Robots and Physical Computing

You don't need to buy a robot to get programming a robot, now there are a range of free and relatively simple to start with robot simulators to play with. Three examples are listed below: - Make code for Lego EV3  https://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.com/2020/05/programming-robots-virtually-3-lego-ev3.html   - i Robot simulator  https://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.com/2020/04/programming-robots-virtually-2-irobot.html - Vex robotics Vexcode VR   https://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.com/2020/04/programming-robots-virtually-1-vexcode.html   It is the last one of these ( https://www.vexrobotics.com/vexcode-vr ) that is the focus of this post and return to hit, after an earlier discussion in  https://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.com/2020/04/programming-robots-virtually-1-vexcode.html   .  Two of the nice things about the package, apart from being free, are it uses a Scratch-like programming language and it provides a ...

In a previous post, I looked at developing a neural network in Tinkercad around the Microbit (details available here ) and the whole model can be found at    https://www.tinkercad.com/things/hPV4nU0Asr5-smooth-bojo   Quick overview of a simple neural network; at its simplest, it has at least three layers of neurons where the output of the first layer's neuron, the input layer, is connected as an input to every neuron in the next layer, the hidden layer. The output of the neurons in the hidden layer connects as inputs to every neuron in the final output layer - which gives the outputs from the network. The figure below gives an overview; neurons are processing units. Well, sort of. Neurons as processing units is certainly true for the hidden and the output layers. It is not true, though, for the input layer; this is literally a layer of inputs with no processing going on.  So going back to the first figure of tinkercad microbit neural network and comparing it with th...

Tinkercad and microbit neural network In a previous post I produced a single neuron based around microbits in Tickercad - see here . To extend this the basic ideas discussed in that the previous post where extended to three microbit joined together. In  other words a network of neurones or neural network. Basic requirements of a neuron are Requirements  - By altering the bias (or w0 in the example), weights change the behaviour of switches changes. -when switch is pressed a variable x1 or x2 is set to 1 depending on which button is pressed and when released it goes to 0.  - if (bias+w1*x1+w2*x2)>=0 then a T for True appears of the LEDs otherwise F for False is shown. So by selecting the weights and connecting the outputs (p2) from the microbits labelled as Red and Green in the image above as inputs to the yellow microbit 'neuron' we can form a neural network. Switches as the inputs and the screen on the yellow 'neuron' as the output of the network showing true (T) or...

Popular Posts Playing with Marty the Robot: Set-up and go This post forms part of occasional posts about playing  with Marty the Robot V2 ( https://shop.robotical.io/products/marty-the-robot-v2 ) fr... Most viewed posts in December 2020 on the Robots and Physical Computing Blog Popular Posts 10 top read posts on Robots and Physical Computing blog in 2020 microbit and neopixel cube reacting to music Please click on t... Tinkercad and Microbit: To make a neuron The free online CAD (and so much more) package Tinkercad  https://www.tinkercad.com/ under circuits; now has microbits as part of the list ... PS3 Controller to move a USB Robot Arm Guest Blogger Hiren Mistry, Nuffield Research Placement Student working at the University of Northampton. How to use a PS3 Controller to... Speech Recognition in Scratch 3 - turning Hello into Bonjour! The Raspberry Pi Foundation recently released a programming activity Alien Language , with support Dale from Machine Learning for Kids , t...

The free online CAD (and so much more) package Tinkercad  https://www.tinkercad.com/ under circuits; now has microbits as part of the list of basic components available to build circuits out of. To have a quick play I wonder if using the built in Scratch=like code blocks, I could build a simulation of neuron on the microbit. Requirements  - By altering the bias, weights change the behaviour of buttons A and B -when A is pressed a variable input1 is set to 1 and when released it goes to 0. The same happens for Button B and a variable input 2 - if (bias+weight1*input1+weight2*input2)>=0 then a T for True appears of the LEDs otherwise F for False is shown. That is it really, apart initialising the variables. The code for producing an OR is shown below and the GIF at the end shows an AND in action: The GIF below shows it action for an AND (bias is set to -2); change the bias to -1 and you would get an OR. The whole thing is available at:  https://www.tinkercad.com/things/...

This post forms part of occasional posts about playing  with Marty the Robot V2 ( https://shop.robotical.io/products/marty-the-robot-v2 ) from Robotical. In this post I am going to do a quick look at initially setting it up and a bit of Scratch programming. Set-up I had a partially assembled version so most of the fiddly bits of putting the legs together etc were done; the instructions clearly make out the start of the instructions for building the partly assembled Marty. It is ready to build from the box including adding in a screwdriver. The only deviation I had to make from the build instructions was I having to partially disassemble the arm bit already done to fix the rest of the arm together - this was minor. I am initially running this through an iphone and setting it up to do this was exceptionally easy to do and follow.  Download the app (just search for 'Marty the Robot' and found the right app),  pair it up with BlueTooth,  calibrate - just followed the in...

Popular Posts 10 top read posts on Robots and Physical Computing blog in 2020 microbit and neopixel cube reacting to music Please click on the links below for more details. Popular Posts PS3 Controller to move a USB Ro... Cube and microbit reacting to music In a previous post - 'Dancing' Snowman - ok flashing LEDs to music - I played with Microbit V2 with its built-in microphone in comb... PS3 Controller to move a USB Robot Arm Guest Blogger Hiren Mistry, Nuffield Research Placement Student working at the University of Northampton. How to use a PS3 Controller to... Speech Recognition in Scratch 3 - turning Hello into Bonjour! The Raspberry Pi Foundation recently released a programming activity Alien Language , with support Dale from Machine Learning for Kids , tha... Programming Robots Virtually 3: LEGO EV3 In this series of posts, I am going to look at experimenting with a few  tools that allow robots to be simulated, programmed, these are ide... WebVR 5 Playtime: Augmen...