Line Following Demo

It follows lines.

The robot.

The robot itself is actually rather simple. It consists of two servo-driven wheels, a breakout board for the ATMega 128 Atmel microprocessor, an LCD screen, battery packs, and three sensors.

The first sensor is a bump switch, to determine if the robot has run into a wall. This switch also begins the robot’s trek through the game board.

The second sensor is a line-follower, which ensures that the robot will follow an accurate and predictable path through the board.

The third sensor is a barcode reader, mounted in conjunction with a mirror to read the cards played on the board. These are used to determine the type of card played, as well as to prevent “infinite loops” from occurring.

Here’s a picture! It’s not quite done yet, but we’re getting close…

Shift.

Shift is a game played between two people, wherein the robot is merely a mechanism that dictates the flow of play. What?

It works like this. There is a game board, consisting of a square grid. On any of these squares can be placed a card, which might have various instructions printed on it: turn left, turn right, reverse, erase, go in a random direction, whatever. Each player will take turns placing these cards on the grid. If at any point a “run” card is played, the robot (which starts at the same place, every turn) will being to run. It will go in a straight line until a card is reached, in which case it will follow the instructions printed.

The goal of the game is to lead the robot to your own “goal” square, of which each player has one. Strategy and tactical thinking are the keys to victory, so best of luck!

Robots are funny things.

Robots are touted as the harbringers of a utopian society. No longer will we need to rise to obtain delicious beer! Finding studs will be a thing of the past! Parking? Hah!

This is interesting, because even robots that perform such incredibly simple tasks are mind-numbingly expensive, in terms of both time and money. They are more unreliable than even the most unintelligent human. And truly, do they make anyone happier? Will my ability to remain on the couch for longer continuous periods of time bring me some inexplicable joy, some nirvana that I had not yet been able to attain? Meanwhile, the worldwide population continues to rise at a dizzying pace, and all these humans are left with nothing to contribute to the world.

Thanks, robots!