Lab 8 - Exploring Robot Life?

Evolution and Learning in Computational and Robotic Agents
MSE 2400   Dr. Tom Way

Introduction

• In this lab project, you will use a number of programs that control an Edison robot. You will run these programs and directly control the robot doing several tasks, including behavior that resembles that of biological life forms. You will also have the opportunity to modify and improve these programs.
   
• For this lab, you should work in a team of two or three people. Each team will have the use of an Edison robot.
   
• The instructions for this lab are designed to be self explanatory... which is a nice way of saying you will need to figure this all out on your own. Questions are okay, but a main objective of this lab is to intellectually own what you discover working with these robots and software.
   
• Be prepared to share what you learn throughout this lab and to assist fellow students in solving problems that you may have already encountered and solved.
   

Worth

• 100 points

Due

• One copy of this handout, completed, with the names of all members of your team on it.
• Due at the end of the lab session designated for this work, or at a time mutually agreed to by you and the instructor.

Lab Steps

Part 1 - Getting Started

1. Visit the MeetEdison.com web site and view the introductory video.
    
2. Read the first two pages of the Edison Activities handout, Introduction and Get to know Edison
    
3. Prepare your Edison robot for use by loading its batteries.
    
4. Next, follow instructions for Installing EdWare. You can download and install the free Edison robot programming software for your system from MeetEdison.com.
    
5. Later you may want to refer to the Downloading a program and Meet EdWare instructions for the later activities in this lab.
    

Part 2 - Barcode Programming

1. EdVenture 1 - Clap controlled driving
   
   Load the barcode and follow instructions on activity sheet.
   
   Briefly describe what the behavior exhibited in this activity is similar to in a biological life form?
   
   
   
    
2. EdVenture 2 - Avoid obstacles
   
   Load the barcode. Use a number of pieces of wood to create obstacles for your robot, such as a maze or other structure for it to try to escape from.
   
   Experiment and observe. See if you can determine what features of a structure or obstacle make it easier or harder to escape. If Edison's obstacle detection seems to not work well, you can adjust its behavior using the calibration sheet from the Lab 8 Support Sheets. The instructor will have a few copies available.
   
   What makes a structure or obstacle hard for Edison to escape? What makes it easier for it to escape?
   
   
   
   
    
3. EdVenture 3 - Follow torch
   
   Load the barcode. Have a smartphone with a flashlight app ready to go.
   
   Follow the instructions on the activity sheet.
   
   Briefly comment on the behavior exhibited by the robot. Does it appear to be alive? Can a case be made that it really IS alive?
   
   
   
   
   
    
4. EdVenture 4 - Line tracking
   
   Load the barcode.
   
   Collaborate with other teams to arrange a line tracking area on one or two of the spare desktops in the lab classroom.
   
   Use the provided black electrical tape to create an interesting line for the robot to follow. You could also try using an oval track handout a taped-together version of the Activity Mat.
   
   How did the robot do following lines? Did anything give it trouble? How does this behavior resemble that of the behavior of a biological life form, if at all?
   
   
   
   
   
    
5. EdVenture 5 - Bounce in borders
   
   Load the barcode.
   
   Follow instructions in the activity.
   
   Briefly describe what you observed? What do you think would happen if two or more robots, all with the same program, were unleashed in the same area?
   
   
   
   
   
    
6. EdVenture 6 - Sumo wrestle
   
   Load the barcode.
   
   Follow instructions in the activity.
   
   Collaborate with at least one other team to create a sumo wrestling ring using black electrical tape on one of the available desktops in the lab classroom.
   
   Ideally, try a wrestling match with many robots to see what happens.
   
   Describe what you observe, including anything that seems to help or hurt a wrestling robot's chance to "win."
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
7. EdVenture 1 - Flash a LED
   
   Use the instructions for the activity to create a program using EdWare. Viewing the color version of the the Edison Activities handout in a web browser may help in following the steps needed to create the program.
   
   Briefly describe what you did for the Experiment part of the activity to make a cool flashing light display.
   
   
   
   
   
    
8. EdVenture 2 - Beep!!... Beep!!...
   
   Use the instructions for this activity to modify the program you created for the previous activity, adding sound to your cool flashing light display.
   
   Briefly describe what you did for the Experiment part of this activity to add sound to your program.
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
9. EdVenture 5 - What IF?
   
   Use the instructions for the activity to create the program that is pictured.
   
   Run the program and observe your robot's behavior.
   
   The program exhibits a rudimentary intelligent decision making behavior. What do you think about the notion that your brain is really just a computer running similar, though much more advanced, programs?
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
10. EdVenture 6 - What's the hurry? Let's wait!
    
    Use the instructions for the activity to create the program that is pictured.
    
    Run the program and observe your robot's behavior.
    
    What human or animal behavior does this resemble? How could this behavior help with survival?
    
    
    
    
    
     
11. EdVenture 7 - Watch out! There's an obstacle!
    
    Use the instructions for the activity to create the program that is pictured.
    
    Using some of the available pieces of wood, create obstacles for your robot to detect as it moves. Run the program and observe the robot's behavior.
    
    How does it feel to think you just created a self-driving vehicle? What scares you about how easy this was?
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
12. EdVenture 10 - Robot communications
    
    Follow the instructions for this activity. Note that you will collaborate with at least one other team, if not many.
    
    What sort of human or animal behavior, or behaviors, does this seem similar to? What, if any, might be an advantage for biological life forms who can exhibit this behavior?
    
    
    
    
     

Part 3 - Pack Up Your Robot

1. Turn off the power switch on the robot's underside.
    
2. Place the robot into a ziploc bag.
    
3. Loosely coil the programming cord and put it into the bag with the robot.
    
4. Put the small instruction sheet into the bag and seal the bag.
    
5. Return the robot to the instructor.
    
6. Discard the original cardboard container that the robot came in.