This library provides a Microsoft Makecode package for 4tronix Robobit Buggy all versions
The RoboBit Buggy has evolved through Mk1, Mk2 and now Mk3. These use slightly different pins for the options sensors. Additionally using the LedBar with Mk2 forces the Ultrasonic to change pins So it is important to set the model of RoboBit at the start of the program:
Select Mk3 RoboBit:
robobit.select_model(RBModel.Mk3);
The simplest way to drive the robot is by using the go(...) or goms(...) blocks.
With each of these blocks you specify Forward or Reverse, and a speed from 0 to 100.
Both motors will be driven at the selected speed and direction.
Move forward at speed 60 forever:
robobit.go(RBDirection.Forward, 60)
Move backward at speed 100 for 2000 ms:
robobit.goms(RBDirection.Reverse, 100, 2000)
You can also spin/rotate the robot with the rotate(...) or rotatems(...) blocks
Rotate left at speed 70:
robobit.rotate(RBRobotDirection.Left, 70)
Rotate right at speed 50 for 400ms:
robobit.rotatems(RBRobotDirection.Right, 50, 400)
When the motor speed is set to zero then it stops. However, we can also use the motor itself to create a reverse generated current to brake much quicker.
This helps when aiming for more accurate manoeuvres. Use the stop(...) command to stop with braking, or coast to a halt:
Slowly coast to a stop:
robobit.stop(RBStopMode.Coast)
Rapidly brake:
robobit.stop(RBStopMode.Brake)
If you want more fine grain control of individal motors, use robobit.move(...) to drive each motor either forward or reverse.
You can specify the direction (Forward or Reverse) and speed between 0 and 100.
If the left motor turns slower than the right motor, the robot will turn to the left
Drive both motors forward at speed 60. Equivalent to robobit.go(RBDirection.Forward, 60)
robobit.move(RBMotor.Both, RBDirection.Forward, 60)
Drive left motor in reverse at speed 30:
robobit.move(RBMotor.Left, RBDirection.Reverse, 30)
Drive forward in a leftward curve:
robobit.move(RBMotor.Left, RBDirection.Forward, 40)
robobit.move(RBMotor.Right, RBDirection.Forward, 70)
The small DC motors used in the Robobit and many other small robots are not guaranteed to go at the same speed as each other. This can cause the robot to veer off the straight line, either to left or to right, even when both motors are programmed to go at the same speed. We can partially correct for this by adding a direction bias to the motor speed settings. If your robot is veering to the right, then set the bias to the left. Conversely, if your robot is turning to the left, then set the bias to the right. It varies with speed and battery condition etc, but an approximation is that a 10% bias will result in about 15cm (6 inches) change of course over about 2m (6 feet). Set the bias value at the start of the program, then the motor blocks used later in the program will all use these bias values. Note that the bias setting does not affect the old style motor blocks.
eg. robot leaves straight line to the right by about 10cm over 2m, so bias it to the left by 5%:
robobit.RBBias(RBRobotDirection.Left, 5)
eg. robot leaves straight line to left by 25cm, so bias it to the right by 15%:
robobit.RBBias(RBRobotDirection.Right, 15)
The Robobit has two line-sensors: left and right. To read the value of the
sensors, use robobit.readLine(..) function.
Read left and right line sensor:
let left = robobit.readLine(RBLineSensor.Left);
let right = robobit.readLine(RBLineSensor.Right);
If you have mounted the optional sonar sensor for the Robobit you can
also use the robobit.sonar(..) function to read the distance to obstacles.
Read sonar values:
let Distance_us = robobit.sonar(RBPingUnit.MicroSeconds)
let Distance_cm = robobit.sonar(RBPingUnit.Centimeters)
let Distance_inch = robobit.sonar(RBPingUnit.Inches)
The Robobit optionally has 8 FireLeds fitted (integrated into the Mk3) By default, the FireLeds are automatically updated after every setting. This makes it easy to understand. However, it can slow down some effects so there is a block provided to switch the update mode to Manual or Automatic:
Set all FireLeds to Green (hard-coded RGB color or built-in colour selection - look at Javascript to see the difference):
robobit.setLedColor(0x00FF00)
robobit.setLedColor(RBColors.Green)
Clear all leds:
robobit.ledClear()
Set the FireLed at position 0 to 7 to selected colour. eg. set Fireled 3 to Red:
robobit.setPixelColor(3, 0xff0000)
Set all the FireLeds to Rainbow (uses the colour wheel from Red to Purple):
robobit.ledRainbow()
Shift FireLeds up one place, blanking the first FireLed:
robobit.ledShift()
Rotate FireLeds by shifting up one and replace the first with the last:
robobit.ledRotate()
There are some more advanced blocks that allow you to select colours using separate RGB values and select the brightness of the FireLeds. The brightness is set to 40 by default, but can go as high as 255 You should be careful not to look directly at them when they are bright as they can damage eyes.
Switch FireLeds Update Mode to Manual or Automatic:
robobit.setUpdateMode(RBMode.Manual)
robobit.setUpdateMode(RBMode.Auto)
Select colour from separate Red, Green and Blue values Each of the Red, Green and Blue values can range from 0 to 255. This example produces a pale blue colour:
robobit.convertRGB(50, 100, 200)
Set brightness of FireLeds to 100:
robobit.ledBrightness(100)
The Robobit can automatically drive a Larsson scanner on the middle 6 FireLeds. This moves a group of LEDs in the selected colour backwards and forwards across the LedBar.
Start the scanner with the startScanner(...) function to run in the background at the speed and colour you choose. Here we select the Red and 100ms scanning rate:
robobit.startScanner(0xff0000, 100)
And stop it with the stopScanner(...) function:
robobit.stopScanner();
- for PXT/microbit
MIT