Zero to Hero in Vex Robotics

From the bare basics towards mastery of motor functions and feedback control

4.60 (48 reviews)
Udemy
platform
English
language
Programming Languages
category
instructor
2,094
students
3 hours
content
May 2020
last update
$44.99
regular price

What you will learn

Assemble a test rig with a motor and several sensors

Understand and apply motor control commands

Use a variable which stores distance to an obstacle

Control motor output using sensor input (i.e. keep constant distance from moving obstacle)

Write functions which move the robot forward a precise number of centimetres

Write functions to control the movement of the robot arm and claw

Program the robot to lift and throw objects

Program the robot with a zig zag line following algorithm

Perform advanced proportional control line following

Use feedback to keep distance from objects, this means the robot slows down gradually avoiding braking and falling over

Use booleans and touch sensor to activate every program with a push of a button once robot is disconnected from the computer

Combine line following and distance control to follow the line up to an object

Integrate arm functions with line following to pick up rubbish along a road

Write a function that scans space

Program the robot to locate, drive up to and pick up objects which are placed at random locations

Description

Why Vex Robotics?

VEX Robotics is the ultimate robotics platform: powerful micro-controller (ARM® Cortex®) together with high power high torque motors, precise sensors and a metal frame. Best of all it is programmed in a very user friendly interface (CodeBlocks) using Robot C which is essentially the C programming language with a host of new robotics related functions. 

What is special about this course?

In the first module students complete several quite advanced examples of INPUT / OUTPUT programming whereby they control the speed and the direction of a motor by bringing their hand closer to and further from a distance sensor. This task is broken down into the simplest possible steps; in each step students add two to three lines of code, experiment with changing variables and observing the output of the robot. This ensures that they understand not only what each line of code does, but how it does it and what will happen when it changes.

In the second module students create functions that move the robot forward and backward a precise number of degrees. They also learn to control the robot arm, performing both grabbing and lifting. The module contains key concepts like booleans, while loops and various varieties of functions. 

In the third module student learn how to follow lines both using a basic Zig Zag algorithm and a much more advanced proportional algorithm which uses a sensor feedback loop. They also use fedback to create a program which gets the robot to keep constant distance between itself and the nearest object. 

In the fourth module students apply everything they learned into two advanced tasks, the first of which is to follow a line and pick up cans along the way taking them to the bin at the end of the line. The second is an environment scanner which looks for rubbish (cans) , picks them up and drops them off at the bin. 

Content

Module 1: Introduction to Robot C and VEX

Building The Test Rig
Setting up Motors and Sensors
Running a Motor
Using if Else Statements to Select Motor Direction
Forever Loops
Basic Motor Control
Sensor Input, Variables and Motor Control
Using Multiple Sensors
Using the Ultrasonic / Sonar Sensor
Ultrasonic Sensor Motor Control

Module 2: VEX Clawbot Motor Functions

Introduction to the Clawbot
Setting up the motors on Robot C
Moving forward an exact distance
Turning an exact distance
Complex turns
Moving the robot arm
Grabbing and lifting
Module 2 Assessment 1
Module 2 Assessment 2

Module 3: VEX Line Following and Distance Control

Motor and Sensor Setup
Keep Distance On/Off
Controlled Distance With Feedback
Button Activated Distance Control
Zig Zag Line Following
Zig Zag Function Smooth
Proportional Line Following
Module 3: Assessment 1
Module 3: Assessment 2

Module 4: VEX Object Scan - Pick Up - Navigation -Drop Off

Goto and Lift (
Up to Bin
Up To Bin And Back
Scan and Pick Up
Module 4 Assessment

Screenshots

Zero to Hero in Vex Robotics - Screenshot_01Zero to Hero in Vex Robotics - Screenshot_02Zero to Hero in Vex Robotics - Screenshot_03Zero to Hero in Vex Robotics - Screenshot_04

Reviews

Andrea
August 2, 2023
Yes, this class was a good match, although I am not very familiar with coding, i was able to understand, follow and enjoy the class, Thanks!
Cynthia
January 24, 2023
I found this course to be amazing and interesting! The only caveat is that you need to purchase a robotics kit.
Aaron
February 25, 2020
A lot of steps are missing! We have to figure out a lot of things and it takes lots of time! You seem to forget we're beginners.
Gregg
September 29, 2019
Helps a lot with the basics of programming Robot C for beginners, it goes into the more deeper bits and peices of programming the farther you watch.

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1240076
udemy ID
6/3/2017
course created date
2/26/2020
course indexed date
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