Somerset Berkley Regional High School

Robotics Engineering with LabView

1. Engineering DesignCentral Concepts: Engineering design involves practical problem solving, research, development, and invention/innovation, and requires designing, drawing, building, testing, and redesigning. Students should demonstrate the ability to use the engineering design process to solve a problem or meet a challenge.

Ma.Science and Engineering Framework 2006

1.1 Identify and explain the steps of the engineering design process: identify the problem, research the problem, develop possible solutions, select the best possible solution(s), construct prototypes and/or models, test and evaluate, communicate the solutions, and redesign.

Identify the problem

Research the problem

Develop solutions

Select the best solutionConstruct a

prototype

Test andevaluate

Communicate thesolutions

Redesign

Ma.Science and Engineering Framework 2006

Step 1Identify the

problem

We were told to design, build, and program the robot that appealed to us the most. The beauty of this assignment is that there were no constraints but we did have to include Something that would rotate 360 Degrees.

Ma.Science and Engineering Framework 2006

Step 2Research the

problem

Explore other options via the internetHelpful internet sitesSite 1: http://www.nxtprograms.com/Site 2:https://www.google.com/search?q=nxt+robots&sourceSite 3: http://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/?domainredir=mindstorms.lego.com

Information acquired from researchA: We learned how to build program and design a Lego launcherB : By exploring the websites we were able to see a wide variety of different robots that we could have created using our NXT kit.C: We learned that the NXT could be used for so many more things such as to test reaction time, test people’s hearing, and etc.

Ma.Science and Engineering Framework 2006

Ma.Science and Engineering Framework 2006

Step 3Develop solutions BRAINSTORM

COLLABORATION

Ideas My partner and I shared.

After searching through varies websites and seeing a wide variety of robots that we could have built using our NXT robot we agreed to build a Lego launcher. Once we finished building the launcher we had some fun with it but decided that we should improve it. So to improve our robot we incorporated a sound sensor so whenever a noise was made it could shoot. However we still weren’t satisfied so we gave the robot wheels and we were able to drive around and launch the legos!

Step 4Select the best

Possible solution(s)

After looking at many Different robots we decided to build the Lego launcher.

Ma.Science and Engineering Framework 2006

Appearance of our robot: Our first prototype was very sophisticated . Our robot looks very similar to a classic Lego launcher. It includes a barrel, a place to hold the Legos we launch and a construction that launches the Legos. By using a motor and a very strong gear ratio and a black Lego stick we able to create a contraption that could launch the Legos very fast. By connecting a series of grey Lego bars we were able to build construct a barrel for the robot. Then by using a few grey Lego bars and Small Lego pieces we were able to construct a place that could hold the Lego pieces. Not only could it hold the Lego pieces we launched but it allowed us to control the rate at which we launch the Legos. We connected all of these pieces to our NXT control brick. Once the robot was build we decided to use curved and straight Lego bars to create handles for our Lego launcher. Lastly we attached a push sensor to our NXT brick and programmed it so that whenever we pressed the sensor the motor would spin the black Lego piece using the strong gear ratio and would launch the Legos. Also by holding the sensor down the Launcher would launch Legos until we let go of the sensor. By just tapping the sensor the robot would launch one Lego at a time.

Step 5Construct a prototype

Ma.Science and Engineering Framework 2006

The digital pictures of our prototypes and computer programs are on the following slides

1st Prototype picture and computer program

Step 5 evidence

Step 6Test and Evaluate

the solution(s)

1. Our robot worked2. It meet expectation and launched Legos at a very rapid rate 3. No changes were needed because the robot performed very well but

we did improve it for personal benefit4. The robot did meet the original design constraints because we

included something that rotates 360 degrees which was the part of the launcher that launched the Legos

5. The robot was very safe

Ma.Science and Engineering Framework 2006

1st modified prototype picture and computer program

Step 6 evidence

Our second prototype looked exactly like our first but we included a sound sensor rather than a push sensor.

2nd modified prototype picture and computer program

Step 6 evidence

We didn’t have a third prototype

Step 7Communicate the solution(s)

Ma.Science and Engineering Framework 2006

Provide the YouTube link of your video that showshow your robot meets the challenge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV6GBYRVtHU

Redesign

We changed our robot by replacing the push sensor with a sound sensor so it would shoot whenever it detected noise. Then we removed the sound sensor and put the push sensor back on but attached wheels to our robot. This way we could drive around and shoot the robot.

Ma.Science and Engineering Framework 2006

 •   Demonstrate the ability to use technology for research, critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation.