Lab1: Introductory and Setup Activities

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1 Objectives: Lab1: Introductory and Setup Activities - to map network drives - to use to submit documents - to work on Robotics exercises - to gain exposure to robotics programming - to become more aware of the importance of planning before attempting to write program code Preliminaries: For this course, you will be using the campus-wide network of PC s. As part of your computer account privileges, you are given disk storage space on drive M, a networked hard disk. As a student of CSCI150, you also have read only privileges on drive N. Write-ups for your labs, handouts, homework solutions, and example files or programs will be placed on the N drive for you to access. Please follow the steps outlined below to gain access to the N: drive and to get organized properly for this lab: 1. Creating your M:\CS150\Labs folder - Start by creating a CS150 folder somewhere convenient on your M: drive - Create another folder called Labs inside your CS150 folder 2. Mapping the N: network drive - Click the Windows Start button, in the bottom left corner of screen - Choose File Explorer - Right click "This PC" in the pane on the left of the window - Choose Map network drive - For Drive, choose the letter N - For Folder, type in the following server name: \\ad\compsci$ - Make sure "Reconnect at logon" is checked - Click Finish 3. Get a copy of this lab folder from the N: network drive - Go to folder N:\Classes\CS150\Labs\ and copy and paste the folder for today s lab (i.e., Lab01_Intro_Activities) to M:\CS150\Labs - You may now work locally by opening the write-up from within the copied folder. (The write-up is the current document you are reading.) 4. For new labs, you should start by copying and renaming the proper lab folder right away.

2 Part I: Introducing Yourself Create a Microsoft Word document describing yourself. Include in your description, your name, where you are from, your major, your other interests, any computer experience you have had (including programming, using spreadsheets or databases), your reason for taking this class, any particular hopes or expectations you might have for this class, and anything else you would like to share about yourself. Boldface and center your name in 16-pt font. (Use any type font). Save this file as aboutyourfirstnameyourlastname, (i.e. aboutjohnmiller), in your lab folder. Insert a picture of yourself into the document aboutyou by completing the following steps: - Get a copy of a picture of you and place it in your lab folder. - position cursor where picture is to be inserted in your document - from the menu bar, select Insert Picture and then locate your image and click Insert - save your document. (File Save (file already exists)) Use the Mail Program to Submit the aboutyou file: It is assumed that everyone has used the mail program at some time. If you do not know how to get into your mail program, ask your TA or Lab Instructor. Follow the instructions below to send your file to your lab instructor and your lecture professor. To insert a file into a mail message: - From the Menu bar, select Insert Attach File - Locate the file you want to insert. - Click on the file name and Insert. An icon and filename should appear in the attachments area. - Repeat the steps above to send multiple files - Then click Send to complete the task.

3 Part II: Robotics programming The rest of the exercises for this lab are going to be done in room PE204 where you will create programs to direct an Lego Mindstorms EV3 robot. If you are finished sending the file about yourself to your lecture and lab instructors, log off by selecting Windows-NAME-Sign out and head down to room PE204 to start the Robotics exercise for this lab. Lab note: In this lab you must work in a group of two students. You will not be able to work on this lab outside the scheduled time, so you should plan on being present for the full time scheduled. General Information: In this lab you will be using the Lego Mindstorms EV3 robotics tool set. You will design, create, and test simple Lego robot programs. Your instructors will begin by giving you a demonstration of how to write a program and run it on the robot. Starting the programming software: On the desktop, double-click the icon labeled: LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3. You do not need to name your programs since you are not asked to save any of your work for this lab. Since we don t need to save the programs, you can just click New Project, then New Program, and then double-click the New Program icon or click the Open button to get to the programming environment. You can also simply use the menu to start a new program, using File, New Project, Program to get to the programming environment. If you wish to name and save your program, you can use the menu choices: File, Save Project as and give it a name. To open a saved program later, you would then use menu choices: File, Open Project to retrieve it. You are now ready to begin creating your program and your screen should now look like this:

4 Programming in this environment consists of choosing action blocks and placing them in the correct sequence to accomplish the desired tasks. In today s exercises you will be using actions blocks that control motors attached to your robot. Those blocks are associated with the green tab at the bottom of your screen. You need to drag and drop action blocks and adjust settings within each block so that the motors, (and the robot), do what you want. Starting the EV3 and Downloading your program from computer to EV3: Turn on the EV3 brick by pressing the dark square center button below the screen. The EV3 is the heart of the Mindstorm system. It can use sensors to take input from the environment, processes the data, and sends signals to the output motors. In today s exercises we will not be using sensors, but simply giving commands to the motors to cause the robot to move in the desired directions. To run the programs on the EV3, they must be downloaded from the computer via the USB cable. After the program is downloaded, the robot has life and functionality. With the program loaded and running, the EV3 works independently of the computer, ready and willing to perform whatever task it is assigned. 1. Make sure the EV3 has been turned on. 2. Place the EV3 near the computer and attach the USB cable to the EV3. 3. Click the Download button. It s at the bottom right of the screen under the red EV3. 4. You will hear a beep after the download is complete. Running the program 1. Download the program to the EV3 as just outlined. 2. Disconnect the USB cable from the EV3. 3. Set the robot on the floor. 4. Press the dark square center button of the EV3 to start the program. 5. To stop the robot, press the gray escape button to the upper left of the EV3 controls.

5 Exercise 1. Manipulating motors Design a program for the robot to simply move twelve inches forward, turn right 90 degrees and move another 12 inches forward. When you have your program working to your satisfaction, show it to your TA or lab instructor. Exercise 2. Patterns Design a program that will cause the robot to move along the perimeter of a one-foot by two-foot rectangle, returning to its exact starting position. This rectangle will not be perfect due to slippage, but it should be roughly correct. When you have your program working to your satisfaction, show it to your TA or lab instructor. Exercise 3. More Patterns Design one more program. You can design one of your own choosing or complete one of the following options. - Option 1: Pick one of the black tapes on the board on the floor of the lab and design your program to follow the segments of that tape (without the use of the light sensor) - Option 2: Add on to your Exercise 2 program and have your robot turn around 180 degrees after tracing the rectangular shape and retrace the rectangle in the opposite direction. - Option 3: If you choose to create your own program, check with a TA or your lab instructor to make sure what you are attempting is of appropriate level of difficulty (not too difficult) When you have your program working to your satisfaction, show it to your TA or lab instructor. Exiting the software and turning off the EV3 brick To close the Mindstorm software program, click on the X in the upper right corner or choose File, Exit from the menu. To turn off the EV3 brick, press the gray escape key, (upper left), then press the right button so that the check mark is highlighted and then press the dark square button to turn it off.