After we take each sample, we perform calculations and these calculations could take different time. It is important to know how much time does it take to perform the calculations. In this video tutorial, we would data log the time and plot the data.
"Array initialization" is the first step in every program that involves Arrays. This applies to most programming languages and for EV3-G it is a must.
In this tutorial, we would show you how to initialize the array and how to extract this logic in a new block
This is one of the last tutorials in the LEGO Education SPIKE Prime programming for Competitions course and it demonstrates what we've all been waiting for - how to reach a mission model from base in a reliable and consistent way when the mission model is on the other end of the field. Naturally what we use are all the different concepts that we've learned in the course and the tutorial is more advanced than the other so if anything is not clear take a look also at the different tutorials an concepts in the course.
In the course section for Advance Sensor Calibration we previously showed you how to find the minimum and maximum value for a single LEGO Mindstorms Color Sensor and to store this value in an array. The program was implemented with the EV3-G software. In this tutorial we are going to find the Min and Max for all the four sensors and to store all the 8 values in an array.
Implement a program for stopping at a black line with the blocks containing the implementation details for the InitArray, Calibration and Getting the calibrated result.
In this video tutorial we show how you can build robots that position on the field consistently and reliably by following and line and then aligning to a line. We also demonstrate the concept of "double align" which is quite powerful and even if there were some mistakes they will be handled.
Following the Advance Light/Color sensors calibration for a minimum value for a single sensor tutorial, in this one, we continue with finding the maximum value detected by a sensor and storing this value in an array.
On of the most precise ways to position on the FIRST LEGO League and other competition fields is to follow and align and in this tutorial we demonstrate exactly this - how consistent and reliable this method is to reach specific mission models. In this way you know that every time you will be at the right place, which is great.
In this video tutorial we demonstrate a really important concept for FIRST LEGO League competitions - you position the robot on the field with depending on timers and rotations. The issue with moving the robot for 10 seconds and then stopping is that every time it is in a different location. Same for rotations. The wheels will slip, the battery will change, something will happen and the robot will not be in the same place every time. This is not consistent and reliable.
With this 10 runs we demonstrate the consistency and reliability that could be achieved with a LEGO Education SPIKE Prime robot and a 2-states simple line following algorithm. It is not bad. Still there are some things you should consider when using this program and one of the things is the use of the timers
As an exercise try to implement the calibration of the minimum and maximum values for a single sensor.
Implement the program for array initialization.
Follow the video tutorials for initializing arrays and implement the program.
On the topic of following lines with a robot there is a way to make the robot follow the line a little more precisely. This method is called "Multi-states" program. Or at least we call it like this. In this tutorial you will see how we program 5 state for the robot line following program. This could be particularly important with FIRST LEGO League competitions where we must build consistent and reliable robots.
In this video tutorial we use the LEGO Education SPIKE Prime Motion Sensor to reach a mission model on the field. It's a basic use of the motion sensor that we will extend in the next few tutorials and in the same time we take the opportunity to demonstrate what a MyBlock is and how to develop one. As a result of this video you will learn how to make the program easier to read and maintain by organizing the blocks in the program in special MyBlocks that couple them all together.
Is it better to do fast turns or slow turns? Should you save some time by turning fast or should you be more precise by turning slow. Where is the balance? This video tutorial demonstrates exactly this for LEGO Education SPIKE Prime robot, their motion sensor and an ever occurring question on FIRST LEGO League competition which is how to find the balance and where is the balance.
Following the previous tutorials from the course, implement the calibration of the minimum and maximum values.
A common question is how to display arrays on the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 brick screen. Displaying values from an array is not different from any other display operation. In this tutorial, we would look at displaying two specific values. The minimum and the maximum for a specific sensor from the Advance Calibration Course Section
One of the smartest things you could do in any software program is to extract logic in small reusable, simple, understandable units. In EV3-G these are called Blocks and we are going to extract the logic for finding a minimum and maximum for each of the sensors in a new block.
Following the Advanced Sensor Calibration course section, it is time to extract the logic for getting a calibrated value into a new block. This block will have an input and on this input, we give the port number. The block will return the calibrated value for this port number. We've built all the other blocks only because of this almost final video here.
In this video tutorial we take a next step in programming reliable and consistent robots and this is to learn how to stop at a second intersection. We need this because most of the time when we want to reach a mission model on a robotics competition field, the model will be located away from us and we must use all kind of technique to reach it. In this tutorial - we stop at a second intersection.
We use a sensor so the robot must be reliable and accurate right? Wrong. The robot is not reliable and accurate only because we use sensors and that's really important during FIRST LEGO League competition. There is a reason for this and in this tutorial we demonstrate and explain how the robot behaves with a basic use of the Motion Sensor to move straight. As a result you will learn why is it important not to stop at this stage and to go to the next level with more advance use of sensors.
In this tutorial, we show you how to display all the values from an EV3-G array on the EV3 brick display. We are using an array Read Operation along with a loop. We are also detecting the loop counter and using it as an index to an array. It's basically the only viable way to do it. The process is commonly referred to as - "Iteration over an array" (although we still do not have an iterator in the programming language, we promise that one day we would do the super advance videos on "iteration" using the LEGO MINDSTORMS robots")
In this 10 out of 10 tutorials we do 10 runs that demonstrated how consistent and reliable it is to stop at the second intersection. This is useful as it is one of the main ways to figure out how to position yourself on the field.
In this video tutorial we follow a line 10 consecutive times. In this way we demonstrate whats the consistency that you could expect from the robot when following a line with a multi-states algorithm.
Following the Advance Sensor Calibration course section, we found the min and max values detected by each sensor. Now it is time for the real deal of the calibration. Detect the current value from the sensor and find what is the percentage of this value for the range between min and max.