Program Arduino Mobile Robot Using mBlock | 1 Move Around

OVERVIEW

PikaBot is a mobile robot kit based on Maker UNO (Arduino UNO compatible). It allows users to learn electronics, sensors, microcontrollers, and coding while having fun. It also comes with a comprehensively designed box that can be used as the mobile robot base and cover!

mBlock is a programming software tool developed based on Scratch 3.0 and Arduino code. It allows kids to learn programming using block-based programming language.

I had created an extension for PikaBot in mBlock to let users without electronics or programming knowledge to start coding and learn robotics in a fun and easy way.

This is the first lesson (move around) for this series. Check out the other lessons in the links below:

• Program Arduino Mobile Robot Using mBlock | 2 Detect Object
• Program Arduino Mobile Robot Using mBlock | 3 Line Follow

SOFTWARE SETUP

ONLINE VERSION

Step 1: Go to mBlock web code editor

Go to mBlock web code editor at: https://ide.mblock.cc/

Step 2: Add PikaBot device extension

Click on device in left panel

Click on the add button and choose PikaBot extension

OFFLINE VERSION

Step 1: Download and install mBlock5

Download mBlock5 software at: https://www.mblock.cc/en-us/download/

Click on the downloaded file to install mBlock5 software

Step 2: Add PikaBot device extension

Click on device in left panel

Click on the add button and choose PikaBot extension

MOVE AROUND

CODING

Drag and drop when pikabot starts up block from Events category.

Intialtize the motors by drag initialize left motor... block from Motor category and drop it under when pikabot starts up block.

Default motor pins for PikaBot is:

• M1A - 11
• M1B - 10
• M2A - 9
• M2B - 3

Change the pin values if you are NOT using default pins as mention in PikaBot manual.

Dragmove forward 100, and brake from Motor category, wait 1 second from Control category, drop the blocks as shown below.

move forward block value is the speed of the motors. The value should between 0 to 100 with 100 as full speed.

brake block stops the PikaBot.

UPLOAD

Connect USB cable from your PC to PikaBot. Make sure it is in 'Upload' mode and click on the 'Connect' button on bottom left in mBlock.

Then choose the correct COM port for your device, and click connect.

Then click on the upload button and wait for it to upload the program to PikaBot.

TESTING

MORE PROGRAMMING

Program the blocks as shown below

left motor move... block value is the speed and direction of the motor. positive value to move forward and negative value to move backward. '0' for brake and '100' for full speed.

• PikaBot will move forward in full speed for 2 seconds
• Then turn left in '50' speed for 1 second
• Then turn right (left motor move forward in '50', right motor move backward in '-50') for 1 second
• Then move backward in full speed for 2 seconds

This program will run PikaBot continuously until the power is switched off because these blocks are inside forever block, which is equivalent to 'void loop()' in Arduino IDE.