The fast and the furious Coding with sphero

The fast and the furious Coding with sphero

Discussion Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Do you know what a Tesla is? Why are Tesla automobiles so popular? Have you been inside one? What called your attention? What is automation? How does automation works? Do you know what is a sensor? Have you seen one? What do you think is the function of a sensor?

What’s Sphero? Sphero is the leading education technology (Ed. Tech) company dedicated to inspiring the creators of tomorrow through engaging, handson play with educational robots, coding and electronics kits, teacher development courses, STEAM activities and more! Sphero products encourage problem-solving and other fundamental STEM skills in a fun and accessible way, sparking collaboration and creativity in kids through play-based learning. (Sampson, 2020) Sphero edu: SPRK + STEM Robot. (n. d. ). Retrieved December 27, 2020, from https: //www. target. com/p/sphero-edu-sprk-stem-robot/-/A-76474759

Objectives: 1. Describe the importance of writing pseudocodes before programming 2. Write a short program for a robot using block coding to complete a simple task

Pseudocode Definition Pseudocode is a step-bystep written outline of your code that you gradually transcribe into the programming language. (Lloyd & wiki. How, 2020) Example: 1. Start at the bus stop 2. Turn 90 degree to the left and walk for two block 3. Turn 45 degrees to your right 4. Walk straight for three blocks 5. Cross the street at the corner 6. Look for the red door to your right 7. Knock on the door 8. You have arrived to my house

Activity 1. Writing pseudocodes Directions: Write a pseudocode so Sphero can complete the task with the constraints given The task: Your task is to program Sphero to complete a maze or labyrinth as fast as possible. Your robot cannot get out of the maze area and your starting point must be placed at any of the two ends of the maze. The objects placed on the pathway cannot be pushed or touched by the sphero ball and the toy must run completely on the program designed. Students cannot stop or reposition the ball during the test or competition.

Curly brackets to start your program Syntax The syntax of a programming language is the set of rules that define which arrangements of symbols comprise structurally legal programs. (https: //cs. lmu. edu/~ray/notes/syntax/, 2020) Curly brackets to open a loop Values are written between parenthesis and separated by commas Curly brackets to close the loop and lines of coding Sphero Edu Program. (2020). Get Started. Retrieved January 06, 2021, from https: //sphero. docsapp. io/docs/get-started Sem com icolon afte man ra d

Sensors A sensor is a device which senses and reacts to some type of input from the physical environment. Types of input are as follows: heat, light, moisture, motion, pressure, or any other environmental phenomenon. The result is typically a signal that is either translated to human-readable display at the sensor location or sent electronically over a network for reading or further processing. (teachcomputerscience. com, 2020)

What is automation? The technique of making an apparatus, a process, or a system operate automatically. The state of being operated automatically (merriam-webster, 2020) Cunniffe, A. (2016, April). Https: //techcrunch. com/2016/04/21/the-automation-revolution-and-the-rise-of-thecreative-economy/ [Automation]. Retrieved 2021, from https: //techcrunch. com/2016/04/21/the-automationrevolution-and-the-rise-of-the-creative-economy/

Block Coding Block-based coding utilizes a dragand-drop learning environment, where programmers use coding instruction “blocks” to construct animated stories and games. It’s an entry-level activity, where kids can gain a foundation in computational thinking through visuals as opposed to coding that is based in text. (Ryan , 2020) Velocity Time interval Here you have an example of block coding to program Sphero. Both, left and right motors will move at maximum velocity for the time interval given.

Examples of blocks used by Sphero robots move with three basic instructions: 1. Heading ( 0⁰- 360⁰ degree clockwise) The robot starting at the point of reference, will rotate 90⁰ clockwise. This is not the real velocity. It is a scale. However, it can take negative or positive values to show direction. Duration or time is setted by the programer 1. Speed (-255 to 255) 1. Duration or time (expressed in seconds)

Examples of blocks used by Sphero There are blocks that combine more than one command like the one shown before. However, blocks with simple commands are available and can be used according to the task the robot will perform.

Examples of blocks used by Sphero Block coding used to start the program The block “spin” is used to move the robot in circles or semi-circles for a time interval. Speed must be set up prior the spin block

Examples of blocks used by Sphero This block turns the stabilization on (true) or off (false). If you want the robot to jump then, you have to turn this off and set the speed to the maximum value.

Check for Understanding Questions 1. If you want the robot to move 180 degrees clockwise at a medium velocity for 5 seconds, how would you design the block coding?

Check for Understanding Questions 2. If you want the robot to move 45 degrees counterclockwise at the maximum velocity for 4 second, how would you design the block coding?

References 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. Ae-es. com. (2020). Retrieved January 2, 2021, from https: //www. ae-es. com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/sphero-maze-600 x 338. jpg Aurora, B. , Aurora, Ryan, Virginia, Kendall, Pete, . . . Alycia. (2019, July 22). What is Sphero and How Does it Work? : What Can Sphero do? Retrieved January 02, 2021, from https: //www. idtech. com/blog/what-is-sphero-how-does-it-work Automation. (2020). Retrieved January 10, 2021, from https: //www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/automation Coordinate System - Definition & Examples. (2019). Retrieved January 03, 2021, from https: //www. expii. com/t/the-cartesian-coordinate-system-9980 Cunniffe, A. (2016, April). Https: //techcrunch. com/2016/04/21/the-automation-revolution-and-the-rise-of-the-creative-economy/ [Automation]. Retrieved 2021, from https: //techcrunch. com/2016/04/21/the-automation-revolution-and-the-rise-of-the-creative-economy/ Https: //cs. lmu. edu/~ray/notes/syntax/. (2020). Retrieved January 16, 2021, from https: //cs. lmu. edu/~ray/notes/syntax/ Https: //www. splashlearn. com/math-vocabulary/geometry/right-angle. (2020). Retrieved January 06, 2021, from https: //www. splashlearn. com/mathvocabulary/geometry/right-angle Https: //www. unf. edu/~broggio/cop 2221/2221 pseu. htm. (2020). Retrieved January 06, 2021, from https: //www. unf. edu/~broggio/cop 2221/2221 pseu. htm Insert/edhttps: //openschoolnigeria. com/course/sss-2 -physics/lessons/position-distance-and-displacement-2 -2/it link. (2020). Retrieved January 03, 2021, from https: //openschoolnigeria. com/course/sss-2 -physics/lessons/position-distance-and-displacement-2 -2/ Lloyd, J. , & Wiki. How. (2020, April 09). How to Write Pseudocode. Retrieved January 06, 2021, from https: //www. wikihow. com/Write-Pseudocode#/Image: Write. Pseudocode-Step-1 -Version-4. jpg Peter Starmer GCGI(LM), G. (2021, January 02). Physics Tutorial: Position and Reference Point. Retrieved January 03, 2021, from https: //physics. icalculator. info/kinematics/position-reference-point. html Rectangular Coordinate. (2021). Retrieved January 03, 2021, from https: //www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/rectangular coordinates Ryan. (2020, March). What is block-based coding? [Web log post]. Retrieved January, 2021, from https: //www. idtech. com/blog/what-is-block-basedcoding#: ~: text=Block%2 Dbased%20 coding%20 utilizes%20 a, that%20 is%20 based%20 in%20 text. Sampson, S. (2020, March 25). What is Sphero? Retrieved January 02, 2021, from https: //support. sphero. com/article/311 o 6 ozkka-what-is-sphero Sensors In Computer Control: Properties, Types & Examples. (2020, November 13). Retrieved January 16, 2021, from https: //teachcomputerscience. com/sensors/ Sphero Edu Program. (2020). Get Started. Retrieved January 06, 2021, from https: //sphero. docsapp. io/docs/get-started Sphero edu: SPRK + STEM Robot. (n. d. ). Retrieved December 27, 2020, from https: //www. target. com/p/sphero-edu-sprk-stem-robot/-/A-76474759 Straight Angle. (2020). Retrieved January 06, 2021, from https: //www. mathsisfun. com/definitions/straight-angle. html What is a Boolean? (2020, May 16). Retrieved January 16, 2021, from https: //www. computerhope. com/jargon/b/boolean. htm