Worksheet: Right Face

Introduction to Mobile Robotics > Right Face

Follow the steps in the online directions, and answer the questions at the appropriate times.

Construct

Observations:

1. What happened when you ran the program? When we ran the program, the robot turned right 720 degrees. 2. Which motor(s) spun? Motor C was responsible for spinning the whole robot, it was programmed with a rotation sensor to rotate 720 degrees. 3. What direction did each motor spin? The motors were programmed to spin to the right, therefore thats what it did. 4. Did the robots body turn to its left or its right? The robot turned to the right, however we program it to turn to the left later on. 5. About how much did the robots body turn, relative to a full turn? The robot turned about 720 degrees to the right, or about half a circle. 6. This behaviour is called a swing turn. Around what point does the robot swing? The robot swings its entire body to the right, however using the left wheel as its main point.

Contemplate

7. Write a brief one or two sentence description of what each icon in the program Swing Turn does.

The first block: The first block programs the robot to move forward, corresponding with Port C. The second block: The second block programs the robot to stop. It corresponds with Port B. The third block: The third block programs the robot to rotate 720 degrees forward. It corresponds with Port C. The fourth block: The fourth block programs the robot to stop. It corresponds with Port C. The fifth block: The fifth block is the same as the second block; it programs the robot to stop. It corresponds with Port B.

8. The robot started at position A on the diagram shown here. It then turned in place until it reached position B.

i.

Suppose the robot turned to its left to reach position B. What fraction of a full turn did it make to get from A to B? The robot would have made about of a full turn if it had gone in the opposite direction. Instead of going right, the robot would go left.

ii.

Suppose the robot turned to its right to reach position B. What fraction of a full turn did it make to get from A to B? This is what the robot is programmed to do. It would have made about of a turn.

9. Consider the effects of some additional factors. i. How do you think different wheels will affect the robots ability to turn? Does it matter? The material used to make the current wheels is rubbery and tough hard for some surfaces to be used on. If hard plastic wheels were used, the robot would have moved more smoothly. Does the surface on which the robot is turning matter? Yes, because as we mentioned above, some surfaces arent smooth enough to make the rubbery material move.

ii.

10. The robot in the given program turned right by moving its left wheel forward while holding its right wheel stationary. i. Could you also turn right by holding the left wheel stationary and running the right wheel in reverse? Yes, however the robot would move in the opposite direction since its point is the left wheel instead of the right wheel. Write the program to make the robot do the backward right turn proposed in part (i).

ii.

Continue: Left Turn

Answer the following:

11. What program blocks are different between the left turn and original right turn behaviours? The first 2 blocks in SwingTurn are swapped around, stop moves to the second block and forward moves to the first block. The rest of the program however stays the same. 12. Could a left turn also be done with the backward-moving wheel idea from question 10? Program your robot to make the backward-left turn. We believe this could be done, but it may confuse the robot with the different programs. Also, if we didnt program it correctly, it also would perform a different action.

Continue Point Turn

Answer the following:

13. Describe the difference between the motion of a swing turn and a point turn. A swing turn focuses on one motor, and relies on that rotate the robot. Swing turn is programmed to rotate 720 degrees or a half circle. In comparison, Point turn rotates the entire robot, not focusing on one point. It rotates a full circle. 14. Describe a situation where: i. A swing turn is more useful than a point turn. When trying to make the robot dance in different directions. ii. A point turn is more useful than a swing turn. When trying to put the sensors into use.