Barclays Robot Challenge Learn how to Program Robots.

Barclays Robot ChallengeLearn how to Program Robots

Why are we here today?● To have fun!

● To learn a bit about how computers control things (a robot)

● To see what we do here at Barclays Technology Centre Radbroke

● To get you to think about whether you might like to learn more about Technology

● There will be people here to help if you get stuck

– There’s no such thing as a stupid question

Question….

How likely are you to choose a career in Technology?

A.Definitely notB.MaybeC.DefinitelyD.Not sure

Computers● What do you think of when you hear the word “computer”?

How about…● Technically, a computer is “a programmable machine”

● So how about…

The thing about computers is that they all need to be programmed to tell them what to do

What is a Robot

What do we do here at Radbroke

● Barclays Technology Centre, Radbroke is Barclays largest Technology site in the world

● Barclays depends on thousands of different computer systems to run the bank; from making payments, to online banking, to HR and information systems

● 3,500 people work here● Designing, building and supporting all the

bank’s computer systems

Todays Plan

Session 1 (9:30/12:30) Robot Programming

Session 2 (10:45/13:45) Break & Site Tour

Session 3 (11:00/14:00) Continue Robot Programming

Roundup and finish (11:55/14:55)

Programming a ComputerYou will be writing real computer programs – aka apps!

They will be running on a small computer on the robot called an Arduino

You write your app on the laptop then upload to the robot

The robot then runs on its own… No WiresThe robot has 3 different sensors:

• Ultrasonic – measures distance of object (returns distance)

• Infrared – detects objects (returns True or False)

• Line Follower – detects light (returns Black or White)

Getting Started

Open your starter sketch if it’s not already open – its called BRC_Move

Click File -> Open -> Sketchbook – BRC_Move

Your Arduino development app should be open – ask if it’s not

Main LoopEach command will be executed on the robot in order

When all commands are executed – it will start from the top of the loop again, and again, and…

The loop is between { and }

That’s it!

A function call

Make the robot do something

Tell the robot speed and time

Must have a semicolon at the end

forward(1000,150,150);

Make the robot move forward for 1 second with left and right speed of 150

Then move to the next function

The motors will keep moving until told to stop or some other action

Units

TimeAll functions use milliseconds as a unit of time

1000 = 1 second

500 = ½ second

2000 = 2 seconds

SpeedAll functions use a unit of speed between 0 and 255

0 = stop

255 = fastest

Motors tend not to work less than 150

Used to spin and turn

Can help with Obstacle and Line Following

Simple Motion

IF… THEN… ELSE… with Obstacle Sensors

Use IF

Run your code between { and }

LeftObstacleSensororRightObstacleSensor

If (LeftObstacleSensor() == SENSORON )

{

rightSpin(1000,255);

}

else

{

forward(1000,255, 255);

}

With Infra Red Sensor

Today Challenges

1 - Obstacle avoid – drive the robot out of the maze (sketch = BRC_Avoid )

2 - Line Follower – set the fastest lap of our race track (sketch = BRC_LineFollow)

Start with basic movement – move and spin (sketch = BRC_Move)

• Make robot move around a square, triangle and circle

Then choose your challenge• There are template sketches that will give you a head

start on the challenges • Load the selected sketch onto the robot and see what it

does• Decide what you need to change to make it work or

improve it