Bio | Week 2 | Lab Report: Robot Brain(Terrence Tu)

Topic of Week Two’s lab is Robot Brain. Basically I used the MakeCode Editor to make programs for micro:bit, which is a tiny programmable computer.

A Broken Heart, a sequential output of messages (Please ignore the stupid idea!!!)

Simulated program:

Real effect:

Heart: Crush or Coalescence, program the brain (Again Please ignore the stupid idea!!!)

Simulated Program:

Real effect:

After that, Molly and I ran tests on the radio function and we used servo to simulate  behavior of tortoise.

Radio Function (a very simple test)

Once button A is pressed on one micro:bit, the other micro:bit will show number 0. It is important to set two micro:bit in the same group when programming.

Animal Behavior

We try to simulate a simple self-defense behavior of tortoise. Once a tortoise’s head is punched or hurt, it will retract its head to its shell. The program is quite simple. The logic is shown in the following diagram.

We use the acceleration sensor to simulate hitting. The program is simple and showed below.  

At first, the head(yellow paper) is head to the outside. After it get hurt(shake the micro:bit), it will turn 180 degree(head to inside). After 5 seconds, the head will go back to initial state.

Reflection:

Personally, it is not a wonderful lab experience to me. I have not taken Interaction Lab or other IMA courses before. Thus I am totally unfamiliar with all these little robotics, sensors or whatever things. It took me a while to get started. Thus, I am only able to write very simple program in the rest of the time. Yet it is a good opportunity for me to have a initial experience of  implementing models from observation of the natural world. Hope there will be another chance for me to go deeper in this field.

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