Microbit Robotics Sensors & Circuits

Advanced

60 mins

Teacher/Student led

140 points

What you need:
Chromebook/Laptop/PC
Microbit
Move Motor Car
Move Motor Klaw

Robot Car Claw

In this step-by-step lesson, you'll learn how to program a Robot Car Claw. Starting with setting up your Move Motor Car, you'll create a new project on the Microbit website, add the necessary extension, and understand how servos work. You'll then program the claw to close and open, and adjust the claw's grip. Finally, you'll be encouraged to explore other ways to program and use the claw.

Learning Goals Learning Outcomes Teacher Notes Lesson Files

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1 Setup
2 Create a new project
3 Add the extension
4 How servos work
5 Close the claw
6 Open the claw
7 Open it on start
8 Close it gradually
9 Open it gradually
10 Explore
Challenge
Quiz

1 - Setup

Before you start this project you will need to have a Move Motor Car with a Move Motor Klaw attached and a Microbit inserted into it.

2 - Create a new project

Go to the https://makecode.microbit.org/ website and create a new Microbit project.

Microbit: How to create a new Microbit project

Go to the Makecode.com Microbit website using the link below and click on the 'New Project' button underneath the 'My Projects' heading.

https://makecode.microbit.org/

Install the micro:bit app on your iPad or tablet.

Open the app, tap 'Create code' and then create a new project.

5 points

3 - Add the extension

Add the kitronik-move-motor extension to your project.

Microbit: How to add an extension

To add an extension follow these steps:

Click on 'Advanced' in the toolbox
Click 'Extensions'
Type the name of the extension in the search box
Click on the extension in the search results
The extension and all it's blocks will be added to your toolbox

5 points

4 - How servos work

The Move Motor Klaw has a servo in it that we can program and this controls the 2 pinchers of the claw.

What is a servo?
A servo is a small device that has an output shaft. This shaft can be positioned to specific angular positions by sending the servo a coded signal. As the coded signal changes, the angular position of the shaft changes. In practice, servos are used in radio controlled airplanes to position control surfaces like the elevators and rudders. They are also used in radio controlled cars, puppets, and of course, robots.

10 points

5 - Close the claw

First let's program the claw to close. To do this we will use the write servo [1 v] to 0 block which sends the a value to the servo and the servo uses this value to set what angle to turn the shaft to.

Sending a value of 0 should make the claw close. Add the following code to your project to close the claw when you press the A button.

Once you've added the code, download it onto your Move Motor Car, turn the car on and press the A button to test that it closes correctly.

Note that the Move Motor car has two servo connections. They are labelled on the car as "SERVO 1" and "SERVO 2". When you are adding the above code make sure you choose whatever servo (1 or 2) that you have connected your claw to on the car.

Microbit: How to send code to your Microbit

Give your project a name and send it to your Microbit by following these steps:

Type "your project name" into the Project Name box.
Connect your Microbit to your computer using the USB cable.
Click the 'Download' button (a file called 'microbit-project-name.hex' will be downloaded to your computer).
Open the folder on your computer where the file downloaded to.
Right click on the file.
Click Send To.
Click Microbit.

Power your microbit with a USB cable or battery pack
Pair your microbit with your iPad/tablet (hold the A and B buttons and press and release the Reset button)
Flash your project to your microbit

20 points

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Robot Car Claw

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