands Set Finch Beak Color: Make Finch Speak:
myFinch.setLED(red,green,blue); // 0 to 255
Make Finch Speak:
myFinch.saySomething("The Finch will say this.");
Make Finch Move:
myFinch.setWheelVelocities(left,right,time) // -255 to 255 & time is in milliseconds
// negative number rolls backwards
// hold the cord or it may have difficulty

7. Simple program – package Pepper;
import edu.cmu.ri.createlab.terk.robot.finch.Finch;
public class FinchSimple {
public static void main(final String[] args) {
// Instantiating the Finch object
Finch myFinch = new Finch();
myFinch.setWheelVelocities(255,255,1000);
myFinch.saySomething(“I am now All Done");
// Always end your program
myFinch.quit();
System.exit(0); }

8. Get Finch Sense Information
Obstacles: All true/false
isObstacle()
isObstacleLeftSide()
isObstacleRightSide()
Light: All true/false, but using light level threshold. Returns true if less than the threshold
isRightLightSensor(10)
isLeftLightSensor(10)
In dark, it will be true up to about 4
In light, it will be true up to about 40
Ex: if (myFinch.isRightLightSensor(10) == true) { System.out.println(“It is light out”);} else {System.out.println(“It is dark out”);}

9. Make it do an action while a condition is true
Keep moving forward until it senses an obstacle
while ( myFinch.isObstacle() == false ){ myFinch.setWheelVelocities(255,255,200); }
// then back up
myFinch.setWheelVelocities(-255,-255,1000);

10. Another - Make it do an action while a condition is true
Spin until the lights turn off
while (myFinch.isRightLightSensor(10) == true){ myFinch.setWheelVelocities(255,-255,1000); }
// when the lights are out, this will be false
// when the lights are on, this will be true
// could say spin while lights are on
// WILL NOT SPIN AT ALL IF LIGHTS OFF

11. Do While
Spin at least once, and then keep spinning until the lights turn off do
{ myFinch.setWheelVelocities(255,-255,1000); }
while (myFinch.isRightLightSensor(10) == true);
// run with lights off – see one spin first

12. Get orientation info Orientation: All true/false isFinchLevel()
isFinchUpsideDown()
isBeakDown()
isBeakUp()
isLeftWingDown()
isRightWingDown()

13. Your Takeaway Difference between while and do while
Creating an object of a class gives your program powerful tools
A sense of how hardware can be controlled by code
Perhaps a desire to code your game using this little robot

14. Your Turn Probably not needed, but see finch.jar in preferences
Download java finch package
New class
Import above class:
import edu.cmu.ri.createlab.terk.robot.finch.Finch;
Inside main method, create a finch object
Finch myFinch = new Finch();
Close your finch at the end of main
myFinch.quit();
System.exit(0);
Add code to make it move forward, backward, right and left, all for one second each.