Book Image

Build and Code Creative Robots with LEGO BOOST

By : Ashwin Shah
Book Image

Build and Code Creative Robots with LEGO BOOST

By: Ashwin Shah

Overview of this book

LEGO BOOST is a feature-rich creative toolbox that helps kids to develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills in a fun way. The LEGO BOOST kit consists of motors, sensors, and more than 840 LEGO pieces to bring various multifunctional robots to life. This book will take you on an interesting and enjoyable journey where you will have fun building robots while developing your problem-solving and logical thinking skills. This book is an end-to-end guide that will take you from a beginner to expert level of robot building with LEGO BOOST and Scratch. Starting with the unboxing and a brief introduction to LEGO BOOST, you'll quickly get your first robotic model up and running. You'll understand how to use the electronic and non-electronic components and have fun building a range of intriguing robotics projects with increasing complexity and advanced functionality. Throughout the book, you'll work on a variety of amazing projects, such as building your own R2D2, a fictional character from Star Wars, that will pique your curiosity to learn robotics and help you explore the full potential of the LEGO BOOST kit. Once you've had fun working with the projects, you'll be introduced to an interesting challenge for you to solve by yourself! By the end of this book, you'll have gained the skills to build creative robotics projects with the LEGO BOOST creative toolbox, and have built on your logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Table of Contents (20 chapters)
14
Bonus Chapters

Let's code the robot to follow the line

Let's now start coding this line-following robot. There are various line-following techniques, such as two-state, five-state, proportional, and proportional integral derivative. In this chapter, you will be learning the easiest yet most accurate technique – the two-state line follow. You will be using the if-else programming block from the Control pallet. For line-following robots, it is necessary to have the right environment, including the following:

  • A plain white background
  • A properly etched black line
  • Controlled lighting conditions

Remember one thing. The robot always follows the edge of the line and not the center. Wondering why? This is because, if the robot follows the center of the line, it will miss the turns and leave the line, but if it is following the edge, it will never ever miss the turns/curves. The algorithm for two-state line following is simple – if the robot senses black, turn...