B Barber
Science Coordinator

Partner Primary & Secondary Schools
John Paul, Nazareth, Padua, St John's Reg. Colleges & Partner Primary

Science
Robolab








Middle Years Science Program









 

 

 

Introduction to Robolab

The beginning screen looks like this. Click on Administrator ...

Make sure the grey chord in plugged into the computer and into the IR Tower. Face it towards
the RCX Brick and turn it on ...

When the Administrator screen appears, click on Download firmware to download the
firmware ready for RCX use ...

After this click on “RCX Settings” down the bottom. The “RCX Settings” screen is below.
Unlock RCX Programs 1 & 2 to allow you to write over the first two out of five programs.

Click Back and then on Programmer. The following screen appears ...

Double click on Inventor 4. The following screen appears. Click on the Maximize button to obtain the Diagram screen ...

The following screen appears and you are ready to program…

Copying Inventor Lessons

Minimize this screen and go to My Computer. Put the CD in and go to the D: drive. Do Select All and Edit and Copy. Copy the file directories to your H: Drive location ready for use. Maximize the Robolab screen again and load up Lesson 1 from the Inventor Lessons directory within Level 4.

Load one lesson at a time. Complete Test 1 after the first five lessons. Then do Test 2, 3 and 4 when you reach them, print them off and submit them to me.

To load program icon code into a Word document go into Robolab and prepare your code. Using the cursor highlight the entire program code. Then do Edit - Copy ...

Load up Word and do Edit - Paste ...

In this way you can prepare work for assessment. The following is a typical Design Brief ...

Robolab Semester Projects

Some of the projects you will be doing this semester include RoboSoccer using a large grey scale soccer field and soccer ball. You will need to construct an Acrobot that can detect where the ball is, where your goal is and kick a goal ...

Robo-Rescue is another project this semester. You are to construct an Acrobot that can follow a path through a burning house to rescue an object in the back room by itself. The house looks like this …

Other projects include a Jewellery Security System, RoboWarrior, Robodancer and Conveyor Belt. We will soon learn more about the different icons and their function.

Robolab Semester Projects

The basic set up of Robolab inputs and outputs are displayed above. Inputs include sensors that are attached to the 1-3 inputs to deliver information to the RCX brick. The most useful sensors are the temperature, light or touch sensors. Outputs include motors and lights that react to program instruction.

The main components for communication from the RCX to the computer include the following …

RCX brick: Microprocessor with 3 inputs and outputs complete with 5 storage program locations.

IR Tower: The infra red tower transmits program code to and from the RCX brick. Using infra red it must have a clear uninterrupted path.

The run and continuous buttons within the Pilot level can be useful for repeated instruction…
run button
continuous button

The run button allows the program to run one time only after the program has been downloaded to your RCX brick. The program will begin at the green traffic light and end immediately at the red traffic light.

The run button allows the program to run one time only after the program has been downloaded to your RCX brick. The program will begin at the green traffic light and end immediately at the red traffic light.

The continuous button repeats continuously the program after download. The program will begin at the green traffic light and when it reaches the red traffic light will go back to the green traffic light again.
select
placement
string
text
change value

The select tool is used to pick and place or move icons around the command icons.

The placement tool is used to place command icons onto the Diagram window.

The string tool is used to connect command icons together.

The text tool is used to change values or text or to add labels to the program.

The change value tool is used to change numeric

RoboRescue Program ideas

Programming code required for Robolab Rescue

In order to rescue a Yowie from burning room you must ...

  • Design a robot that can follow a wiggly black line to 'rescue' the "Yowie" from the burning room.
  • If you do not reach the "Yowie" within 30 seconds, it is buried in fire and you are automatically eliminated.
  • The "Yowie" must be moved to the green area. The "Yowie" can be pushed or lifted into the green area."

Your Robo Rescue Unit needs to ...

  • Move along the black path until it reaches the yellow rescue region.
  • Recognise the rescue region when it appears (hint: it must be checking for it along the whole black path).
  • When it reaches the yellow rescue region it must go into new program code to sweep the area for the yowie or pick it up or whatever.

Move along the black path until it reaches the yellow rescue region. Move forward until a light sensor detects a darker or light surface underneath and change direction back onto the black path. This change of direction can be the same direction, at random or alternating.