Design & Development of a Robotic System Using LEGO Mindstorm

This research presents a design and development of robotic system based on LEGO Mindstorm kit. The system is capable in operating an off-line programming method, starting from its programming sequences until robotic implementation of the program. During early stages, the research is emphasis more towards designing a robotic system using RoboLab software and C++ programming language. A robotic hardware system has been developed using LEGO Mindstorm kit. The robotic model acts as a prototype or test-bed for programming execution. The model involves motorize movement, sensors detection and machine vision to be manipulated by the programmers inside their programs. Since the model is built using LEGO bricks, the model is fully customized, in term of its applications, to perform any relevant tasks. Ultimately, the algorithm development program designed earlier is linked up directly to the robotic model for program implementation and verification. For this research, several set of robots by using Lego has been developed and it uses LeJos and C programming techniques as a platform. A Java-based robot development tool has been set up as alternative programming methods incorporating LeJos and the controller. A prototype of a mobile robot based on Lego successfully implemented by using PIC and can be controlled through voice recognition

Benchmarks of programming languages for special purposes in the space station

Although Ada is likely to be chosen as the principal programming language for the Space Station, certain needs, such as expert systems and robotics, may be better developed in special languages. The languages, LISP and Prolog, are studied and some benchmarks derived. The mathematical foundations for these languages are reviewed. Likely areas of the space station are sought out where automation and robotics might be applicable. Benchmarks are designed which are functional, mathematical, relational, and expert in nature. The coding will depend on the particular versions of the languages which become available for testing

Schools in control? Questions about the development of the teaching of cybernetics

The paper considers the role of he teaching of cybernetics and control technology in the National Curriculum (Technology) in England and Wales, and the limitations of its horizons. The scope of software currently available to schools is surveyed and the range of possibilities of this software is considered. Alternatives to current practice drawn from modern technologies which embody their own design methodologies are considered. These methods include object oriented methods, machine learning and neural computing. The fact that these systems are based on clear conceptual design methodologies should make them attractive to educators. The paper concludes that there is a need to develop new curriculum methods to accommodate newer methods

A Case for 802.11B

Stochastic technology and active networks have garnered improbable interest from both analysts and system administrators in the last several years. Given the trends in robust configurations, physicists daringly note the study of congestion control. We explore new distributed technology, which we call PureZonar

Starting with Ubicomp: using the SenseBoard to introduce computing

In this paper, we describe a new undergraduate module for novice students conducted entirely through distance learning: My Digital Life (TU100). The module has been designed to lower the barriers to creating programs that interact with the world; TU100’s materials have been designed to excite, encourage, reassure and support learners who explore the novel topic of ubiquitous computing through playful experimentation. It introduces the fundamentals of computing by giving students the capability for programming a device, the SenseBoard, which has built-in input/output and sensors. Programming is done in Sense, an extension of Scratch, which scaffolds programming and reduces the syntax burden. TU100 has taken inspiration from childhood learning and commercial product design to produce compelling, yet academically rigorous study materials

Software Education for Changing Computing Technology

Software education has been dominated by procedural-based programming languages such as BASIC, FORTRAN and C, and before that, the assembly languages. The primary reason that this methodology has held such sway in education was that it allowed quick action for the first major users of computers. This approach was the most straight-forward means of utilizing hardware that, over the last 60 years, has gotten faster and more complex through smaller and more densely packed elements. However, traditional advances as described by Moore’s law are now reaching both physical and economic limits. Pure object-oriented programming approaches offer benefits for hardware that is highly parallel and that is of non-traditional design. This work describes the evolution of computational technology, explores features of pure object-oriented languages such as Squeak Smalltalk, and discusses proactive curricula options