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Quickstart-Robot

Let's make a robot drive forward:

Click on the cell below, and press `SHIFT` + `ENTER` to run

In [2]:
import lbot, time, IPython, sys, time
r = lbot.Robot()
r.drive(.1, .1) # range [-1.0 ... 1.0]

The robot should now be driving forward!

Stop the robot by running the cell below:


In [3]:
r.drive(0,0)

Robot Commands

In the empty cell below, try making the robot spin to the right:

Click on the cell below ("Your code goes here!~") and start typing code!

In [18]:
# Your code goes here!~
r.drive(.1,0)

Then, in the empty cell below, try to make the robot stop.


In [19]:
# Your code goes here!~
r.drive(0,0)

now, try making the robot drive backwards:


In [6]:
# Your code goes here!~
r.drive(-.1,-.1)

How to use this interface


In [ ]:

These code blocks are called cells.

The menu and toolbar:

Try clicking on Insert ==> Insert Cell Below.

Fancy Robot Commands

By making new cells below this one, try commanding the robot to drive in different radius circles.

Make a cell below here that spins the robot in ~5 inch diameter circles. (Don't spend too much time tuning)


In [40]:
# Your code goes here!~
r.drive(.3,.1)

In [41]:
# Your code goes here!~
r.drive(0,0)

Make a cell below here that spins the robot in ~10 inch diameter circles. (Don't spend too much time tuning)


In [ ]:
# Your code goes here!~

In [ ]:
# Your code goes here!~

Robot Trajectories

Commands can be strung together to make a robot follow paths.

Compare the behavior of the two cells, and try to record an explaination:


In [44]:
r.drive(0,.2)
r.drive(0,0)
Double click on the cell below ("What happened: Why:") to record your thoughts. Press `SHIFT` + `ENTER` to render the text.

What happened: It moved a little and stopped.

Why: First command told the robot to move forward and then the second command told it to stop completely.


In [48]:
r.drive(.15,.15)
time.sleep(.5)
r.drive(0,0)

What happened: The robot moved forward by .5 seconds.

Why: The first command told the robot to move forward. Second command set a time limit of .5 seconds. Third command told the robot to stop completely.

Using Robot Trajectories with Sleep

Try making the robot turn 90 degrees using what you've learned (hint: time.sleep might help!)


In [55]:
# Your code goes here!~
r.drive(.3,0)
time.sleep(1.0)
r.drive(0,0)

Try making the robot drive 5 inches.


In [52]:
# Your code goes here!~
r.drive(.2,.2)
time.sleep(1.0)
r.drive(0,0)

Now, use these together to make the robot drive forwards, turn 180 degrees, drive back, and then turn back to the original angle.


In [58]:
# Your code goes here!~
r.drive(.2,.2)
time.sleep(1.0)
r.drive(0,0)
r.drive(.3,0)
time.sleep(1.5)
r.drive(0,0)
r.drive(.2,.2)
time.sleep(1.0)
r.drive(0,0)
r.drive(.3,0)
time.sleep(1.5)
r.drive(0,0)

Variables

We can pass variables to functions:


In [60]:
left = .1
right = .1

r.drive(left, right)

We can also assign variables:


In [ ]:
left = .1
right = .1

print left
print right

left = left * 2

print left
print right

r.drive(left, right)

In [ ]:
r.drive(0,0)

In [61]:
for i in range(10):
    value = i*5
    print i
    print value


0
0
1
5
2
10
3
15
4
20
5
25
6
30
7
35
8
40
9
45

Using Robot Trajectories With loops

Now, using the for loop, make a robot drive in a square:


In [67]:
# Your code goes here!~
for i in range(4):
    r.drive(.2,.2)
    time.sleep(1.0)
    r.drive(.3,0)
    time.sleep(1.0)
    r.drive(0,0)

In [68]:
r.drive(0,0)

Sensors

Run the cell below a couple times under various lighting conditions. For example, try:

  • facing up
  • on retro-reflective tape
  • on carpet
  • on the table surface
Press `CTRL` + `ENTER` to run a cell repeatedly while the cell is selected

In [71]:
reflectances = r.read_sensors()
print reflectances
print len(reflectances)


(0.7252747416496277, 0.4332112669944763, 0.36166056990623474, 0.4442002773284912, 0.44468867778778076, 0.3560439646244049)
6

The output of read_sensors is a tuple: a group of values.


In [72]:
tups = (12, -1)
print tups
print len(tups)


(12, -1)
2

In [73]:
print tups[0]
print tups[1]


12
-1

Use the examples above to print out the value of the third reflectance sensor.


In [74]:
# Your code goes here!~
print reflectances[2]


0.361660569906

Use your knowlege of loops and tuples to print all the values of read_sensors.


In [87]:
# Your code goes here!~
for i in range (6):
    print reflectances[i]


0.72527474165
0.433211266994
0.361660569906
0.444200277328
0.444688677788
0.356043964624

Streaming data


In [86]:
for i in range(5):
    print i
    time.sleep(1)


0
1
2
3
4

In [77]:
for i in range(5):
    IPython.display.clear_output()
    print i
    sys.stdout.flush()
    time.sleep(1)


4

Streaming the reflectance values

Try this:

(To stop it remember that there is a stop button in the toolbar ar the top)


In [79]:
while True:
    values = r.read_sensors()
    IPython.display.clear_output()
    for val in values:
        print '='*int(30*val) + int(30*(1.-val))*' ' + str(val)
    sys.stdout.flush()
    time.sleep(1)


========================     0.825396895409
=                            0.0605616644025
=                            0.0388278402388
=                            0.0437118448317
======                       0.231257647276
=======================      0.795360267162
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
KeyboardInterrupt                         Traceback (most recent call last)
<ipython-input-79-0ab325617f74> in <module>()
      5         print '='*int(30*val) + int(30*(1.-val))*' ' + str(val)
      6     sys.stdout.flush()
----> 7     time.sleep(1)

KeyboardInterrupt: 

Let's explore comparisons!


In [ ]:
5 < 4

In [ ]:
5 > 4

In [ ]:
5 >= 4

In [ ]:
4 >= 4

In [ ]:
4 <= 3

In [ ]:
5 == 4

In [ ]:
5 == 5.0

In [ ]:
5 != 4

In [ ]:
2 + 2 == 4

In [ ]:
2 >= 3

What do the following comparison operators do?

  1. ">":

  2. "<":

  3. ">=":

  4. "<=":

  5. "!=":

Playing with logicals

See if the value read in by the first sensor is greater than or equal to .3

Store the result in variable boo


In [81]:
# Your code goes here!~
i = reflectances[0] >= .3
print i


True

Conditionals

Play with the code below to understand conditionals.


In [82]:
temp = 0

if temp > 8:
    print "hello"
else:
    if temp > 4:
        print "bye"
    else:
        print "Your number is too small"


Your number is too small

Try printing a tuple of Booleans (True or False) that indicates if a sensor is on the tape line.


In [129]:
# Your code goes here!~
reflectances = r.read_sensors()
i = reflectances[0] <= .71
print reflectances
print i


(0.04493284597992897, 0.04981685429811478, 0.06471306830644608, 0.7047619223594666, 0.6915751099586487, 0.8058608770370483)
True

Now let's use sensors while driving the robot

Try to do the following:

  • Set the robot to be perpendicular to some retro reflective tape a few inches away

  • Let the robot drive until the robot reaches the tape

  • Run the cell multiple times for varrying distance from the reflective tape.

Think about your tests under different lighting conditions and logical operators.


In [153]:
# Your code goes here!~
r.drive(.1,.1)
while True: 
    reflectances = r.read_sensors()
    if reflectances[0] <.1:
        r.drive(0,0)


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
KeyboardInterrupt                         Traceback (most recent call last)
<ipython-input-153-928e84b45c87> in <module>()
      2 r.drive(.1,.1)
      3 while True:
----> 4     reflectances = r.read_sensors()
      5     if reflectances[0] <.1:
      6         r.drive(0,0)

/home/odroid/topgear/lbot.pyc in read_sensors(self)
     21         lc.subscribe('robot0/state', callback)
     22         while c.values is None:
---> 23             lc.handle()
     24         return c.values
     25     def read_joysticks(self):

KeyboardInterrupt: 

In [ ]:
# Your code goes here!~
r.drive(0,0)

Now put the robot on reflective tape parallel to it and have it drive until it is off the reflective tape.


In [ ]:
# Your code goes here!~

Congratulations, you are on your way to follow a line!

Reading Joysticks

Run the cell below, and try graphing the values using examples above.

You will need to jiggle the joysticks to read values.


In [ ]:
r.read_joysticks()

Try making the robot drive using joysticks.


In [ ]:
# Your code goes here!~