First Impression
After having completed our first mini-robot that could move along surfaces, the Bristle Bot, the students were all awaiting our next attempt at another DIY bot. We introduced a new bot, utilizing all of our collective knowledge of electronics, making sure that batteries, DC motors, and our added accessories which are all connected with wires, are working together to make a unified machine that performs its task. The task is simple: Get the bot to move along surfaces, and as the bot moves, it draws using three colored pencils that are attached to it.
The excitement reached a feverish pitch when our robots were finally completed
The Switch
Once the idea was crafted and the blueprints presented, we set on our mission. To connect wires adequately, we were given wires that we had to strip from their insulated outer layer of plastic and establish electric connections from the energy source, the batteries. The batteries were then connected to the DC motor, whose job is to convert that energy so that the motor spins. When the motor begins to spin, the only way to turn it off is to disconnect the energy source, either by severing the connection of the batteries to the motor through the wires or by removing the batteries altogether. To resolve this issue, we introduced the idea of a switch. A switch can disrupt a circuit by severing the energy flow in an off-state, or facilitate a connection if it flipped to an on-state. The result is a product that has a motor, hooked up to batteries where one can control the on and off state, similar to a technology we use daily, namely through a light switch.
Putting it all Together/Next Steps
With the toughest electronic connections having been established, we set out on developing the frame or body of the machine. The plan is to gather items we all use on a daily basis and produce a machine that would use those items to draw on surfaces. Some students chose colored pencils, others crayons, and others chose markers. The task was to gather three drawing utensils that the machine would use as legs to prop itself up. We then needed to gather paper cups to make incisions and other holes with which to house our drawing equipment on the cup. Our robots now had a cup being held up by a tripod of sorts that was made using the drawing equipment of our choosing. The inside of the cup housed our batteries and at the outer top of the cup was where the motor was held in place. The goal was to attach clay to the robot to create an intentional imbalance, causing it to ‘jitter’ and move. With this final touch, the robot was complete. Excitement reached a fever pitch as our robots finally came to life.