Activity 3.1.7 Robo Pro: Machine Control Design

This section of Robo Pro tasked us to create two different machines that did different things. The two machines that we created were the Cookie Dropper,
Problem 7: Chocolate Cookie Topper (Hardware Level 4 Software Level 2) 
A cookie factory needs your team to design a device that will put a chocolate drop 
on top of their peanut butter cookies. The machine must position a cookie on a 
separate device that will then move it into position for a dropper to descend and 
dispense the chocolate drop. The cookie with the chocolate drop should then move 
to another position where it will be placed with other finished cookies to await 
inspection and packaging. 

and the Delivery Control Vehicle
Problem 3: Delivery Vehicle Control (Hardware Level 2 Software Level 4)
An assembly plant would like for your team to design a vehicle to drive in a straight
line back and forth to deliver batches of parts. The vehicle must travel back and forth
based on input from a potentiometer. For safety reasons you must include an
emergency shutoff in case the vehicle travels too far in either direction.

Activity 3.1.6 Robo Pro: Closed Circuits

This project was to create a car that traveled back and forth on a track that turned by using buttons and sensors. This one was the first real project that was hard, but it was still fun to create. Here is a picture of our hardware and the software we used to make it go.

The first one used buttons, by turning the car the other direction when one of the buttons was pressed. The other one sensed when a light sensor was blocked from its light source by the car, and trigger the car to change directions until it hit the other sensor.

Activity 1.3 Basic Programming: Robo Pro

To get an introduction to the Robopro software and hardware, we had to write a program to turn on a motor for 3 seconds and then turn it off again. This was really easy to write, and the hardware wasn't very hard either.

Activity 3.1.1. Inputs and Outputs

In class on Thursday 18 of April, Dylan B., Daniel D., and I worked on a programming activity in which was our intro into our robotics project. 
Here are some pictures of the activity pages!

This was a picture of the final process in the activity in which we used a lamp, a photoresistor, and a phototransister to make the lamp give readings into the robo program!

GATE Game

Gate is a game where you have to move a robot to an exit using logic gates, which teaches rudimentary programming. I got to level 14, which I could not get past no matter how I tried. Here are is a picture of the game:

This game helped to teach me to think critically, and introduced me to the programming idea of flowcharting. I worked with Dylan Baker and Daniel Dedina to solve the puzzles.

Toothpick Bridge Challenge

In class, for about a week, groups were created and tasked with the challenge of creating a bridge out of toothpicks. The point of the bridge was trying to make a bridge with the best weight to strength ratio; weight of the bridge to the weight of the batteries it can hold. My group was made up of Daniel D. , Dylan B., John R., and I. My group had a 72/1 ratio, strength to weight.

Here were the Criteria and Constraints:

Criteria (Goal!)
Build the bridge with the highest strength to weight ratio (most weight prior to breaking vs the weight of the design).

Constraints(Toothpick version)
-Bridge may not weigh more than 50 grams.
-Bridge must span a 12” gap.
-Bridge must be at least one toothpick length wide.
-Bridge must be at least one toothpick length in height.
-No more than 8 toothpicks touching in parallel at any point.
-Materials:
Construction Materials:
-One pack of 800 Count “Royal” toothpicks.
-Glue guns and glue
-Fabrication materials:
-cardboard and wax paper to prevent glue mess.
-graphpaper to layout design.
-Keep your workspace clean!
-Clean any messes you make!

My team came in third place with the 72/1 ratio; the first place had around a 400/1 ratio(insane) and then the second place team had around a 120/1 ratio.


 Here is a picture of the batteries and our bridge after we first tested it!

Here is a picture of our bridge while it was still in the process of being made! Our rival team leader was in this picture.

Shopping Cart Design

This is the design that our group made for the Shopping Cart Design Challenge. It was created using www.buildwithchrome.com, an app made by Google and Lego. It was very easy and fun to use, and it made a simple 3D model for our design.

Our goal for this cart was to make a "Shopping cart for the 21st century," that is both easy to use and functional. We included 4 battery powered wheels for ease of access and buttons on the handle to control the turns. The pack in front is a cheap, compact battery to power the motors, which would be able to be plugged into a wall to recharge. We also included a screen on the front for directions around the store. You would be able to search for a food, or look up recipes and nutritional values on the cart. There would be a map aisles, showing where food is and how much it costs. This screen uses an antenna on the front communicate its location for navigation and in case they get stolen. 

Pros and Cons

+ Very easy to use because of powered wheels and navigation

- Probably very expensive

+ Easily adaptable for any disabled customers

- Target of theft because of expensive equipment

+ Recipes and Nutritional Values help keep user health conscientious

- Not as environmentally friendly as a normal cart