working out st@te diagram

I copied the basic setup for what I'm programming for this task list. 

It's a word translation (step by step) of the diagram I had made.

It's essentially just the Motors that power the left and right side of the robot,

two for the claws (one for each claw), a Pot and Enc0der to measure change in angle (either angle is equal to zero and runs at one speed, or is not equal to zero (ie at a gradient) and runs at a slower speed (because of the momentum it won't need to be as fast when it is on a gradated ramp), and one to follow the device that follows a line. Also, one to deactivate it from aut0nomous to manual mode, and setting up the buttons to control that. That's it for now; sorry. 

St@te Diagram

So this is more of a Logic/ Debugging Diagram more-so than a flow chart. In fact, it's NOT a flow-chart. It's used for figuring out how to start Pr0gramming. I found a neat programme online that is very intuitive and used that to work things out. I wanted to make it neat and presentable, even though he said it was okay if we submitted it via a piece of paper (which I didn't want to do, so I took the time to map mine out and create this diagram). Looks better in a portfolio, in any case, and it is also easier to make updates to (as I still have the original file).

awesome

The awesomeness continues. Just learned how to create a pie chart and also load an image. It's a LOT like this other software I'm simultaneously leaning (well, actually close to two pieces of software I'm learning).

We plotted some points

Then made a pie chart

We loaded a photo. You have to create a new variable and load your photo as a string or it spits out data about your image. I think the 255 value is  the white in my photo, as if the brightest value is white (with values 0-256) it would make sense that all the white around would be 255.

Correctly loaded photo. I docked it so it's squished. 

Very awesome software, and great for manipulating and analyzing data and for presentations. Also, you could take something like this to use an analysis of data as a starting point for design geometry, which is also pretty interesting. 

M@tl@b

I started learning M@tlab randomly...actually, it's something I WILL have to learn with a deeper understanding of electr0nics, etc. It's hella easy thus far, because it's VERY similar to the pr0gramming software we are using for our r0bots. The logic required is quite similar, and it's essentially a really easy version of C.
So really looking forward to it. It's only day one and I'm already done with week one's coursework; I just went in and blew through it. I'm hoping I can stay a week ahead and do additional exercises on my own. It's weird; a lot of this is quite natural, even though I still love the drawing and all that to express an idea/design. Who knows where it will lead.

a chart..nothing much to see

Just our anticipated timeline. There are certain charts used for presentation; we are to choose from two; the PERT and the G@NTT. I chose the G@NTT, and was fortunate to find a template that fits with P0werpoint. We actually do use these where I work, but they're much fancier, because they have many more tasks. I also use similar templates for my budgeting and finances; I'm a fan of data in general (which is also why I picked up on learning and using R). You can skew data and do whatever you like with it, but data is pretty transparent.
 Inevitably on a real timeline, things get messed up because you expect parts to come in at X date, and they don't always, or Y is behind or needs to be retested, etc. But he wants to get us used to the fact that we work with schedules and timelines.
Believe it or not, when we came in today, that was what I was planning to do in any case, which is funny. It's how we're used to working where I work. That's how you get approved and can pitch your ideas; by giving a realistic depiction of your ideas and defending them in such a manner. It's actually rewarding because it means you have to think things through. I can't tell you how many art classes I've taken where it was clear the guy or girl BS-ed their way through a design (I just put it in there "just because" won't cut it) and the whole time I was thinking that if it were for real, someone from manufacturing would rip that to shreds. I like the practicality of this stuff a lot. And well, building r0bots is just a LOT of fun!

another sketch

we toyed with the idea of using treading for the wheels instead and a motorized belt for the ball, as a sort of ramp idea for the final task.

Here is a sketch. It's not as worked out in terms of some things (like the height of the tread and wheel diameter, the brace and where the motors that power the wheels and the belt would sit, but say what. It's a start. We have about two months to work on this, after which we will race with other designs/robots built, and do a presentation on each of our robots/ building, etc. I like this class a lot. I think I'll really like the board building/repairing class, also. It's very fun to see it come alive, and even more fun to see everything just work.

Robot final concept sketches

So, for the rest of the semester, we have to work together on a robot, and at the end we will have a presentation and robot competition (in June).

For now, though, we were given the five tasks the robot has to perform, and we have to start off with concept sketches as to how we think (just ideas) this can be pulled off.

The tasks are essentially that it has to start autonomously:
1. moving along a line
2. going down a ramp
3. following a squiggly path

after this you can use a remote for it to be:
4. being picked up by a crane
5. dropping a ball that is on the robot the entire time

I already was thinking about some things. Essentially, that since it is at an angle going down the ramp, the container for the ball would have to be secure, but it should also be able to release via a mechanism (I was thinking a chain motor of sorts).
Also, the unit should be balanced (so how is the weight on all sides going to work so that it doesn't tip, especially at the point going down the ramp. And I am not sure at what point the claw will for being picked up by the crane (essentially, it's a giant pole that telescopes), so it would need to rotate until it finds the crane and close on that. So it would have to swivel (the claw, that is).

This is just rough and some ideas, and I'm sure my team will have more. I'm planning to work mostly on the software coding stuff, as I seem to have a knack for it and it's in C, a popular programming language (I already know a bit of Pyth0n). But I'll be willing to help out, of course, learning and building some of the mechanical elements and the electrical (installing motors, etc).

Okey doke; now to my rough sketch:

I couldn't use gouache because of the w@ter sh0rtage. Just kidding.