Mini Bots

ROBOTICS

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Welcome to the world of fischertechnik's ROBOTICS line 3

Some General Information 3

Electricity 3

Robots,ArtificialHumans? 4

ROBOTICS,(Almost)EverythingAutomatic 4

Component Explanations 4

ROBOTICSModule 5

PowerSupply 5

SlideSwitches(DIPSwitches)1-5 6

XSMotor 6

PushbuttonSwitch 7

TrailSensor 7

Mini Bots 8

Mobile Robot 8

Hindrance Detector 9

Trail Searcher 10

Hindrance Detector with Trail Sensor 10

Teach-in Mobile Robot 11

Programs and DIP Switch Positions 14

More intelligent control - fischertechnik ROBOTICS 15

Mini Bots

ROBOTICS

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Welcome to the world of fischertechnik's ROBOTICS line

Hello!

Congratulationsonyourpurchaseofthe"ROBOTICSMiniBots"ConstructionSetfromfischertechnik.WiththisconstructionsetyoucanbuildandcontrolanumberofinterestingMiniBots;ourpetnameformobilerobots.

ReadingthroughthiseducationalinformationandtryingoutthevariousMiniBotswillfamiliarizeyoustepforstepwiththevariousapplicationsforsensors.

NowwewishyouagreatdealoffunandsuccessexperimentingwithyourROBOTICSMiniBots.

Yourteamfrom

Some General Information

Beforewereallygetstartedwiththeconstructionset,youstillneedtoknowafewthings.Eventhoughthecomponentswewillworkwithareveryrobust,ifyoudonothandlethemproperly,theycanbedamagedundercertaincircumstances.

Electricity

Asyoucertainlyknow,alotofthecomponentsintheROBOTICSMiniBotsSetuseelectricpower.Andyouknowitisnecessarytobeparticularlycarefulnottomakeanymistakeswhenworkingwithelectricalcomponents.Thatiswhyyoushouldalwaysreadtheassemblyinstructionsverycarefullywhenwiringtheelectricalcomponents.

Neverconnectthepositiveandnegativepolesdirectlytooneanotherwhichwouldresultinashortcircuit.ThiscandamagetheROBOTICSmodule.

Thesubjectsofelectricityandelectronicsarejustasinterestingasrobotics(whichiswhatthisconstructionsetisabout)andthereisaconstructionsetfromfischertechnik,whichdealsspecificallywiththesesubjects.Ifyouareinterestedinthis,youwillalsohave

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justasmuchfunwithour"PROFIElectronics"constructionsetaswiththeROBOTICSMiniBotsSet.

Robots, Artificial Humans?

Whatisyourfirstthoughtwhenyouheartheword"robot?"Haveyoueverseenarobot?Inamovieorontelevision?Orperhapsarealone?

Therearemanydifferenttypesofrobots.Somerobotslookabitlikeahuman,whileothershaveonlyoneormorearms.So,whatexactlymakesarobotarobot?

Thedictionarysays:"Robotsarestationaryormobilemachines,whichperformsettasksaccordingtoacertainprogram."

ROBOTICS, (Almost) Everything Automatic

Thus,robotsaremachinescontrolledbyaprogram.Andwecallthiscontrolofmachines(orinourcasemodels)"ROBOTICS."

The"ROBOTICSMiniBots"Setprovidesagreatstartforthissubject,becausetheconstructionsetcontainseverythingyouneedtobuildandcontrolvariousmobilerobots.

Component Explanations

The construction set contains all of the followingFirst,itcontainsnumerousfischertechnikbuildingblocks,aswellasmotorsandsensorsandcoloredassemblyinstructionsforbuildingvariousmodels.

Afteryouhaveunpackedallthebuildingblocks,itisnecessarytofirstassembleafewcomponentssuchasinstallingplugsonthecablesbeforeyoucanreallygetstarted.Detailsaregivenintheassemblyinstructionsunder"AssemblyTips."Itisbesttodothisfirst.

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ROBOTICS Module

YourROBOTICSMiniBotsConstructionSetcontainstheROBOTICSmodule.Thiscorrespondstoasmallcomputer–notnearlyaspowerfulasaPC,butfullysufficientforthefollowingcontrolexperiments.

YoucannotprogramtheROBOTICSmoduleyourself.Variousprogramsarealreadypermanentlystoredinthemodule.Theprogramfromthe"teach-inmobilerobot"isanexception.Thisprogramallowsyoutocreateashortmotionprogramusingthetwobuttons.Thesmallslideswitchesallowyoutoselectandruntheprogramforthemodelyouwanttocontrol.

Power Supply

TheROBOTICSmoduleworksonlywhenitisconnectedtoa9Vpowersupply.Forthispur-poseusethebatterytraywitha9Vblockbatteryeitherasdrycellorrechargeablebattery.Whenconnectingensurethatthepolarityiscorrect(red=positive).Whenthemoduleissuppledwithpowercorrectly,thegreenLEDilluminates.

InputsI1-I3: OutputsMotorM1andM2:

You can connect the fischertechnik sensors to these inputs. They provide

information on the module. Two buttons and one trail sensor are

available as sensors.

You can connect the XS motors to the two outputs.

M1 M2

I1 I2 I3

Motor outputs

DIP switch

Inputs

Potentio­meter

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ROBOTICS

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Slide Switches (DIP Switches) 1-5

Thepositionofthefiveslideswitches,alsoknownasaDIPswitch,determinesthefunctionoftheROBOTICSmodule.Thedesiredprogramcanbesetwiththeseswitches.HereitisnecessarytoensurethattheDIPswitchisinthepositionrequiredfortheparticularmodel.Eachswitchhastwopositions:"ON"(up)and"OFF"(down).

Important: TheROBOTICSmodulecheckswhichprogramsistoberunwhenthepowerisswitchedon.Alwayssetthedesiredprogrambeforeswitchingonthepowersupply.

ActuatorsActuatorsareallcomponents,whichcanperformsometypeofaction.Thismeansthattheybecome"active"insomewaywhentheyareconnectedtoelectricpower.Inmostcasesyoucanseethisdirectly.Amotorruns,anindicatorlightilluminatesandsoforth.

XS Motor

TheXSmotorisanelectricmotor,exactlyaslongandhighasafischertechnikbuildingblock.Inaddition,itisverylight.Thismeans,youcaninstallitatpointstoosmallforthebigmotors.

BothgearboxesincludedintheconstructionsetfitperfectlyontheXSmotor.

TheXSmotorisdesignedforasupplyvoltageof9voltsandamaximumcurrentof0.3amperes.

SensorsSensorsaresotospeakthecounterparttotheactuators.Thisisbecausetheydonotperformanyactions,butreacttocertainsituationsandevents.Forexample,apushbuttonreactswhenpressed,allowinganelectriccurrenttofloworinterruptingitsflow.

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Pushbutton Switch

Thepushbuttoncouldalsobecalledatouchsensor.Pressingtheredbuttonactuatesaswitchmechanicallyallowingelectricitytoflowfromcontact1(middlecontact)tocontact3.Atthesametimethecircuitbetweencontacts1and2isinterrupted.Soyoucanusethepushbuttonintwodifferentways:

As a "Normally open switch" (NO or push-to-make switch)

contacts1and3areconnected.

Pushbuttonispressed:ElectricityflowsWhenthepushbuttonisnotpressed:Electricitydoesnotflow

As a "normally closed switch" (NC or push-to-break switch)

contacts1and2areconnected.

Pushbuttonswitchpressed:Noelectricityflows.Whenthepushbuttonisnotpressed:Electricityflows.

Trail Sensor

Theinfraredtrailsensorisadigitalsensorforidentificationofablacktrailonawhitebackgroundatadistanceof5to30mm.Itconsistsoftwotransmitterandreceiverelements.ForconnectionyouneedadigitalinputontheROBOTICSmoduleandthe9Voltpowersupply(positiveandnegativepoles)onthebatterytray.

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Mini Bots

WiththeROBOTICSMiniBotsConstructionSetyoucanbuildoneofthe

MiniBotmodels:mobilerobot,hindrancedetector,trailsearcher,hindrancedetector

withtrailsensororteach-inmobilerobot.

Thedescriptionsofthemodelsbelowexplainexactlywhatthemodelscando.

Important: TheprogramsettingischeckedonlywhentheROBOTICSmoduleisswitchedon.Ifyouchangetheprogramafterswitchingon,itisnecessarytomomentarilyinterruptthepowersupplytoactivatethenewprogram.

Mobile Robot

DIPswitchsetting:

Tohelpyougetstartedthemobilerobotmodelisnotinitiallyequippedwithsensors.AftersettingtheDIPswitchesforthemobilerobotprogramasshownabove,connectingthepowersupplyonthebatterytrayandstartingtheROBOTICS

moduleprogram,thetwodrivemotorsstartturningandthemobilerobotmovesforwards.

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ThepotentiometerontheROBOTICSmoduleallowsyoutocontrolthespeedofthetwodrivemotors.Whenthepotentiometerisinthemiddleposition(viewedfromabove,sothattheDIPswitchdesignationiseasilylegible)bothdrivemotorsturnatthesamespeedpropellingtheMiniBotstraightahead.Turningthepotentiometertotheleftcausesittocurvetotheleftwhilemovingforwards.Turningthepotentiometertotherightcausesittocurvetotherightwhilemovingforwards.

Hindrance Detector

DIPswitchsetting:

TheMiniBothindrancedetectorisequippedwithtwomini-switchesonthetwobumperswhichserveassensors.

AfterstartingtheprogramtheMiniBotmovesstraightahead.Itcontinuesthisuntiloneofthebumperstouchesanobstacle.

If,forexample,theleftbumper,asseenwhenfacinginthedirectionofmotion,hitsagainstahindrance,itmoves

backashortdistance.Duringthismaneuveritalsodeviatesbyturningtotheright,andthencontinuestomoveforwards.This

deviatingmotionhelpstheMiniBottomovearoundanobstacleoroutofacorner.

Youcansetthedistanceforthisdeviationonthepotentiometer.Whenthepotentiometerissettothemiddleposition,thedeviationisidenticalinbothdirections.Turningthepotentiometertotheleft(viewedfromabove,sothattheDIPswitchdesignationiseasilylegible)increasesthedeviationtotheleftaccordinglyandreducesthedeviationtotherightbyanequivalentamount.

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Trail Searcher

DIPswitchsetting:

Onthetrailsearchermodelafurthersensor,thetrailsensor,isattachedinadditiontothetwomini-switchesactingas

sensorsonthetwobumpers.WiththeaidofthetrailsensortheMiniBottrailsearchercanfollowatrailintheformofablackline.

Themini-switchesassensorsonthetwobumpersserveforrecognitionofhindranceslocatedalongthe

blacktrail.Ifoneofthetwomini-switchesistrippedbyhittingagainstanobstacle,theMiniBottrailsearchermoves

back,makesadeviatingmotionandthencontinuestomoveforwardagainwhileitlooksfortheblacktrail.

Anobstaclecourseisincludedintheconstructionset.Ablacktrailisprintedonit,whichyoucanuseforthismodel.ForthispurposeplacetheMiniBottrailsearcherinthemiddleoftheobstaclecourseandswitchonthepowersupplyonthebatterytray.TheMiniBotthenmovesforwardinaspiraluntilitfindstheblacktrail,whichitthenfollows.Howeveryoucanalsodrawatrailonalargesheetofwhitepaperwithablackmarker.Thisblacktrailshouldbeatleast20mmwideforthetrailsensortoworkproperly.

Hindrance Detector with Trail Sensor

DIPswitchsetting:

AsthenameofthisMiniBotsuggests,itisanupgradedversionofthehindrancedetectormodelwithatrailsensor.

Themini-switchesonthetwobumpersserveassensorsandthepotentiometerhasthesamefunctionasonthe

MiniBothindrancedetector.

Thetrailsensoronthismodelisanadditionalsensorforrecognitionofhindrancesintheformofablackline.

Ifthetrailsensorrecognizesablackline,theMiniBotalsomovesback,deviatesbyturningandthencontinues

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tomoveforwards.Thesettingonthepotentiometeralsohasaneffectonthedeviationcausedbythetrailsensor.

Thetrailsensorconsistsoftwotransmitterandreceiverelementsasdescribedundersensors.WiththeaidofthesetwotransmitterandreceiverelementsthetrailsensorcanrecognizehowtheMiniBotmakescontactwiththeblacklineactingasahindranceanddeviatesaccordingly.When,forexample,thetransmitterandreceiverelementsontheleftsidedetectablacklinefirst,theMiniBotmovesbackwhiledeviatingtotheright.Inthiscasethetrailsensoractivatesthesameactionasthemini-switchesactingassensorsonthebumper.

Youcanalsousetheobstaclecoursefromtheconstructionsetforthehindrancedetectormodelwithtrailsensor.ForthispurposeplacetheMiniBotinthemiddleoftheobstaclecourseandswitchonthepowersupplyonthebatterytray.TheMiniBotthencontinuestomoveforwarduntilittouchesahindrancewiththebumperorrecognizesablacklinewiththetrailsensor.

Teach-in Mobile Robot

"Teach-in"isaconceptfromtheworldofrobotics.

Awirelessorcabletyperemotecontrolisusedtomovetherobottothedesiredpositions,whicharethensavedinaprogram.Therobotthenmoves

preciselytothesepositionswiththeaidoftheprogram.

Withtheteach-inmobilerobotyoucanprogramthemotionpathyourselfusingthecableremotecontrolintegratedintothemodel.

Toprogramtheteach-inmobilerobotitisnecessarytosetDIPswitches1and5toON.

DIPswitchsettingforcreatingprogram:

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WiththeleftbuttononthecableremotecontrolyoucanswitchonthedrivemotorontheleftsideoftheMiniBotwhenviewedfacinginthedirectionofmotion;therightdrivemotorcanbeactuatedwiththerightbutton.ThebuttonpressedaswellastheperiodoftimeitishelddownissavedintheROBOTICSmodule.ThismeansthatyoucancontrolyourMiniBottomovearoundhindranceswiththecableremotecontrol.

ThispathisrecordedandsavedintheROBOTICSmoduleduringtheteach-inoperation.WhenyouarefinishedteachinginyourMiniBot,itisnecessarytosetDIPswitch1toOFF.ThisisthesignalfortheROBOTICSmodulethattheprogramisfinishedandthatfurtherentrieswillnotbemadewiththecableremotecontrol.

ToruntheprogramitisfirstnecessarytoswitchonthepowersupplyfortheROBOTICSmoduleonthebatterytray.Therearenowtwopossibilitiesforrunningtheprogram:

Possibility 1: Run program once

DIPswitchsettingforrunningprogramonce:

AftersettingDIPswitch5toONandallotherstoOFF,youcanswitchonthepowersupplyfortheROBOTICSmoduleonthebatterytray.Theprogramlastsavedisthenrunthroughonce.Toruntheprogramagain,itisnecessarytoswitchoffthepowersupplytotheROBOTICSmoduleandthenswitchitbackon.

Possibility 2: Run program in endless loop

DIPswitchsettingforrunningprograminendlessloop:

ProceedasfollowstohavetheMiniBotteach-inmobilerobotrunalongapathcontinuously.AftersettingDIPswitches2and5toONandallotherstoOFF,youcanswitchonthepowersupplyfortheROBOTICS

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moduleonthebatterytray.Theprogramlastsavedisthenrunthroughinanendlessloop.Thismeansthattheprogramstartsoveragainassoonasitiscompleted.TheprogramcontinuestoruninanendlessloopuntilyouswitchoffthepowersupplytotheROBOTICSmodule.

Note:TheprogramlastsavedremainsstoredintheROBOTICSmodule,evenwhenthepowersupplyisswitchedoff.Itremainsstoreduntilitiswrittenoverwithanewprogram.

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Programs and DIP Switch Positions

Important: TheprogramsettingischeckedonlywhentheROBOTICSmoduleisswitchedon.Ifyouchangetheprogramafterswitchingon,itisnecessarytomomentarilyinterruptthepowersupplytoactivatethenewprogram.

Program DIP1 DIP2 DIP3 DIP4 DIP5

No program 0 0 0 0 0

Mobile robot 1 0 0 0 0

Hindrance detector 0 1 0 0 0

Trail searcher 0 0 1 0 0

Hindrance detector with trail sensor 0 0 0 1 0

Create program for teach-in mobile robot 1 0 0 0 1

Teach in mobile robot: start program in memory, run through once 0 0 0 0 1

Teach in mobile robot: start program in memory, run through as endless loop 0 1 0 0 1

Legend: 0 = "OFF”, 1 = "ON”

LED Description

LED illuminates continuously

• Power supply OK. • ROBOTICS module ready for operation

LED flashes once

• When power supply is switched on • Input to I1, I2 or I3 • At conclusion of programming teach-in mobile

robot

LED does not illuminate after switching on power supply

• Power supply not OK (check 9 V block battery/rechargeable battery; a voltage of > 6.5 V is required)

• Power supply polarity incorrect • ROBOTICS module defective (contact

fischertechnik Service: info@fischertechnik.de)

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More intelligent control - fischertechnik ROBOTICS

WehopeyouhavehadalotoffuncontrollingthemodelsfromyourROBOTICSMiniBotsconstructionset.

PerhapsyoucanbuildafewnewmodelsyourselfandcontrolthemwiththeROBOTICSmodule.Soonerorlateryouarecertaintoreachapoint,wheretheprogramsarenolongersufficienttocontrolthemodelsthewayyouwant.Perhapsyouwouldliketobuildamodelwithmorethantwomotorsandmoreordifferentsensorsandrealizeacertaintechnicalprocess.ThenyouarereadyforthenextstageintheROBOTICSline.

TheLTController(ROBOTICSLTBeginnerSet)withtwooutputsforactuators(e.g.motors)andthreeinputsforsensors(e.g.mini-switches)servesasanintroductiontoROBOProprogramming.ThenextstageistheTXTController(ROBOTICSTXTDiscoverySet),whichallowsfourmotorstobecontrolledsimultaneously.Italsohaseightinputsforsensors(e.g.mini-switches,phototransistors,reedcontactsandmuchmore).MoreoverithasprovisionsforBluetooth,WiFiandmuchmore.

BauanleitungAssembly instructionInstructions de montageBouwhandleidingInstrucciónes de construcciónManual de montagemIstruzioni di montaggioИнструкция по сборке安装说明书

fi schertechnik GmbHKlaus-Fischer-Str. 172178 WaldachtalGermany

Phone: +49 74 43/12-43 69Fax: +49 74 43/12-45 91

info@fi schertechnik.dewww.fi schertechnik.de

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