Reflective Essay

Reflective Essay for Lego Robotics

We as a group made many different robots out of the lego robotic kits we got. We were required to design the best functioning and most creative lego robot and present it the class. We each had a play in designing 4 different types of robots. These robots included a rubber band car, a tug of war machine, a Wallace and Grommit remake of a certain episode we watched in class, and a assistive robot that would benefit the public that had not been create or invented yet. We each worked very hard in completing these robots. Teamwork was the key to our success.

We each had a role in creating these robots and completing all the requirements. Gus Miller was the main designer and he did most of the building for our group. I had the main role of creating the blog that shows how each step was performed. Jennifer Strand was the reflection writer on each robot and how we came about with all of our ideas. We each had to use a certain goal from the University Study goals and that was critical understanding.

We tied in the critical understanding into our process of constructing the robots. We thought that the critical thinking goal was perfect because we had to be self driven to properly create the robots. We also had to properly understand what we needed to accomplish with each individual robot. Working as a team also requires critical understanding because you need to know each one of your group member's strengths and weaknesses. Properly understanding this will help your group achieve its goal much faster.

Our tug of war machine was a great way to show communication because we had to communicate with each other and other groups to see what the best design was. We found as a group that the treads for our robot was the best because it had the best grip and it would be the hardest to pull because of that exact aspect.

Our Wallace and Grommit machine was also a perfect way to show communication because communicating with my group made it possible for us to change our idea that we originally had. Gus had constructed a candy sorter but it didn't work out as planned so we had to construct a original that was shown in one of the Wallace and Grommit. Gus, Jennifer, and I had to keep in constant contact to make sure everything was completed properly.

The assistive robot we mad at the end was a good example of ethic and social responsinility because we had to know how this robot could properly help people with society. Ours was a like a seeing eye dog for blind people and old people. This robot would know when it hit something and avoid it. It would properly guide somebody to their destination.  

Rubber Band Car

Assistive Robot

The Assistive Technology challenge is to design a device that will aid either those in need or that can make everday life easier. Basic Inventor or Basic Pilot can be used for this LEGO Assistive Technology challenge. The design of the robot and its functions are euqually essential to this challenge. Any of the materials in the robot kits may be utilized including motors, light sensors, touch sensors, gears, etc. The LEGO miniature figure person may be utilized if desired. This challenge allows for each group to choose their own personal design along with the type of aid they would like to design. It will be difficult to create a completely new or unique design with all the technology today, but each group must aim to include unique features and creativity for their design to differ from other designs out there today.

Our group decided to create design that would aid to those with seeing problems. There are some similar devices out there or people utilize seeing eye dogs. We decided to create a device that could work like both of those aids in one. The robot is tread based for steering along with forward and reverse motions. Rotation is additionally possible if the treads run in the opposite direction. There is a setting to allow rotation. Furthermore, the robot is designed with two touch sensors, one on the left and the right for manual utilization and safety of the individual operating the robot. There is one light sensor located at the center of the robot. This robot is designed to help those in need of another persons assistance to complete normal day to day activities. If a person is completely blind this would not be a robot that they would want to operate alone, yet if the individual is only partially blind this would be a great device to operate solely. The robot senses danger such as walls, edges, drop-offs or devices in the way and continues to respond to the dangers by stopping or turning a different way. This robot is desinged to face the unexpected “dangers” that an individual with seeing prolems may come across each day.

Wallace and Gromit Robot

The Wallace and Gromit challenge is to design a device that will deliver a LEGO miniature figure person from a bed on the second floor to seated at the kitchen table on the first floor, as is shown in the Wallace and Gromit video clip, The Wrong Trousers. Basic Inventor or Basic Pilot can be used for this LEGO Wallace and Gromit challenge. This challenge is more about the design of the robot opposed to the programming of the robot’s functions. A light sensor must be utilized in the Wallace and Gromit challenge in order to relate to the sun in the short film. Additionaly, the miniature figure person must not be touching the device used to transport the person out of bed into the chair at the kitchen table. The challenge allows for an abundance of creativity and unique design from each team.

When our group began the challenge, we misunderstood and thought that we were allowed to built either the Wallace and Gromit challenge or a device to make a task easier. We began with a candy sorter that would divide the candy by color. Our professor allowed us to continue with the project, since it was equally as challenging and because we already started. We ran into programming limitations when we discovered the light sensor could not sort by color, or sense the difference between colors. After the delay in our building, we decided to switch to the original jam and toast scenario from the Wallace and Gromit video, The Wrong Trousers. Initially in the design, the light blinks and the alarm button is required to be pressed, as was displayed in the short film with the sun and the alarm clock. A conveyor belt was incorporated to move Wallace and dump him onto a touch sensitive pad as the chair at the kitchen table. When the touch sensitive pad is activated the toast pops up in front of Wallace and the jam flinger device forces the jam onto the piece of toast that Wallace is about to eat. The final robot design worker extremely well to fit the Wallace and Gromit challenge of the toast and jam.

Tug of War Robot

Tug of War Robot

The challenge is to design a robot that will pull an opposing robot over a centerline during Tug-of-War. After designing the robot, it must be built using the robot kits and only the materials provided. The robot must be programmed using Pilot Level 4 or Inventor Level 4 in order to be challenging to each team. These programs require that the teams have background knowledge using the Basic Pilot or the Basis Inventor programs. The robot must be enabled by a single touch sensor, so that each robot will start at equal time for fairness. Each robot must be able to attach to a paperclip that will connect to a six inch long string. Each end of the two strings will have a paperclip in order to connect the opposing robot during the challenge. Additionally, the lead wires from the touch sensors must be connected to Input Port 1 on both RCX’s. Each robot must be able to fit in a cube that is 9 inches on each side to set a maximum size standard. After ten seconds of the touch sensor being pressed, either a tie or a declaration of a win will be decided by the instructor.

Furthermore, the design of our robot varied from all the other group’s designs. We decided to use the treads to get maximum traction when pulling the opponents robot during the Tug-of War. This additionally allowed our robot to gain the highest number or square inches of rubber in contact with the floor compared to the opposing robot designs that utilized four medium sized tires. This designed enabled the robot to have “rear wheel drive” so that if the front of the robot is lifted by the opposing robot, it would still have the same torque and friction against the ground on the rear axle. Moreover, we purposely placed the attachment area for the paperclip and string low on the robots design in order to keep the robot from lifting off the ground against the competition robot’s force. Our robot’s design kept our team in the competition up to the semi-finals, where the design of our robot could not out-stand the strength of the competitor’s robot.