Robot remote: drive it, program it

Everything the robot can do from the remote. No phone needed.

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The keys

1turn left

3turn right

5pause

7diagonal

8again

9diagonal

*program

0stop

#cancel

▲

◀

▶

▼

forward slide left slide right back stop

Drive: hold a key

Hold ▲ ▼ ◀ ▶ to go, let go to stop. Hold 1 or 3 to spin on the spot. 0 OK # stop.

Closer than 25 cm to something in front? It refuses to go forward. Back up or slide.

Slide or turn?

▶ Slide right 30 The robot moves sideways and keeps facing the same way. Mecanum wheels!

3 Turn right 90 The robot stays put and spins to face right. Then ▲ goes that way.

The number after a direction is how far: centimetres for arrows, degrees for 1 and 3. *120 is turn left 20 degrees. No number? 25 cm, or a 90 degree turn.

Make a program

A. Switch to Program Mode: *** → wiggle

B. Add a step: * direction number → nod

The first key after a * is always the move. The number ends when the next * comes.

C. Add another step: * and the next move. Any of these:

▲ ▼ ◀ ▶	+ cm: forward, back, slide left, slide right
1 3	+ degrees: turn left, turn right
7 9	+ cm: the forward diagonals, left and right
5	+ seconds: pause
0	+ cm across: a circle, nose pointed at the middle
8	+ times: do everything before it again, that many times in all

D. Done: *** → wiggle

E. Save: slot 1..9 then ** → nod

No number? *▲ is 25 cm, *3 a 90 degree turn, *5 1 second, *8 2 times, *0 1 m across.

Oops: # throws the program away (slow head shake). **** and a slot number adds to the program saved there.

Example: out, turn, back a bit, saved in slot 2
***wiggle = listening
*▲50forward 50 cm
*390turn right 90 degrees
*▼20back 20 cm
***wiggle = which slot?
2**nod = saved in slot 2
After each step the robot nods = "got it".

Run a program

* slot number. Any key stops it.

*0 is always a circle 1 m across, facing in. A slot nobody has saved to runs a built-in demo: 1 square, 2 crab box, 3 out and back, 4 triangle, 5 stairs, 6 spiral, 7 look around, 8 figure 8, 9 dance.

What the robot says back

Wiggle quick left-right
"Listening" / "which slot?"

Nod forward-back
"Got it", saved

Slow shake
"No": cancelled, empty slot, full

Sample: around the box and back

A box sits in front of the robot. Go around it the long way, come back home facing the way you started. Saved in slot 2.

***	wiggle = listening
*▶30	slide right 30 cm (still facing forward)
*▲60	forward 60 cm (past the box)
*◀30	slide left 30 cm (back in line, in front of the box)
*3180	turn right 180 (spin to face home)
*▶30	slide right 30 cm (facing home, right is the other side now)
*▲60	forward 60 cm
*◀30	slide left 30 cm (home!)
*1180	turn left 180 (facing the way you started)
***	wiggle = which slot?
2**	nod = saved in slot 2
*2	run it

The last * of a step and the first of the *** are the same key, so you only press three stars at the end, not four.

Two ways to make a square

The long way, saved in slot 1
***wiggle = listening
*▲30 *3forward 30 cm, turn right 90
*▲30 *3again
*▲30 *3and again
*▲30 *3and once more: four sides
*** 1**done, saved in slot 1

Or try this shortcut to also make a square
***wiggle = listening
*▲forward
*3turn right
*84do it all again, 4 times in all
***wiggle = which slot?
1**nod = saved in slot 1
Three steps instead of eight. No number after ▲ means 25 cm, no number after 3 means 90 degrees, and 84 does everything before it again until it has gone round 4 times in all. A 25 cm square.

Point the remote at the robot's eye. One key at a time. Wait for the nod. Pressed * by mistake? Wait 3 seconds, it forgets. # always gets you out.