Training on modular snake robots

Programme

Day 1

• Session 1: Introduction
  • About ourselves
  • Introduction to modular robotics
  • Overview of the training on modular snake robots

• Session 2: Building the MY1 modules
  • All the 30 modules will be built
  • Preparing the battery holders (some cables have to be soldered)
  • Preparing the download cables
  • Building 10 Unimods (Unimod = one module + electronics + batteries)
  • Testing everything

Day 2

• Session 3: Software installation
  • All the software tools will be installed: PIC C compiler, IDE for programming (Codeblock), Software for downloading (pydownloader)
  • Examples of downloading into the electronics boards
  • "Hello world" programming example: compile, download and test the blinking led program

• Session 4: Servo controlling

 -> We will provide them some C programs for positioning the servos
 -> We will propose some simple exercises like: "position the servo at 45 degrees, wait for half a second and then go to -50 degrees"
 -> We can explain how the servos work: PWM signals and so on
 -> Oscillating the servo: we will give them the basic software for making the servos oscillate.
 -> They will change the parameters to understand the meaning of the amplitude, frequency, phase difference...
 -> Finally, we will perform this experiment: "The big wave". 10 isolated modules will be located in the ground[1]. They all will be oscillating with the same frequency and amplitude but with a phase difference between two consecutive modules.  The will see how a big wave appears and travelling along the modules.  They will learn how to "control" the shape of that wave just by changing the oscillator's parameters.