Computer Programming

with Robots

What is Programming?
What is
Programming?
The Scribbler
Robot
Sound and
Motion
Camera and
Sensors
Programs
and Games

Computer programming
consists of writing lines of
code in a language that a
computer will understand to
solve a problem
Some computer languages
include: Java, C++,
and Python

Computer Programming with Robots |Michelle Delcourt|Georgia Tech

Slide 1/10

What is Programming?
What is
Programming?
The Scribbler
Robot
Sound and
Motion
Camera and
Sensors
Programs
and Games

Computer science can solve

problems ranging from adding
numbers together to operating
a rover on Mars
At Georgia Tech all students
are required to take at least
one course in
computer science in
order to graduate

Computer Programming with Robots |Michelle Delcourt|Georgia Tech

Slide 2/10

The Scribbler Robot

What is
Programming?
The Scribbler
Robot
Sound and
Motion
Camera and
Sensors
Programs
and Games

$2 million program funded by

Microsoft, Georgia Tech, and
Bryn Mawr to encourage
students to learn computer
science
At Georgia Tech, the robot
program is centered at
the Microsoft IPRE Lab
(Institute for Personal
Robots in Education)

Computer Programming with Robots |Michelle Delcourt|Georgia Tech

Slide 3/10

The Scribbler Robot

What is
Programming?
The Scribbler
Robot
Sound and
Motion
Camera and
Sensors
Programs
and Games

Introduction to Programming
with Robots or CS 1301 is the
computer science course for
non-engineering majors
We used Python to talk to our
robots and have them make
noises, move, take
pictures, draw, and
explore
their
surroundings

Computer Programming with Robots |Michelle Delcourt|Georgia Tech

Slide 4/10

The Scribbler Robot

What is
Programming?
The Scribbler
Robot
Sound and
Motion
Camera and
Sensors
Programs
and Games

The robot runs on six AA

batteries and uses two big
wheels and a smaller wheel to
steer
The robots camera dongle
connects to a laptop computer
via Bluetooth and
allows a programmer
to give commands

Computer Programming with Robots |Michelle Delcourt|Georgia Tech

Slide 5/10

Sound and Motion

What is
Programming?
The Scribbler
Robot
Sound and
Motion
Camera and
Sensors
Programs
and Games

Two commands tell the robot

to make noise: beep and speak
beep() takes in information
about the number of seconds
and frequency of a note
beep(1,440)plays A one second
speak() takes in a
message in quotes
speak(Hello)

Computer Programming with Robots |Michelle Delcourt|Georgia Tech

Slide 6/10

Sound and Motion

What is
Programming?
The Scribbler
Robot
Sound and
Motion
Camera and
Sensors
Programs
and Games

The robots motors power the

large wheels and allow the
robot to move
motors(1,1)forward full speed
motors(0.5,0.5)forward half
motors(-1,-1)backward
motors(0,0)/stop()
motors(1,-1)spin

Computer Programming with Robots |Michelle Delcourt|Georgia Tech

Slide 7/10

Camera and Sensors

What is
Programming?
The Scribbler
Robot
Sound and
Motion
Camera and
Sensors

The camera on the dongle

allows the robot to take pictures
and even movies
pic = takePicture()
show(pic)
savePicture(pic,pic.jpg)

Programs
and Games
Computer Programming with Robots |Michelle Delcourt|Georgia Tech

Slide 8/10

Camera and Sensors

What is
Programming?
The Scribbler
Robot
Sound and
Motion
Camera and
Sensors

The robot has a series of

different sensors to obtain
information from surroundings
IR sensors locate various
obstacles
Light sensors measure
light levels

Programs
and Games
Computer Programming with Robots |Michelle Delcourt|Georgia Tech

Slide 9/10

Programs and Games

What is
Programming?
The Scribbler
Robot
Sound and
Motion

Dance
Photography
Tick Tack Toe
Color Recognition

Camera and
Sensors
Programs
and Games
Computer Programming with Robots |Michelle Delcourt|Georgia Tech

Slide10/10