SimLearn

Today I presented my car to Professor Cumaranatunge and shared a few ideas with him. My first idea for the independent study was to create a game using the ball retrieving device. This would include three major steps: 1. design an interface for controlling the robot, 2. discover how to use Bluetooth to send commands to the robot, and 3. attach a camera to the car, so as to allow the user to watch the moves the ball retrieval device was making. Overall, the goal of the game would be to use the ball retrieval device to locate a ball hidden in a room and, once found, grab the ball and navigate to another location in the room.

The second idea I presented to Professor Cumaranatunge was to build a device that could draw letters. In carrying out this idea, I would need to make 26 programs (one for each letter of the alphabet). Once the 26 programs were designed, I would need to make an interface that allows a user to select the letters in their name. Finally, I would have to design a way to send the program, once a letter was chosen, to the robot using Bluetooth.

Although we did not choose which direction we were going to follow, we came up with a plan of action for the immediate future. Professor Cumaranatunge decided it would be best for me to become familiar with the programming software that came with the Lego Mindstorms. Not only would this activity allow me to learn about different sensors, it would allow me to delve deep within the small intricacies of each of the sensors.