The Robotics Primer Workbook Developed by  USC, iRobot® and Microsoft® Robotics Studio

Categories: Exercise | Player Exercise | Command Module Exercise | Microsoft Robotics Studio Exercise

Locomotion:Exercise1-Locomotion and Odometry

Part 1 - Square Path

The first program will move the robot in a square pattern.

There are two hardware options, either the iRobot Create and Command Module or the iRobot Create and Gumstix. Please read the Prerequisites section for more information.

• iRobot Create and Command Module Option

• iRobot Create and Gumstix Option

• iRobot Create and Microsoft Robotics Studio Option

Part 2

Now that we have code to control the robot, let's measure how well odometry performs. As you may recall from Part 1, the robot relies on odometry to determine how far it has traveled, and how far it has turned. If odometry readings are perfect, then the robot should make a perfect squre.

For this part we will measure the amount of odometry error.

1. Place a marker on the ground where the robot will start. A good marker is masking tape.
2. Place a marker at each of the other three corners.
3. Run your control code, and place a marker where the robot turns.
4. Measure the distance between each pair of points (the correct corner and the actual), and compute an average. This is the average error.
5. What are some sources of this error?
   • Answer

Part 3: Bonus

1. Write a program to move the robot in a rectangle.
2. Write a program to move the robot in a circle.
3. Write a program to move the robot is a figure-eight.