Introduction

Introduction to Basic Arduino Robots

In these lessions plans we will learn some basic principals of computer science using a low cost $25 Arduion robot. These lessons are ideal for students that have already mastered basic keyboarding. If you have pre-keyboarding students we suggest using the mBot.

Once the students have mastered the labs in this cirriculum they will revieve an Arduino Robots badge. After they complete these labs they are ready to move on to the advanced arduino robot labs that add a $18 OLED dispay.

Classroom Setup

Our classrooms typically have Arduino robots connected to USB cables that are connected to PCs (Windoes, Mac and Linux). We require that the Arduino and device drivers to be pre installed on the laptops with a person that have adminstrative rights.

Some of the CoderDojo programs allow students to bring their own parts in and the students assemble and program them in the classrooms. Other programs provide full-assembled $25 robots. We find students become more engagued when they purchase and assemble their own robots.

Order of Labs

We start out with the basics of verifying that the student can communicate from their desktop to the Arduino. This ideally should be tested before students arrive. Making sure that the Arduino IDE is installed and all the communications are working can be the most stressful part of these labs. Once the communications are working the fun begins!

Basic Motor Labs

We start out with basic motor control. We use low-cost motor driver components that are easy to program using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) output of the Arduinos. The first step is to make the motor turn on and off. Next we make a single motor go forward and backward. Then we work with two motors to go forward and turn.

Ping Labs

Our robots all have a ultrasonic distance senor on the front. These are also call Ping sensors. They measure the distance in front of a robot and we use them to determine if a robot is about to collide with an object in front of it.

Collision Avoidences

Once the students know how to control the motors and measure the distance in front of the robot they are ready to create various collision avoidance programs. The first one is simple. It just make the robot turn right if there is an object in front of it. The next once are more sophisticated. They will backup and turn in random directions.