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boe-bot degrees of freedom? — Parallax Forums

boe-bot degrees of freedom?

HardwiredbbHardwiredbb Posts: 11
edited 2013-01-26 18:28 in Robotics
I'm working with the BB kit and the Robotics merit badge.. The requirement is for a robot with 2 degrees of freedom.. seems as if the basic kit only has one degree.. Can someone help me out with this?

Thanks

Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2013-01-22 09:40
    A Boebot's two wheels are very independent (sometimes frustratingly so), and certainly qualify as 2 DOF: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrees_of_freedom
  • HardwiredbbHardwiredbb Posts: 11
    edited 2013-01-22 10:11
    erco,
    thanks for the reply and link...I knew that I was missing something - like understanding . Thanks again.:thumb:
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2013-01-22 10:44
    That Robotics merit badge has got to be a fun one. I'll bet working all the way through the BoeBot material will satisfy most (if not all) of the requirements.

    http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/books/edu/Roboticsv3_0.pdf
  • HardwiredbbHardwiredbb Posts: 11
    edited 2013-01-22 10:54
    I've done some research on the kit and really like it. But I've been asked to teach it at one of the merit badge colleges that they hold.. I am really questioning whether it can be completed in an eight hour "walk-thru".. I am finding it very difficult to justify (especially when you start the programming). Any thoughts or pointers? After a course this weekend, I am about convinced that this badge cannot be done in a class setting. unless the scout has prior programming knowledge. The book says approx 40 hours to complete and that is mostly the programming. :tongue:

    PLease let me know your thoughts on this. I need all the help I can get...
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2013-01-22 11:37
    I just looked up the requirements for the Robotics Merit Badge.

    I think the following requirement will be the hardest for the boys to fullfill.
    4. Design, build, program, test. Do each of the following:
     a. With your counselor’s approval, choose a task for the robot or robotic subsystem that you plan to build. Include
    sensor feedback and programming in the task. Document this information in your robot engineering notebook.
     b. Design your robot. The robot design should use sensors and programming and have at least 2 degrees of freedo
    Document the design in your robot engineering notebook using drawings and a written description.
     c. Build a robot or robotic subsystem of your original design to accomplish the task you chose for requirement 4a.

    While I'd love to have all boys understand "Robotics with the BOE-Bot", I think the amount of information covered by the book is much more than necessary for a merit badge.

    I don't know what "subsystem" a boy should be expected to build and program to earn the merit badge, but I thought it might help other forum members to see what the requirements are.
  • HardwiredbbHardwiredbb Posts: 11
    edited 2013-01-22 11:46
    Duane,
    That is the question I have wrestled with.. I don't know where to set the limits for the "walk-thru". I did 2 classes this weekend trying to find a reasonable solution to this issue, especially trying to do it in 8 hours. Any ideas on how to do this simply, with commonly available parts for a group of, say around 10 at any one time? I am not a robot builder, I have taught electronics and work in IT, so I am not clueless, just trying to figure out how to put this across to young kids and make it worthwhile and have fun doing it. Suggestions?? anyone?
  • roboticscoutleaderroboticscoutleader Posts: 1
    edited 2013-01-25 19:30
    I too am teaching the Robotics Merit Badge to Scouts. I am teaching it at our Merit Badge Challenge which consists of 3 Saturdays for a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes of class time. I am using a combinations of LEGO Mindstorms RCX & NXT along with a BoeBot. We require the boys to do pre-work. The only requirements we work on in class are #4, 5 & 6. The boys will have to work outside of class to build their robot. I used to coach a First LEGO League team for two years and we used the NXT robot so I have one of those.They are pretty expensive though. I recently bought the BoeBot for variety. The two robots are completely different!! NXT is easy to build and program. No writing code. If you go to www.firstlegoleague.org; "Events"; "For more info on tournaments in your region..." , you can find a contact person that might be able to help you get in touch with coaches in your area that might let you borrow their robots. I have quite a few Scout friends that also coached First Lego League. You can also try local Science centers/ Museums. In Greensboro, NC they have a Science Center that hosts a team. Our local school districts have teams as well.
    Note: I wish I had 8 hours of class time for Robotics!!!
    Good Luck!
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2013-01-25 20:17
    Hi Hardwiredbb and robotscoutleader - Welcome to the Forums :thumb:

    Your timing is perfect! We're actually in the middle of developing a course specifically for Robot Merit Badge Counselors. We'll have a rough draft up in a week or two.

    Basically, we'll be using the Boe-Bot as the main teaching tool, and we're developing/refining the activities specifically for portion #4 of the Merit Badge requirements.

    If you're local to Parallax we'll be having a free class for those of you who would like to "come up to speed" on how the Boe-Bot can be used within the constraints of (specifically) requirement #4.

    We also have some tentative plans to develop "helps" for some of the other requirements of the Badge as well. In addition to this, we'll be bringing back our RMB lectures at our EXPO this coming May - It's a completely free event held in Rocklin, CA

    more to come :-)
    -MattG
  • HardwiredbbHardwiredbb Posts: 11
    edited 2013-01-26 02:58
    Matt, Thanks for the reply. I look forward to what you are doing. I wish I could attend, but being on the other side of the states (NC) makes that a bit difficult. Please keep me informed. I have another class on the 23rd of March. I've enjoyed the BB Kit, although as Robotscoutleader pointed out, the BB Kit is a bit harder to program. Although the BB Kit does have a Gui for programming that could be used and maybe that would be something to use instead of the PBASIC. I guess I am looking at what qualifies for "programming" the Bot, more than anything else. I like the PBasic, but may have to back up and use the GUI. Most, if not all, of the kids are almost clueless.. They are taking it because it sounds fun (and it should be), but they have zero knowledge of anything.

    very glad to hear from you..Keep me in the loop.

    Robotscoutleader... Wow, that would be tough to spread it out over 3 Sat, but it is good that they are working outside on their own. With the 8 hours, they come in totally blank and expect you to spoon feed them. I am looking for the balance. I have thought about saying that we are only going to focus on requirements 4,5,6 in class and the rest of them are to be done on their own. I have found that the younger scouts (13 & below) have a tendency to only see it has a toy and a time to play, they get lost in the process - especially the programming. we have thought about limiting it to 14 and above for that reason. My class size is limited to 6-8 and we are trying to get a second BB Kit and have talked about getting a couple of accessory kit (legs, line following, gripper) and dividing them into to teams and each one working on a bot. We went with the BB Kit because of Price, the NXT was just to expensive.
    I will check out the links and see what I can use and what other information is available. Thanks for the response.
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2013-01-26 09:33
    Hi guys-
    as Robotscoutleader pointed out, the BB Kit is a bit harder to program
    Robotics with the Boe-Bot (the book that comes in the kit)is very comprehensive, and covers a huge amount of information - much more than what the RMB requires. That's why we're creating a scaled-back "councilor's helper" for the Badge. No worries about being too far away either - everything that we're putting together for this is going to be available online as well - you guys just caught us at the very beginnings of our efforts.

    Andy Lindsey (the author of RWTBB) has come up with a pretty cool way of minimizing the Code so that even those with only a mild interest in programming might have an easier time grasping some of the concepts.

    We may augment the written materials with some informational / instructional videos as well - it really depends on your guy's feedback and what support you need that will drive our efforts here.

    Feedback and suggestions from you guys are critical :thumb: Any and all suggestions are welcomed and appreciated !

    -MattG
  • HardwiredbbHardwiredbb Posts: 11
    edited 2013-01-26 11:09
    Matt,
    Awesome, glad to get in on the beginning of this.. I am looking forward to being able to present a thorough (but fun) merit badge. The response so far has been very favorable and the boys seem to enjoy it, even if it gets a bit boring on the programming. I am looking toward using the GUI to do the programming for the BB Kit, but if there was a way to stay with the code, I think I would prefer that. but I understand that many may not want to go that far.The videos would be great. I have pulled several down from Youtube to show and keep interest going - everything from Lego NXT kits (rubic cube solver) to some of the Japanese Humanoid and a lot of stuff in between. The one I close my first session with I have titled as "the end of the Story" -- it is a video of an automatic commode flusher made with a Lego NXT. Good way to end the session, we get a good laugh out of it. Keep me Posted!!!!!!! and in the loop.. This can only get more fun.
  • HardwiredbbHardwiredbb Posts: 11
    edited 2013-01-26 11:12
    Matt, Do we need to start a new thread with a better name??...This one does not even come close to where we are going with this and will probably be missed by many who would be interested.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2013-01-26 13:43
    Matt,

    What a great opportunity for a WEBINAR!!! The "come up to speed" class could be turned into a Webinar very easily and then involve scouting/educational folks across the country (and around the world). (Just sayin' - it is like the 21st century and all!!) :smile:
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2013-01-26 18:28
    Do we need to start a new thread with a better name?
    Yep, good idea Hardwiredbb (here we go!) :thumb:
    What a great opportunity for a WEBINAR!!!
    Another good idea mindrobot - perhaps some of our "EXPO Escapades" on video too? :thumb:
    We could cover "safety" - I know that part of it real well !
    -MattG

    -MattG
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