Final Post

I can hardly believe that it time for my last post. My first semester at college has flown by. I am sad to not have this class in my second semester schedule. I have made friends in the class who I will definitely keep in touch with. I like that everyone in the course was a first-year. I have grown fond of the engineering studio where the class was held. The course creates an exciting environment full of energy and creativity. I would recommend this class to nearly everyone. I signed up for the class because I have always been interested in architecture, function and design. I always wonder about what is "behind the scenes." This class has shown me the "behind the scenes" of technology. I have a greater understanding of and appreciation for robotics, programing, and engineering in general.

Final Project- Exhibition reflection

Today was our big exhibition. A lot of people came from Wellesley College and from the town of Wellesley to see our final projects. There were older adults as well as kids in attendance. People enjoyed munchies as they walked around viewing (or interacting with) the projects. My project partner and I received a lot of compliments. I was very pleased to see our idea and product have such a positive reception.

Most people enjoyed interacting with the different sensors for a minute or two and then moved on to the next display. However, one woman played with our robot for a long time. She even came back a few minutes after she left to play with it again. One little boy played with it for a long time too. His mom placed him on a chair so that he was the same height as the robot. He was mesmerized. He excitedly took home the piece of art that he created.

However, not everything went perfectly. We had to make peace with the fact that our robot would not be perfect. The light sensor sensed darkness all of the time because the place where we presented our projects was substantially darker than the classroom. Due to this glitch, the motor reacted as if it were dark all of the time. This means that the robot moved forward all of the time, rather than just when the light sensor was shaded from light.

Final Project: Exhibition

Making some last minute adjustments

It's time to show everyone our finished product!

My project partner explaining how the robot works: "Clap your hands next to The Scream and the robot moves backwards."

Visitor clapping hands 

Everyday Sensors

1. Swipe-card to get into building
2. Computer monitor wakes up from sleep if mouse is moved
3. Fire alarm goes off if senses smokes
4. Hair dryer turns off if it is overheated
5. Vending machine releases food when money is interested
6. Refrigerator lights turn on when door is opened
7. Automatic door open button
8. Cell phone touch pad
9. Microwave turns on when buttons are pressed
10. Automatic doors

Final Project: Spray painting

We spray painted the box that the robot will move around in. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Spray painting

Gangsta 

My project partner and I are so cool!

More spray painting

Auto-Thresholding

We used PicoBlocks and the SciBorg to complete this programing challenge. This program allows the robot to adjust to new conditions.

PicoBlocks program

Final Project: Art and frames 2

We decided to make our own colored pencil versions of the famous artwork. Once we finished our versions of the art, we measured it and made sure that our frames matched the dimensions of the art. We hot-glued the artwork to the frames and then the frames to the shell of the robot.

The Scribbler

The Scream

Final Project: Art and frames

Starry Night-- Press the stars to move the vehicle left and right

Cutting out the frames 

Frames being cut

Frame being cut

Frames

Awesome robotics partner and finished frames

Final Project: Building the outside 2

The robot holds a marker that it draws while it moves. It will be placed on a piece of paper so that it's marks can be recorded. The paper will sit on the wood base shown below.

Carrying the base that the paper will sit on

Drawing

Drawings for the robot

The box is evolving!

Final Project: Building the outside

This week we worked even more on the outside of the robot. We retested the program and it still works!

About the outside, we made it so that it can be removed in case the cyborg fails in some way. If the cyborg were to stop working, then the outside could be moved to a new cyborg and our work would not be for nothing.

Working

The marker is attached to the cyborg using lego pieces. It can be easily adjusted so that the marker sits on the paper correctly.

The robot with pen

The cover for the robot

The cover for the robot

Final Project: Appearance

Since we got the robot's program to work last week, we spent today's class working on the appearance of the robot. We began thinking about its construction. During class there was a run to the craft store. My partner went to the craft store to get supplies and I stayed in the classroom and worked on designing picture frames in the Adobe Illustrator computer program. Below is what the Illustrator document looks like. It is like a piece of paper. On this "piece of paper" there are three picture frames and one rectangle that has the working title of the robot, Robart (a combination of the words "robot" and "art") on it.

Supplies from the craft store

Adobe Illustrator document

Here are some more pictures of our workspace and of my partner working:

Working on the robot's outside

Working

Workspace

Final Project: It works!

We got the computer program to work.

Final Project: Beginnings

Today in class we began working on the appearance of the robot that creates art. I will post some sketches soon. We also continued to work on the programming. We are having trouble with different glitches. Sometimes the program works, sometimes it doesn't. It seems to be able to handle the code for switch3? (a button that you press) and switch2? (a second button that you press). It also seems to be able to handle the code for a loudness and a brightness sensor. However, it doesn't respond when both sets of info are put together in a single program.

Motion Module: Quack Machine

Busy working

Final Project Brainstorming: Part 3-- Will the idea actually work?

I think I will use the robot art idea for my final project. I worked with a friend in class to think through the idea more thoroughly. We worked on figuring out the programming for the robot. We played around with PicoBlock software and SciBorg to see if the idea would actually work. It seems promising!

Screen capture of potential program

The image above is a screen capture of the PicoBlocks program code for the robot that creates art. PicoBlocks is fairly easy to use program. I will try to explain what this program does:

Note: In my posts I use cyborg and SciBorg interchangeably. However the correct term is SciBorg.

Final Project Brainstorming: Part 2-- My Thought Process

My Thought Process

My Thought Process -- With additions 

More plans

I want to make a robot that creates art. One way to build this would be to make a program where the level of sound triggers the way in which the robot moves AND/OR the color that the robots uses. The people who create the art can take it home with them as a memory of the fun that they had when they interacted with the robot.