Island 1. Vex-VR
Robotics and Control Technology
Explore advanced robotics with VEXcode VR programming platform. Program your first VEX robot and see your robot in action using the VEXcode Playground.
Vex-VR Conquering The Wall Maze
What is the Vex-VR Robot?
POPCS students challenge is to program your a VEX robot and test it out using the VEXcode VR Playground. Robots need step-by-step instructions to do a job. They cannot do anything on their own – they can only do what humans program them to do. We use robots in manufacturing, in the military, in space exploration, and even in the healthcare industry. Understanding how robots work and how to program them will provide you with skills that are needed for the future. Could robots help us get ready for school or work one day? Could robots keep you and others safe?
What Is A Robot?
Robots are machines that are controlled remotely and/or automatically. They are often described as electro-mechanical machines because they blend electronics (sensors and programming) and mechanics (the way a robot is built and the way it moves).
The mechanics and electronics are both important parts of how robots perform a task.
Mechanics
Designing mechanics of a robot – the way it is built and moves – is often the job of a mechanical engineer. When we think of robots, we often think of human-looking machines. It is true that some robots mimic human shape and behavior (especially the ones we see in the movies). But most robots do not look human at all. The mechanics of each robot can be very different depending on the task the robot is designed to perform.
Electronics
An electronics system allows the robot to do its job automatically. With a software program and sensors, robots can carry out instructions from its human programmer.
Robots use electronic sensors to collect information they need to do their jobs. There are electronic sensors that can detect almost anything you can imagine – sound, light, time, temperature, distance, motion, touch, chemicals, and much, much more.
Programming
We know that mechanical parts provide the structure for a robot to do its job, and the sensors allow it to collect information it needs to do that job. All we need now for a robot to work automatically is a set of instructions. That is the job of the programmer. Robots need step-by-step instructions to do a job. They cannot do anything on their own – they can only do what humans program them to do. Programming tells a robot what to do and when to do it, often using information from its sensors