Meet the Cutebot Car

Lesson Description

In this lesson, we will have a brief look at what the cutebot car has to offer, and learn how to program the cutebot car through a simple case study.

Lesson Preparation

Name	Number	Notes
cutebot	1
AAA battery	3	Prepare Yourself
USB Cable	1
micro:bit	21	Prepare Yourself
PC	1	Prepare Yourself

cutebot introduction

ELECFREAKS Cutebot is a rear-wheel drive smart racing car with dual high-speed motor motors.

Cutebot is equipped with many on-board devices at the same time, including ultrasonic navigation distance sensor, two RGBLED headlights, two Rainbow LED underbody outline lights, and two lane-assisted patrol probes.

Function module description

The car is equipped with an ultrasonic interface and a micro: bit IIC interface in front of it

Two RGB full-color LED headlights are equipped on each side of the front, which are controlled through an expansion board and do not occupy the number of micro: bit IO ports.

There are three AA battery pack expansion boards installed directly above, which are used to drive the entire car.

The expansion board of the battery pack also includes S1 and S2 servo interfaces, as well as P1 and P2 IO interfaces.

The rear of the car is equipped with an infrared receiver head (under the battery box), which is connected to the P16 interface of the micro: bit.

The car is equipped with an IIC interface for connecting AI cameras.

Next to the rear infrared receiver is the main power switch of the car, and there is also an LED light indicating the status of the switch.

On both sides are two miniature high-speed DC gear reduction motors driving the wheels, with a speed of up to 300 revolutions per minute, enjoying a flying speed.

There are two line inspection heads at the front of the bottom of the car, used to detect black lines and edges, connected to the P13 and P14 interfaces of the micro: bit.

A metal universal wheel is installed at the front of the bottom of the car, and the car travels 360 degrees in all directions using the speed difference between the left and right wheels.

Two Rainbow LED full-color light beads are mounted on the bottom two side edges, connected to the P15 port of the micro:bit motherboard, and need to use the expansion Neopixel to drive the use of it, which can be used as a small car outline light or other functions.

Quick start

Preparation

Plug the battery pack's power cord into the cutebot.

Stick 3M double-sided tape onto the battery box.

Stick the battery box onto the Cutebot smart racing car.

Programming platforms

We usually use graphical programming platform makecode to program the micro:bit.

Programming platform entry: https://makecode.microbit.org/

Create a new project

Open [https://makecode.microbit.org/

New project

Enter the project name and click Create.

After entering the editor interface, we can see Micro: bit Simulator, Toolbox，Workspace.

Add software library

Click on "Extensions" in the Toolbox of the makecode programming interface.

Search for cutbot on the pop-up page and click to select the cutbot repository.

Software Blocks Explanation

Block	Founction	Parameter
	Set the speed of the left or right wheel of the car	Parameter 1: Value Value range: -100~100 Parameter 2: Value Value range: -100~100
	Set the car to run at a fixed speed in a certain direction for a specified time	Parameter 1: Drop down options Available options: Forward, Backward, Left, Right Parameter 2: Integer Value range is -100~100 Parameter 3: Natural numbers
	Set the car to move forward at full speed
	Set the car to move backwards at full speed
	Set the car to turn left at full speed
	Set the car to turn right at full speed
	设置小车立刻停车
	Set the car to stop immediately	Parameter 1: dropdown options optional: right RGB, left RGB, all Parameter 2: dropdown options options：
	Set the color of the car headlights in RGB mode	Parameter 1: dropdown options optional: right RGB, left RGB, all Parameter 2: natural numbers numerical range: 0~255 Parameter 3: natural numbers numerical range: 0~255 Parameter 4: natural numbers numerical range: 0~255
	Turn off the car headlights
	Determine the status of two line patrol sensors	Parameter 1: Drop down options Available options: Black Black, White Black, Black White, White White
	Determine the status of two line patrol sensors separately	Parameter 1: dropdown options optional: left, right Parameter 2: dropdown options optional: found, lost
	When the patrol head of the car detects the corresponding status, execute the internal program	Parameter 1: dropdown options optional: left, right Parameter 2: dropdown options optional: found, lost
	Detect the distance of obstacles in front of the car	Parameter 1: Drop down options Available options: centimeters, inches
	Set the 180 ° servo connected to the specified interface to rotate to the specified angle	Parameter 1: Drop down options Available options: S1, S2 Parameter 2: Natural numbers Value range: 0~180
	When receiving infrared signals, execute internal programs
	Determine the received infrared signal information	Parameter 1: Drop down options Available options: Menu Up、Left、Right、Down、OK、Plus、Minus、Back、0、1、2、3、4、5、6、7、8、9

Software Building Blocks Introduction and Examples

Sets the speed of the left or right wheel of the cart.

Sample Programs:https://makecode.microbit.org/_bV3cyW8JDPp7

You can also download the program directly from the following webpage.

How to download programs to micro: bit?

Connect the PC and micro: bit V2 using a USB cable.

After a successful connection, a disk drive named MICROBIT will be recognized on the computer.

Click on the bottom left corner of the，and select Connect Device.

Click。

Click

Select BBC micro:bit CMSIS-DAP in the pop-up window and then select Connect, and at this point, our micro:bit has connected successfully.

Click to download the program.

Result

Pressing key A of micro:bit moves the cart forward at 100%.

sets the cart to run at a fixed speed in a certain direction for a specified time.

Sample Program:https://makecode.microbit.org/_6sc5d0ij3WL9

你也可以通过以下网页直接下载程序。

*** Result: After pressing button A, the cart travels forward at 50% for 5 seconds and then stops. ***