1. Basic NXT-G Programming

2. NXT-G Sequence Beams Blocks Structures (special blocks) Wires (connect ports on blocks & structures)

3. Forward 2, Back 2, Talk 01-Basic Program.rbt Save this program!

4. Forward 2, Back 2, Talk Save this program!

5. Loop 36 times 02 Simple Structure - Loop.rbt Save this program!

6. Loop 36 times Save this program!

7. Branch on a Variable & Use Wires What's a “Variable”? – It's a box to put something in, like text, a number, or a true/false value. Why might we use a “Variable”? – To reference it later in the program. What is a “Compare” block? – A “Compare” block tests the value of a numeric variable against a another number. When might we use a “Compare” block? – To test the value of a sensor...

8. Branch on a Variable & Use Wires 03 Variables.rbt 03-Variables.rbt

9. Branch on a Variable & Use Wires

10. Branch on a Sensor & Use Wires 03.1-Sensor And Branch.rbt Extra Credit!

11. Branch on a Sensor & Use Wires

12. Design Principles & Strategies

13. KISS Tool Design First – Then Program Leapfrog Development Competitive Development Test Repeatedly Change 1 Small Thing at a Time Test Repeatedly

14. Design Principles & Strategies KISS Quick Attachment Switching Specialized Tools Test Repeatedly Stiff & Stable is Repeatable and Reliable Leverage Change 1 Small Thing At A Time Repetitive Testing Slow Motion Video

15. Tactical Techniques Standard Starting Location Standard Starting Configuration Straight Lines using Move Blocks Pivot Turns (some folks call these Swing Turns)

16. Basic Techniques

17. Incremental Development with Bluetooth Where to go from here?

18. Incremental Development with Bluetooth Now we will write a program together using Bluetooth incremental development – Move Forward – Lower Arm Trapping 3 Pylons and Blue Ring – Backup to Base – Raise Arm Back to Starting Position

19. Incremental Development with Bluetooth Mission 1 - Basic

20. Incremental Development with Bluetooth

21. Precise Turns Left Face! Hold one wheel still Drive with the other wheel Make your drive in two parts, slow then fast You’re not done until you have strung it together with the moves before and after the turn

22. Precise Turns Left Face! 04-Left Face.rbt

23. Precise Turns Left Face!

24. Video What’s really going on here? Once we looked at a slow motion video of our robot we found out we hadn’t really been seeing what our robot was doing…

25. Video What’s really going on here? We're going to show you: – Video at full speed – Video in slow motion – Video in frame by frame – Watch: 1 House & Core Rig Slow Mo video.MP4

26. Sensors When should I stop? Go Forward until you see dark – Use a move and a wait block – Then add a stop block – Check your light levels

27. Sensors When should I stop?

29. Go Forward until you see dark – Use a move and a wait block – Then add a stop block – Check your light levels – The wait until sensor block is one way to stop on a line... Our way is better when you need both power and accuracy. – Now we'll build an improved loop checking sensor every 6 degrees – Then try changing the number of degrees

30. Sensors When should I stop?

32. Medium Techniques

33. MyBlocks Good things come in small packages Take our “Go to Dark” loop program and make it a MyBlock Combine a move with our “Go to Dark” MyBlock

34. MyBlocks Good things come in small packages

39. Multi-Threaded Programming walking and chewing gum at the same time Advance on the blue ring while lowering the arm to just above the blue ring. Continue to move forward slowly while lowering the arm the rest of the way. Return to base.

40. Multi-Threaded Programming walking and chewing gum at the same time

42. More Tactical Techniques Standard Starting Location Standard Starting Configuration Straight Lines using Move Blocks Pivot Turns 1-Count Loops to Synchronize Threads “Crowbars” to pry open loops and switches Use your own loops to check sensors and control movement for best accuracy CONTROL your own destiny by writing your own code

43. Multi-Threaded Programming walking and chewing gum at the same time

44. Happy Birthday Kate

45. Advanced Techniques

46. MyBlocks with Parameters “Siri, take me here!” Parameters make MyBlocks reusable in more situations MyBlocks become adaptable You only program 1 MyBlock that is applicable in different scenarios

47. MyBlocks with Parameters “Siri, take me here!” Take our two part turn and add direction math Determine desired direction Add a variable for input Cut the wire and make a MyBlock!

48. MyBlocks with Parameters

49. Sensor Calibration Is it night or just cloudy? First we'd like to explain the Calibrate Block Then we'll show you how we use it in our Calibrate program We've posted “Cougar Calibrate.rbc”, our calibrate program, on CougarRobot.com Why is Cougar Calibrate better?

50. Sensor Calibration Is it night or just cloudy?

52. Position Registration Our Favorite, X marks the spot How should I register my position? 1. Register using touch 2. Register using light 3. Register using odometry What should I register my position against? 1. The strategic object you are manipulating 2. The mat 3. Field walls

53. Position Registration Our Favorite, X marks the spot Back to Wall

54. Position Registration Our Favorite, X marks the spot

55. Back to Wall Back to Line

56. Position Registration Our Favorite, X marks the spot

57. Back to Wall Back to Line Advance to Line

58. Position Registration Our Favorite, X marks the spot

59. Back to Wall Back to Line Advance to Line We've posted “Cougar Advance To Line.rbt” on our website CougarRobot.com.

60. Dependent Threads & Synchronization throwing the newspaper while riding your bike Let's take a look at our Final Mission, CA Black 5-8 Timmy and Friends! The turn in front of the dynamometer is now jam-proof! 2 Slow Motion Video How it's supposed to work.MP4 3 Slow Motion Video How it sometimes failed.MP4 4 Slow Motion Video How we fixed it.MP4

61. Dependent Threads & Synchronization throwing the newspaper while riding your bike

62. Our Grey Balls mission from Climate Connection really showed smoothness of dependent threads. 5 Philip & Jacob 400 point run - FLL First Lego League 2009 Climate Connections Robot Run.mp4

63. Dependent Threads & Synchronization throwing the newspaper while riding your bike

64. Master Programs/Menus/Scripting Your wish is my command We use a Master Program – We have a plan and a script – FIRST changed the rules because of the Cougars's mission checklist!

65. Master Programs/Menus/Scripting Your wish is my command

66. We use a Master Program – We have a plan and a script – FIRST changed the rules because of the Cougars's mission checklist! – Our Master Program helps us follow our plan and do it quickly

67. Master Programs/Menus/Scripting Your wish is my command Let's build a simple sequencer. – Make 01-Basic into a MyBlock – Make 02-Loop 36 times into a MyBlock – Make 5.4 Go To Dark into a MyBlock

68. Master Programs/Menus/Scripting Your wish is my command Let's build a simple sequencer. – Start a new program – Drop the 3 MyBlocks onto a sequence beam – Add wait blocks – Add a sound at the start

69. Master Programs/Menus/Scripting Your wish is my command

70. Now Check out a Full Featured Sequencer...

71. Master Programs/Menus/Scripting Your wish is my command

72. For the Smart Move challenge we improved our Master Program by altering “LB or EB” program. LB (left button) is repeat last mission EB (enter button) is run next mission. We added RB (right button) which jumps ahead one mission in the sequence Our new program is “LB or EB or RB”

73. Master Programs/Menus/Scripting Your wish is my command

75. Timers When will this match be over? Here's how we used a timer in our master program during Climate Connections

76. Timers When will this match be over?

78. Miscellaneous TIME is your most valuable resource Make choices that put you in CONTROL

79. Miscellaneous 60ish blocks per program At roughly 60 blocks per program the NXT-G editor will start to get really flakey

80. Miscellaneous Know how many degrees or rotations per inch You should be able to predict the numbers to feed to a move block by using a tape measure. You should also be able to predict the numbers to make the robot turn 90 degrees.

81. Miscellaneous Innovate Early Consolidate Late

82. Miscellaneous Version control (can use “Pack and Go”) Backup solution (can use 7-Zip)

83. Resources http://www.cougarrobot.com http://nxtasy.org http://www.teamhassenplug.org/ http://www.teamhassenplug.org/NXT/NXTGTips/ http://www.teamhassenplug.org/NXT/NXT-GCodeIndex.html http://mindstorms.lego.com/nxtlog/ProjectDisplay.aspx?id=c3d cfabe-9802-444d-8b76-c7e23d41f9b8 http://www.nxtasy.org/repository/nxt-g-blocks/ Brian Davis Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor at Indiana University South Bend, & LEGO MDP

84. Put It All Together!

85. Our Thanks to...