Junkbot Poster - PyCon UK 2016, 17th September 2016

Poster presented at PyCon UK 2016, 17th September 2016.

Pyconuk16 junkbots from Scott Turner

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.28682.67520

For more details on the three builds:

• Raspberry Pi based: http://bit.ly/2c87qex
• Basic Micro:Bit build: http://bit.ly/2cmJo0B
• Radio Control Micro:Bit Junkbot: http://bit.ly/2cMHpDa

All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with. Twitter @scottturneruon


If you would like to know more about the Junkbots project contact scott.turner@northampton.ac.uk

Do it yourself: 'Radio' Controlled Micro:Bit Junkbot

I
In an earlier post, I showed how you could build a Micro:Bit controlled Junkbot. In this post I want to show a modification to it, to use one Micro:Bit to control the junkbot controlled by another Micro:Bit. A nice feature of the Micro:Bit using micropython, is it can send and receive simple messages via radio - so here is my take on it.

The first problem is the Python editor available on https://www.microbit.co.uk/ does not seem to work with the radio API. One solution to this is to change to the mu editor.

Two pieces of code are needed.

Sending Code for the 'remote' control:
Essentially it is set up to send two messages, via the built-in radio module, spinl or spinr depending on which button is pressed.

import radio
from microbit import button_a, button_b

radio.on()

while True:
   if button_a.is_pressed():
       radio.send('spinl')
   if button_b.is_pressed():

       radio.send('spinr')

Junkbot Code
This takes an adapted form of the previous Junkbot code to work by; on receiving spinl or spinr via the radio link; spin the motor clockwise or anticlockwise.
import radio
from microbit import pin8, pin12, sleep

def leftTurn(duration):
   pin8.write_digital(0)
   pin12.write_digital(1)
   sleep(duration)
   
def rightTurn(duration):
   pin8.write_digital(1)
   pin12.write_digital(0)
   sleep(duration)
   
def stopIt():
   pin8.write_digital(0)
   pin12.write_digital(0)

radio.on()
while True:
   incoming = radio.receive()
   if incoming == 'spinl':
        leftTurn(500)
        stopIt()
   if incoming == 'spinr':
        rightTurn(500)
        stopIt()








All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with.If you would like to know more about the Junkbots project contact scott.turner@northampton.ac.uk

Controlling a junkbot with a Micro:bit

A new direction has been developed for the junkbot project (http://junkbots.blogspot.co.uk/); previously Raspberry Pis have been used to control the junkbot’s movement (http://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/python-junkbot.html) – but what about the recently released Micro:Bits; can it be used to control a junkbot?

Matthew Hole, a student from Wrenn Academy, Northamptonshire ; has been investigating this idea whilst on a Nuffield Research Placement (http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/nuffield-research-placements) working with Dr Scott Turner, University of Northampton. The project was to look into developing junkbots controlled using a Micro:bit and also to produce some materials for schools to use with or without outside assistance.

What is a Junkbot?

For this project, it is a moving ‘bot’ made from waste materials, combined with an electric motor and a programmable device (in this case a Micro:Bit) to control (or try) it. An example is shown above. More details on junkbots can be found at http://junkbots.blogspot.co.uk/

Approach used in the project.

A Micro:Bit was selected for two reasons. First, there was been a BBC supported project to give year 7 (or equivalent) students a Micro:bit (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4hVG2Br1W1LKCmw8nSm9WnQ/the-bbc-micro-bit), so they are available in the schools. Secondly, Kitronik produce a motor driver board, and provide quite a bit of support for it, for the Micro:Bit (the latest version of the board can be found at https://www.kitronik.co.uk/5620-motor-driver-board-for-the-bbc-microbit-v2.html ). Using Micropython via the online editor https://www.microbit.co.uk to program the board and therefore the junkbot connected. The board with the Micro:Bit attached can be seen in the figure above carried on the junkbot.

An example piece of code is shown below:

from microbit import *

def startIt():

   pin8.write_digital(1)

   pin12.write_digital(0)

   pin0.write_digital(1)

   pin16.write_digital(0)    

def leftTurn(duration):

   pin8.write_digital(0)

   pin12.write_digital(1)

   sleep(duration)

   

def stopIt():

   pin8.write_digital(1)

   pin12.write_digital(1)

   sleep(2000)

while True:

   startIt()

   

   if button_a.is_pressed():

       leftTurn(100)

   

   if button_b.is_pressed():

       stopIt()

Suggested Resource List

• Small Electric Motor
• Kitronik Motor Board
• Battery Pack
• BBC Micro:bit
• Pens
• Junk (Can or Bottle)
• Wires
• Tape
• Scissors
• Broken Propeller or un-balanced load
• Screw Driver

Related Links

• http://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/python-junkbot.html
• http://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/raspberry-pi-controlled-robot-from-junk.html

All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with.

If you would like to know more about the Junkbots project contact scott.turner@northampton.ac.uk

Wiggle and Wobble: Two related videos

These two videos are very much in the spirit of the junkbots project (and I wish I had created them) - two fantastic robotic builds.


Wobblebot (construction details can be found at: http://researchparent.com/homemade-wobblebot/)




Wrigglebot (details can be found at: http://researchparent.com/homemade-wigglebot/) which is a drawing bot.



The plan is to try out some of the ideas with in the junkbots project.




If you would like to know more about the Junkbots project contact scott.turner@northampton.ac.uk

video: Arduino the Cat, Breadboard the Mouse and Cutter the Elephant

A video about a related project.


Arduino the Cat, Breadboard the Mouse and Cutter the Elephant from hmt on Vimeo.




Two related posts

Rubbish – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle into toys!

How to build junkbots: Old toys

If you would like to know more about the Junkbots project contact scott.turner@northampton.ac.uk

Raspberry Pi - Python Junkbot using ExplorerHat Pro

Junkbots (http://junkbots.blogspot.co.uk/) are based around using  materials such as drink's cans, broken propellors and motors to produce something that moves by vibration. Previous designs be found at:

• Raspberry Pi Controlled Junkbots
• Junkbots blog

The latest tweak to the Raspberry Pi based Junkbot design is to use the combination of Python and Pimoroni's Explorer HAT PRO to control it. Explorer HAT Pro is a good choice, it can control two motors with a library provided to simplify the programming. For this the Junkbot was the one shown above: a drinks can, pen, LEGO bits, motor and broken propellor.

Before the Explorer HAT can be used the library needs to be installed via the Terminal and the instructions below

curl get.pimoroni.com/explorerhat | bash

Python code to control the junkbot is shown below.

import explorerhat

from time import sleep

def spin1(duration):

    explorerhat.motor.one.forward(100)

    sleep(duration)

    explorerhat.motor.one.stop()

def spin2(duration):

    explorerhat.motor.one.backward(100)

    sleep(duration)

    explorerhat.motor.one.stop()

spin1(1)

spin2(1)

Essentially the code spins the junkbot one way and then the other.

If you do use or modify please leave a comment, I would love to see what others do with it.




All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with.

If you would like to know more about the Junkbots project contact scott.turner@northampton.ac.uk