1. ORTOP NXT Robotics Techniques Workshop 2007
“Opening doors to the worlds of science and technology for Oregon’s youth”
11/20/2018
NXT Robotics Techniques

2. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
Goals
Audience: Rookie coaches/mentors, experienced coaches & mentors
Provide Material That Is Immediately Usable With Your Team
Gain Mindstorms NXT Programming Experience
You should have already attended NXT workshops I & II and/or coached a team in a 2006 tournament.
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NXT Robotics Techniques

3. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
Instructor Contacts
Ken Cone
Leroy Nuckles
Jim Ryan
Scott Stanko
Roger Swanson
Cathy Swider
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NXT Robotics Techniques

4. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
Agenda
Introductions (5 min)
Slide Review (20 min)
Break into Teams
NXT Techniques lab exercises (90 min)
Review & questions
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NXT Robotics Techniques

5. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
Agenda
Handouts for this workshop:
TechniquesNXT2007V2.ppt (this slide set)
TechniquesNXT2007LabsV2.doc (lab exercises)
NXT WorkshopCD2007Vx.y
NXT Workshop materials
MindstormsNXT Tutorial by Dale Yocum
INSciTE NXT Programming manual, from High Tech Kids
Selected videos of 06 State Championships
High Tech Kids, see references slide
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NXT Robotics Techniques

6. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
Our Mission
FLL is not just about building robots and competing in tournaments
Develop team member skills
technical
team building
research & presentation
Technical problem solving can be fun
The youngsters do the work
Introduce possibility of a technical career
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7. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
NXT Basics
LEGO Parts Identification
Have kids inventory your NXT kit & get to know the parts
Use pins and various Technic parts to build your robot. Pins are stronger than original LEGO bricks with bumps.
Important to have all team members become familiar with robot parts.
Build small sub assemblies, e.g. gear trains & grabbers
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8. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
NXT Basics
Note how NXT parts are all pinned together using Technic parts
There are only a few plates with bumps
Motors are strong enough for direct drive – turn a wheel on your robot to feel the gears
Motors have built in rotation sensors – programmed in degrees or rotations
Take a minute to examine the NXT parts and motors
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NXT Robotics Techniques

9. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
NXT Basics
Gears
Spur Gear (show example)
instructor holds beam
class person turns axles and
feels torque on other axle
tactile feedback = learning
about gears and torque
Gear Ratio and Speed
turn large gear one complete turn. How may times does small gear turn?
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NXT Robotics Techniques

10. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
NXT Basics
Torque
can be thought of as rotational force
torque causes something with mass to rotate
a force can create a torque by acting through a moment arm (picture a wrench turning a bolt)
a motor produces a torque – transferred to gears and to axles that turn the wheels
gears change speed and torque
e.g. changing bicycle gears to go up a hill
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11. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
NXT Basics
More Gears
Worm Gears
one way transfer of power (show example)
Pulleys
use for slippage during lifting
Clutch
slippage after torque value listed on clutch
GS Day Camp pages on gears
instructor hold up 3 page handout
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12. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
NXT Basics
Firmware & programs stored in flash (like photos on a digital camera)
Default inputs:
touch = 1, light = 3, Distance = 4
Allowed: 2 touch, 2 light, 1 Distance
Default outputs:
Left motor = C, right motor = B
Allowed: 3 motors (rotation sensors built in)
Allowed: (3 - number of motors) rotation sensors
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13. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
NXT Basics - Motors
Note holes for Axles and Cams
One Move block in the program controls both motors
The robot moves straight - motors will adjust speed as the robot moves
A program with two Move blocks (one for each motor) will not go straight…
Try programming tests for straight and curved movements, single and multiple Move blocks
Motors can be part of the framework for the robot
Motors adjust speed to run straight, they have position and rate feedback
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NXT Robotics Techniques

14. NXT Basics – Light Sensor
Reads reflection from a built-in IR emitter - (the sensor responds to visible light and into the IR spectrum) (default mode)
Or, reads light intensity from surroundings with emitter turned off
Use NXT Brick View program or Sensor feedback box to read Black, Green, White values as in previous workshops
The sensor feedback box (located in the configuration panel) displays the current light reading (0-100%). You can use it to try out different trigger values.
We will go through the calibration procedure in the lab.
Note the light sensor is IR sensitive, e.g. it responds to heat.
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15. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
NXT Basics - Sensors
Touch sensor
Responds to being pressed, or released, or bumped (pressed then released)
Note axle slot for extending sensor capability
Click “More help?” in lower right corner of Mindstorms screen. This works like “Show Context Help” in ROBOLAB
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NXT Robotics Techniques

16. NXT Basics – Program Memory
Maximum available memory is ~125KB
Firmware refresh and all files deleted
Each program is ~0.1KB overhead
E.g. Move block ~5.1KB, two ~5.8KB
E.g. Move + Wait for light sensor ~7.7KB
Use My Blocks for subroutines for better memory usage
Click NXT Window then Memory to view memory usage
Instructor show this command
Refer to NXTmemory.doc for more details
Instructor, show this file
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NXT Robotics Techniques

17. NXT Basics – Programming
Open Mindstorms NXT, Close the Robo Center
Find “Start New Program” – type “move1” and “Go>>”.
Click the Move block (gears) – note white box
Move mouse so white box is in Start square
Click to drop the Move block in Start square
Click hour glass Wait block, slide mouse to right and click Touch sensor – move to position to right of Move block.
Use Esc key to undo a command
Use Delete key to delete a block
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NXT Robotics Techniques

18. NXT Basics – Lab Exercises
Lab Sections
Lab 1 - The Distance Sensor
Lab 2 – Data Hubs & Variables
This exercise shows 4 different techniques to program the robot to go in a square
Lab 3 - Switches & Range Blocks
Advanced lab - Light sensor calibration
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NXT Robotics Techniques

19. NXT Basics – Lab Exercises
Show video: examples of robots with fixtures for each mission
Introduce yourself to other team members
Begin with Lab1 exercise
Continue with as many labs as you can
90 min to complete the labs
Ask questions, chances are someone else has the same question
Have fun!
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NXT Robotics Techniques

20. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
NXT Basics –
LAB Conclusions
Each team briefly explain a section of what you learned in this workshop
What advice would you have for a team starting out with NXT?
Teaching for understanding “creates challenging situations in which students test their knowledge by solving problems, building products, and giving performances or writing reports that synthesize thorough analysis of a topic, a concept, or an idea.” *
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21. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
NXT Basics
Next Steps
NXT Robotics Techniques slides
NXT Techniques labs
Mindstorms NXT tutorial (show tutorial)
INSciTE tutorial
Build and test some robots
Test tracks
Oval track with hill
Make up your own exercises – stress basics
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NXT Robotics Techniques

22. Programming Resources
Tutorials, Dale Yocum
On ORTOP CD or download from
takes time, go through in sections
NXT Tutorial is also available online:
Requires Adobe Macromedia Shockwave Player and high speed download connection
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23. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
Information
Resources
Inscite
Google “FLL programming” and
look for FLL programming 101 N .pdf
This file is on the NXT workshop CD
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24. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
Parting Thoughts
From “All I Really Need to Know (About Creative Thinking) I Learned (By Studying How Children Learn) in Kindergarten* Tips from 12 year olds on being creative:
Start simple
Work on things that you like
If you have no clue what to do, fiddle around
Don’t be afraid to experiment
Find a friend to work with, share ideas!
It’s OK to copy stuff (to give you an idea)
Keep your ideas in a sketch book
Build, take apart, rebuild
Lots of things can go wrong, stick with it
*MIT Media Lab
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NXT Robotics Techniques

25. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
Review & Questions
Please give us your input
Let ORTOP know how we can improve the program
Thanks for volunteering, your effort makes learning possible!
Disassemble robots and put pieces back into kits
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NXT Robotics Techniques

26. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
Our Mailing Lists
Totally voluntary, and you can opt out
ortopvol
All volunteers
One way from ORTOP to our volunteers
We add you when you volunteer
ortopcm
Coaches and mentors
Communication among that group and with ORTOP
We add you when you complete a workshop
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NXT Robotics Techniques

27. NXT Robotics Techniques - 2007
Contact Us
Website:
Scott Stanko answers the questions
Phone: (Cathy Swider) or (Bruce Schafer)
11/20/2018
NXT Robotics Techniques