Competitive MINDSTORMS™: A Complete Guide to Robotic Sumo using LEGO® MINDSTORMS™

345 Pages·2004·13.785 MB·English

by  David J. Perdue (auth.)

Competitive MINDSTORMS:
A Complete Guide to
Robotic Sumo Using
LEGO® MINDSTORMSTM
DAVID]. PERDUE
APress Media, LLC
Competitive MINDSTORMS: A Complete Guide to Robotic Sumo Using LEGQ® MINDSTORMS
Copyright© 2004 by David J. Perdue
Originally published by Apress in 2004
Ali rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
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ISBN 978-1-59059-375-2 ISBN 978-1-4302-0733-7 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4302-0733-7
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For Jay and Mary ]o Perdue
Contents at a Glance
Foreword ................................................................................................................x iii
About the Author. ................................................................................................x v
About the Technical Reviewer .................................................................... xvii
Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................x ix
Introduction ........................................................................................................x xi
Part One The Concept of LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotic Sumo ............... 1
Chapter 1 Introduction to LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotic Sumo ............. 3
Chapter 2 The Importance of a Battle Plan ....................................... 17
Part Two The First Approach: The Small-and-Fast Strategy .... 23
Chapter 3 The Zip-Bam-Bot Chassis ........................................................ 25
Chapter 4 Zip-Bam-Bot Version XK1 ........................................................ 43
Chapter 5 Zip-Bam-Bot Version XK2 ........................................................ 81
Part Three The Second Approach: The M-Class Strategy ............... 117
Chapter 6 The Brain-Bot Chassis ........................................................... 119
Chapter 7 Brain-Bot Version ZR2 ........................................................... 157
Part Four The Third Approach: The Big-Sumo Strategy ............... 199
Chapter 8 The Gargantuan-Bot Chassis ................................................ 201
Chapter 9 Gargantuan-Bot Version BL58 .............................................. 235
Part Five Getting Involved in a Robotic Sumo Event ................. 293
Chapter 10 Participating in a LEGO MINDSTORMS
Robotic Sumo Event ................................................................. 295
Chapter 11 Organizing a LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotic Sumo Event .... 309
Index .......................................................................................................................3 2 7
v
Contents
Foreword ................................................................................................................ xiii
About the Author ................................................................................................. xv
About the Technical Reviewer .................................................................... xvii
Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. xix
Introduction ........................................................................................................ xxi
Part One
The Concept of LEGO MINDSTORMS
Robotic Sumo ...............................................................................................
1
Chapter 1 Introduction to LEGO MINDSTORMS
Robotic Sumo ..........................................................................3
Can You Build a Sumo-Bot? ............................................................................... 3
How Is Robotic Sumo Played? .......................................................................... 5
What Are the Rules of the Game? .................................................................. 6
The Basic Rules .................................................................................................... 6
A Common Rule Set ............................................................................................ 8
What Are the Tools for Building and Programming a Sumo-Bot? .... 9
Building Tools ...................................................................................................... 9
Programming Tools ........................................................................................... 11
Robotic Sumo: A Game Within a Game ......................................................... 14
Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 15
Chapter 2 The Importance of a Battle Plan ....................... 17
Why Do You Need a Strategy? ........................................................................ 17
What Are the Different Approaches? ......................................................... 18
Finding a Strategy to Suit Your Needs ................................................... 19
Thinking Outside the Box: What Is Your Opponent Planning? ....... 2o
The Perfect Sumo-Bot: Is it Achievable? .............................................. 20
Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 21
vii
Contents
Part Two
The First Approach:
The Small-and-Fast Strategy ..............................................
23
Chapter 3 The Zip-Bam-Bot Chassis ............................................ 25
Building the Zip-Bam-Bot Chassis ............................................................. 25
Bill of Materials for Zip-Bam-Bot ..................................................................... 26
Zip-Bam-Bot's Construction ............................................................................ 26
Programming the Zip-Bam-Bot Chassis .......................................................
31
Downloading Programs to the RCX ................................................................. 31
Programming the Chassis to Run Around ....................................................... 33
Running Around Randomly ............................................................................. 36
Running Around with Organization ................................................................ 38
Improving the Program for Running Around with Organization .................. 39
Testing the Zip-Bam-Bot Chassis ............................................................... .41
Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 41
Chapter 4 Zip-Bam-Bot Version XK1 ............................................
43
Understanding XK1 's Strategy ...................................................................... 44
Constructing Subassemblies for XK1 ........................................................ .44
Light Sensor Subassembly ................................................................................ 45
Back Slope Subassembly .................................................................................. 49
Touch Sensors Subassembly ......... , .................................................................. 52
Left Claw Subassembly .................................................................................... ,53
Right Claw Subassembly. .................................................................................. 57
Putting XK1 Together ........................................................................................ 58
Formulating a Solid Programming Solution for XK1 ..........................
64
Programming XK1 with the Solution ........................................................... 65
Creating the Functions ..................................................................................... 66
Programming XKl with Access Control.. ......................................................... 70
Programming XKl with Event Monitoring ...................................................... 74
Testing XK1 ........................................................................................................... 77
Considering the Pros and Cons of XK1 's Design ................................. 78
ThePros ............................................................................................................. 79
TheCons ............................................................................................................ 79
Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 80
viii
Contents
Chapter 5 Zip-Bam-Bot Version XK2 ............................................ 81
Constructing Subassemblies for XK2 ......................................................... 82
Head Subassembly ............................................................................................ 83
Back Skid Subassembly. .................................................................................... 92
Light Sensor Subassembly ................................................................................ 94
Putting XK2 Together ........................................................................................ 95
Formulating a Solid Programming Solution for XK2 ........................ 103
Programming XK2 with the Solution ......................................................... 104
Adding the Maneuvering Task ........................................................................ l 04
Creating a Program for the Ram -and-Run Approach .................................. ] 08
Testing XK2 ......................................................................................................... 112
Considering the Pros and Cons of XK2's Design ............................... l14
The Pros ........................................................................................................... 114
The Cons .......................................................................................................... 114
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 115
Part Three
The Second Approach:
The M-Class Strategy ..................................................................
JJ7
Chapter 6 The Brain-Bot Chassis ............................................... 119
Building the Brain-Bot Chassis ................................................................ 120
The Drive Subassembly .................................................................................. 122
The Left Switch Subassembly ......................................................................... 134
The Right Switch Subassembly ...................................................................... 136
The Middle Bulk Subassembly ....................................................................... 137
The RCX:Subassembly .................................................................................... 139
The Bottom Bracer Subassembly ................................................................... l41
Putting the Brain-Bot Chassis Together ........................................................ 142
Programming the Brain-Bot Chassis ......................................................... 147
Programming Brain-Bot with a Header. ........................................................ 147
Creating a More Complex Header-Based Program for Brain-Bot ............... 152
Testing the Brain-Bot Chassis .................................................................. 155
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 156
ix
Contents
Chapter 7 Brain-Bot Version ZR2 ............................................... 157
Two-Sided, Double Trouble? ......................................................................... 157
Constructing Subassemblies for ZR2 ....................................................... 159
The CRW Subassembly ................................................................................... 160
The Light Sensor Subassembly ...................................................................... 164
The Light Sensor Mount Subassembly .......................................................... 166
The Slope Subassembly .................................................................................. 169
The Left Eyes Subassembly ............................................................................ 171
The Right Eyes Subassembly .......................................................................... 173
Putting ZR2 Together ...................................................................................... 174
Formulating a Solid Programming Solution for ZR2 ........................ 179
Programming ZR2 with the Solution ......................................................... 180
Creating the NQC Header ............................................................................... 180
Programming the Calibration Function ........................................................ 182
Programming the Line-Detection Task ......................................................... 183
Programming the Touch-Sensor-Registry and Sumo-Detection Tasks ...... 185
Programming the Maneuvering Task ............................................................ 187
Putting the Program Together ........................................................................ 189
Testing ZR2 ......................................................................................................... 193
Considering the Pros and Cons of ZR2's Design ............................... 195
The Pros ........................................................................................................... 195
The Cons .......................................................................................................... 195
Conclusion ............................................................................................................
196
Part Four
The Third Approach:
The Big-Sumo Strategy ...............................................................
199
Chapter 8 The Gargantuan-Bot Chassis ................................. .201
Building the Gargantuan-Bot Chassis ..................................................... 202
Some Notes on Gear Ratios and Traction ...................................................... 204
The Left Quarter Subassembly ....................................................................... 205
The Right Quarter Subassembly ................................................................... .212
The Motor Bulk Subassembly ........................................................................ 212
The Key Subassembly ..................................................................................... 214
The Middle Connector Subassembly ............................................................ 215
The Left Side Frame Subassembly ................................................................. 216
The Right Side Frame Subassembly. ............................................................. .217
Putting Gargantuan-Bot Together ................................................................. 218
X
Contents
Programming the Gargantuan-Bot Chassis .............................................. 226
Creating the Gargantuan-Bot Header ........................................................... 226
Programming the Gargantuan-Bot Chassis with the Direction Theory ..... 227
Programming the Gargantuan-Bot Chassis with Random Thrning ............ 230
Testing the Gargantuan-Bot Chassis ....................................................... 232
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 233
Chapter 9 Gargantuan-Bot Version BL58 ............................... 235
Constructing Subassemblies for BLSB ..................................................... 236
The Slope Subassembly .................................................................................. 237
The JYpe 1 Side Protector Subassembly ........................................................ 241
The JYpe 2 Side Protector Subassembly ........................................................ 244
The Light Sensor Subassembly ...................................................................... 246
The Head Base Subassembly. ......................................................................... 247
The Left Antenna Subassembly. ..................................................................... 251
The Right Antenna Subassembly ................................................................... 254
The Head Bracer Subassembly. ...................................................................... 257
Putting BLSB Together .................................................................................... 258
Formulating a Solid Programming Solution for BLSB ...................... 263
Programming BLSB with the Solution ....................................................... 263
Creating the NQC Header ............................................................................... 264
Programming the Calibration Function ........................................................ 266
Programming the Line-Detection Task ........................................................ .266
Programming the Dual-Bumper Task. ........................................................... 268
Programming the Bumper Tasks .................................................................... 269
Programming the Maneuvering Task ............................................................ 270
Creating an Improved Access Control Program for BL58 ............................ 277
Testing BLSB ....................................................................................................... 287
Testing the First Version of the Program ........................................................ 287
Testing the Improved Version of the Program ............................................... 288
Considering the Pros and Cons of BLSB's Design ............................ .289
The Pros ........................................................................................................... 289
The Cons .......................................................................................................... 290
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 290
xi