Building a Simple Robot (Simulation) - JSS 2 note

CLASS PROJECT: BUILDING A SIMPLE ROBOT (SIMULATION)

Subject: Digital Technologies

Class: JSS 2

Term: Third Term

Week: 10

Topic: Class Project: Building a Simple Robot (Simulation)

Duration: 80 Minutes (Double Period)

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Design and develop a simple digital robot model or simulation.
2. Demonstrate basic robotic concepts through the project.

1. Introduction to the Project

In the past lessons, we learnt what robots are, their parts and functions, basic robotic movements and automation. In this lesson, we use what we have learnt to design and develop a simple digital robot model and run it as a simulation.

A simulation is a computer program that imitates how something works in real life, so that it can be tested safely on a computer. A digital model is a robot design created on a computer instead of with physical parts.

Project Title: The Obstacle-Avoiding Robot
Task: Create a digital robot that moves around a space and turns away automatically when it detects a wall or an obstacle.
Tool: Scratch (or any robotics simulation software available in your school).
Group size: Pairs or groups of three to four students.

2. Robotic Concepts in the Project

The project helps us to demonstrate the robotic concepts we have studied. Each part of a real robot is represented in the simulation:

Robot Concept	Representation in the Simulation
Body / Frame	The sprite (the picture of the robot).
Sensor	Blocks that detect something, such as "touching colour", "touching edge" or "distance to" another sprite.
Controller	The computer running the Scratch program, which checks the sensor and decides what to do.
Actuator	Motion blocks that move and turn the sprite.
Software	The script, which is the set of blocks that you connect.
Automation	The robot runs by itself after the green flag is clicked.

3. Steps in the Project

Step 1: Plan and Design the Robot

1. Decide what the robot should do: move around and avoid walls and obstacles.
2. Sketch the robot on paper. Label its body, sensor, controller and actuator.
3. Plan the robot's environment (the stage), including walls or obstacles.
4. Write the steps the robot must follow, for example: move forward; if touching the wall, turn; repeat.

Step 2: Build the Digital Robot Model

1. Open Scratch and create a new project.
2. Use the paint editor to draw or choose a sprite to be the robot. Name it "Robot".
3. Draw or select a backdrop with walls or obstacles, using a clear colour for the walls.
4. Add obstacle sprites if needed.

Step 3: Program the Robot

Connect blocks to create the program. The following shows the idea:

When green flag clicked
Go to starting position
Forever
  Move 5 steps
  If touching the wall (colour or edge) then
     Turn right 90 degrees
     Move 10 steps back

This program shows the robotic concepts at work: the sensor checks for the wall, the program decides what to do, and the actuator (the movement) carries it out.

Step 4: Test and Debug

1. Click the green flag and watch the robot.
2. Check whether it avoids the walls and obstacles.
3. If it does not work as expected (for example it goes through a wall or gets stuck), check the sensor condition and the numbers used, correct them and test again.
4. Repeat until the robot works properly.

Step 5: Present and Demonstrate

1. Run your simulation for the class.
2. Explain which parts of your project represent the body, sensor, controller, actuator and software.
3. Explain how your project shows automation.
4. Answer questions from the class and the teacher.

Remember: Change one thing at a time when debugging and test after each change, just as you learnt in debugging.

4. Ideas to Improve the Project

• Add a second sensor, for example one that detects a coloured target.
• Make the robot stop when it reaches the target.
• Add a score or a counter for how many obstacles the robot avoided.
• Add a sound or message when the robot detects an obstacle.
• Make the robot follow a path or draw a shape using the repeat loop.

5. Project Assessment

The project will be assessed using the following guide:

Criteria	What the Teacher Looks For	Marks
Planning and design	A clear sketch and a plan with the robot's parts labelled.	4
Digital robot model	A clear robot and environment built in the simulation.	4
Programming	Movement, sensor condition and loop used correctly.	5
Testing and debugging	Errors were found and corrected and the project works.	3
Presentation	Explains the robotic concepts clearly.	2
Teamwork	Every member contributed.	2
Total		20

6. Summary

• A simulation imitates how a robot works on a computer, and a digital model is a robot design created on a computer.
• In the project, the sprite represents the body, sensing blocks represent the sensor, the script represents the software and motion blocks represent the actuator.
• The steps are: plan and design, build the model, program, test and debug, and present.
• The robot shows automation because it works by itself after the program starts.
• Testing and debugging help to find and correct errors before the project is presented.

7. Evaluation Questions

1. What is a simulation?
2. What is a digital robot model?
3. Which part of the Scratch project represents the robot's body?
4. Which blocks act as the sensor in the obstacle-avoiding robot?
5. Which blocks act as the actuator?
6. What represents the software in the project?
7. How does the project demonstrate automation?
8. What should you do if the robot goes through a wall in the simulation?

8. Assignment

1. Define simulation and digital robot model.
2. List the five steps for building the simple robot simulation.
3. Explain how the body, sensor, controller, actuator and software are represented in the project.
4. Write the instructions of your obstacle-avoiding robot program in your own words.
5. State two ways in which your project could be improved.

9. Interactive Revision Quiz

Select one answer for each question and click Mark Quiz to see your score.

1. In the Scratch simulation, the sprite represents the robot's:

Body Battery Keyboard Printer

2. Which Scratch block can act as a simple sensor to detect a wall?

Say hello Hide Touching (colour or edge) Play sound

3. Which blocks act as the actuators that move the robot?

Looks blocks Motion blocks Sound blocks Sensing blocks only

4. What represents the robot's software in the simulation?

The monitor The mouse The sprite costume The script of connected blocks

5. What is the first step in the project?

Planning and designing the robot Presenting the project Deleting the sprite Printing the screen

6. Which control block makes the robot keep checking for walls again and again?

Wait Forever Stop Hide

7. The robot passes through a wall in the simulation. What should you do?

Ignore it Delete the project Debug: check the sensor condition, correct it and test again Switch off the computer

8. "If touching the wall, then turn right" shows:

Only a movement Only a sound Only a costume A sensor input leading to an action decided by the program

9. Why is it useful to test a simulation before building a physical robot?

It removes the need for a program Errors can be found and corrected safely and cheaply It makes the robot heavier It prints the robot

10. Which is a good way to improve the project?

Add another sensor or a score counter Remove all the blocks Turn off the computer Delete the sprite