Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Lego Robotics Challenge # 1 & 2

Lego Robotics Challenge #1

Lego Robotics Challenge #2

To complete the challenges, our group (Chris, Max, Owen) programmed the car by simply using the move blocks, and having the motors move for a certain amount of time.

It was not as efficient, but it worked out in the end. In order to get it right, a lot of trial and error was needed to find that right times when programming it.

Problems we encountered during the process.
  • Our team struggled to build the actual car to hold the controller
  • As a result, we missed the chance to participate in the actual race against the other teams
    • We ended up having the recreate the challenges ourselves
  • In the video, the car did not move straight, it would go to the right a little
    • We discovered the problem was the the front right wheel was not the same size as the rest
    • Once we replaced the tire, it moved perfectly straight
Revisions that could have been made
  • If given more time, we would have definitely incorporated the sensor inputs when programming the car
    • The ultrasonic sensor could have been used to sense an object in its path. When it gets close enough to that object, we could program it to turn. We could have used it to navigate the course.  

Friday, May 30, 2014

Triangle bridge holding weight much stronger than its own


 triangles balance the universe

Our first prototype was basically the same design. But we made a couple changes.

1) Made the height of the triangles smaller

2) Used more triangles for more support, and stability. We noticed that the taller we made the triangles, the more it leaned to the side, so we fixed that by shortening the height of the bridge.

 

this triangle was made from 51.6 grams of wood and glue and held 700batteries 20 pounds (9071.85 grams)

This makes the strength to weight ratio about 176:1

The string broke. The triangle succeeded, and does its natural wonders again.        

  the bridge of distance 

when steps are made in the mind. one step at a time.


Thursday, March 6, 2014

3.1.6 Open and Closed Loop Systems

In this assignment we learned about open and closed loop systems. 
Open loop systems run without ever knowing the job they are doing.
Closed loop systems loop systems run, but give feedback to the device.



Video of our open loop system. We controlled a motor driven on a track.

 




















Our closed circuit system






















Program for circuit system

Thursday, February 20, 2014

3.1.5 Variable Functions

In this packet, we were introduced into the plus block function, variable function block, and branch function block. 

Timeserver the program passes through the Plus function block, it adds a value to the block on the right block. And the variable function block keeps track of the value. 

The Branch Function Block is similar to the analog function block, except the branch retrieves information from whatever value is provided through the information node. In this case, the variable function block.

We used what we learned to turn on a lamp for a certain amount of time. 

Here is the lamp, and how it responds to the program. 

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Super Advertising: 2014 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial: Wings





With the Super Bowl coming this past weekend, many companies spent big bucks securing their spots for slots on the air. For 30 seconds of air-time, a company must pay $4 million. The commercial that we chose, the "Volkswagen Wing Commercial", Volkswagen had to drop $8 million for it's minute long airing. With this, Volkswagen would have to sell 178 of it's most expensive 2014 model. (2014 Touareg coming in at $45,000) in order to make up that money. Above is the video to the commercial.