My Tracker Robot - Lego Mindstorms EV3

*  Note from Mom:  In this lesson, we used examtime.com to make a mindmap.  It really helped Ryan organize his thoughts.  I have included the mindmap below. We also started using thesaurus.com to improve his word choices.

     I just finished building my first EV3 robot.  I chose to build the Tracker, because it was the easiest project.   I will show you the features, how they work, how to construct it, and how it operates.  

      First, I will demonstrate the features.  The Tracker controls 2 large motors.  The Tracker also has an eye sensor and a motion sensor.  There are two treads like a military tank.  They allow the Tracker to go over a lot of different surfaces, such as carpet, pillows, rugs, and flat objects.

     This is how the robot performs.  The EV3 brick is the brain of the robot.  It sends signals through the cords to the motors.  The brick can be programmed through your computer.

     The Tracker is built with tiny Lego pieces.  It is best to organize all of your pieces.  My mom used a big tackle box to organize my pieces.  She labeled each drawer.  When to you go to the front page of the instruction manual, you can measure the length of pieces.  I sorted them by color and shape.  You need to read the instructions.  The instructions are in the box.  I built the Tracker in two days.  A big part of  building the robot is testing and troubleshooting. You have to be patient.  Make sure your connections match.  When I started troubleshooting, something was wrong.  The remote control wasn't working right, and the cords were in the wrong place.  My dad tried to fix it, and he couldn't.  I tried all night, and then finally I fixed it.  

   Now that your robot is built, you need to learn how to operate it.  The EV3 needs batteries.  The brick needs 6 AA batteries.  The remote needs 2 AAA batteries.  After the batteries are installed, it is time to control it with the Ipad.  Go to settings to sync the bluetooth to the EV3 brick.  Now the brick and the Ipad will communicate with each other.  If you follow these instructions, you will finish your Tracker and enjoy your robot.  Have FUN!

Ryan

by amibeth1