Begginer's guide to:

L E G O E D U C A T I O N

M I N D S T O R M S E V 3R O B O T I C S L E S S O N S

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Classroom layout

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The right classroom layout is essential for lesson development.With the proper arrangement of workstations in the room, you cancreate a learning environment that will facilitate effective and safelearning. We recommend a layout, in which the workstations are placed nearthe walls of the room to give a clear space in the middle for groupactivities and fun. The teacher’s desk faces the middle of theclassroom, which allows her to see all the groups easily. The mainscreen should be mounted behind the teacher’s desk.

This classroom layout hasmany benefits for theteacher. First of all, thecomputer screens of all thestudents’ workstations arevisible from any part of theclassroom. This allows the

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teacher to supervise the progress of each pair of students easily andquickly diagnose any potential problems.

Free space in the middle ofthe robotics lab can be alsoutilised in the testing phaseof the lesson. Since some ofthe robots are mobile, thereis a great need for freespace to safely test theiroperation.

When you want to bring yourstudents’ attention to themain screen or discuss somecrucial issues with a wholegroup, it's good to gather inthe middle of the roomwhileleaving the robots behind.This will help your students tofocus better.

Classroom organisation

To improve the functioning of the robotics workshop, a good workorganization is essential. In the robotics lab, you will usually workin pairs, which stimulates creativity of your students and helpsthem develop crucial communication and collaboration skills. Every workstation should, therefore, consist of a relatively largedesk or a table, and two chairs ands suitable equipement. The keypieces of equipment are the robotic LEGO sets. Each group shouldhave access to one complete LEGO Education Mindstorms EV3 set,and a compatible computer. Avoid using tablets since the softwareavailable for those devices has much smaller possibilities.

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Classroom organisation

To improve the functioning of the robotics workshop, a good workorganization is essential. Start by preparing the kits properly. Usethe sorting system prepared by the manufacturer, utilising thesorting tray and stickers. Set the rules for working with sets with the students. After work,they should dismantle the robots and sort the elements into theappropriate compartments.

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Don't forget to power the sets. For the robotics lab to functionefficiently, you need a constant supply of charged batteries. Inpractice, ordinary AA rechargeable batteries work better thandedicated solutions from LEGO. These batteries do not increase the size of the EV3 bricks, so it'seasier to use them in robot constructions. Thanks to their low price,you can stock up on them, providing easy access to power forrobots. It is also worth remembering that AA batteries will also beused for purposes other than just powering Mindstorms robots.

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LEGO Mindsorms EV3 set

The first LEGO Mindstorms set was revealed to the public in 1998,However, prototypes of the key element of the set – programmablebrick – were being developed even earlier, in 1987. At that time, in MIT Media Lab, Seymour Papert was leading theteam working on this very project. He also introducedconstructivism into the world of education (learning by creating)and designed the very first educational programming language,Logo. The overall success of the Mindstorms series is thereforefounded on many years of research and development. Interestingly, the principle behind the sets never changed. Every setcombines the popular LEGO Technic bricks, great for buildingmiscellaneous mechanisms, with specially fitted electronicmodules, such as motors, sensors and the microcontroller, alsoreferred to as the control brick. Robots created with these elementscan be programmed in a simple and kid-friendly programmingenvironment.

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Building elements

All 541 bricks of the Education set are dominated by white and gray,with sparse tinges of red, black and other colors. Here, you’ll findstraight Technic beams in 8 different lengths, 7 types of bentbeams and two kinds of beam frames. Three studs long Technicbeams are available in 5 base colors (red, green, blue, yellow,black), so you can surely use them for experimenting with the colorsensor. The set also contains axles of 10 different lengths and 3types of axles with end stop. In order to connect axles with beams and frames, you can use 7types of pins (which include smooth and friction pins for creatingconnections of varying strength), or one of 18 types of connectors,axle to pin ones included. For blocking, or separating bricks on anaxle, you can choose from 2 types of bushings, or pin joiners (alsoknown as tubes). What’s more, you’ll find that the Education sethas 10 different kinds of gears (normal and bevel ones) and twosmall turntables. In total, there are 30 elements for creating gearmechanisms, so you can design models with miscellaneoustransmissions and ratio.

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Beams (Beams) are the basic building blocks not only in the LEGOMindstorms kits but also in a whole series of Technic sets. Thelength of the beam is determined by the quantity of the mesh – thebeam is one stitch length of about 8 mm in terms of a standard unitof length.

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Beams are widely used to create lightweight and durableconstructions with built-in angles (contained in the beam "L", "T",and the double-curved beam 3x4x7 - angle beheaded). They arealso one of the more reliable elements to use when the structureneeds to be made stronger.  It should be noted that  beams canhave one or two cross holes.  The illustration shows all the EV3beams included in the LEGO Education Mindstorms EV3 set.

The largest group of parts in the kit are the numerous types andcolours of connectors (Connectors). In the construction of LEGOTechnic, their function is similar to nails, screws and hinges instandard constructions of wood or metal. The selection of aconnector depends mainly on the type of connection you want toachieve. The set point is very high, which results in an unlimitednumber of possible combinations.pins and axle pinsThere aremany diverse resource pins (Pins) in the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 kit.There is a variety of colors so you can identify the type and functioneasily and quickly.In particular, there are short pins with a length oftwo units in two variants – black (E), equipped with piping toincrease friction, guaranteeing a rigid and strong connection; andgray (A), smooth, used for free calls, which are characterized by ahigh degree of mobility.

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Axes (Axles) are a very useful element of the set . First of all, theycan be used to transfer power from the engines included in the kitto all moving parts of the structure; in particular, wheels ortracks.  In addition to this function, the axes play the roles ofconnectors, serving for bonding and strengthening structures usingholes, the cross section located in the beam function, gears, andother components of the kit.  Axes are of different lengths – incontrast to the beams, the set includes axles with an even and oddnumber of modules. Even axes are usually black, and the odd are

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gray, making it easierto find the length ofthe axis you need. Tocheck the length of theselected axis, you canuse the supplied rulers,or simply put the longaxis along the beamand count the numberof meshes, whichmatch.

If you want to piece together a vehicle, you can use two largewheels with wide tires, smaller wedge belt wheels, or a steel ballplaced in a plastic socket – a remarkably useful element. Forexample, it can serve as a great support wheel for two-wheel driverobots. The tracks included in the set are made of mulitple plastictrack links joined together. Connect them with sprocket wheels andyou’ll create a perfectly functional chain drive. Vehicles with such acaterpillar drive advance well enough, but since the plastic surfaceis smooth, some gliding may occur. The easy solution is to purchaserubber attachments. Inserting them into holes of the track linksnoticeably increases traction. These attachments are available inthe extension set produced by LEGO Education, purchasedadditionally. Nonetheless, you can always buy these elementsseparately.

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Gears differ in terms of their size, the number of cogs and intendeduse. Gears are necessary when constructing such mechanisms ascogged and worm drives. Thanks to them it is possible tomechanically change the parameters of motors movement such asthe speed, torque, direction and plane of rotation.  The set LEGOMindstorms EV3 contains the whole selection of gears.

Their thickness is usually equal to the thickness of one LEGOmodule. The exception are beige angular gears with the thicknessof half the module.

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Apart from classic gears, the set also includes knobs – a type ofgears with four insets performing the function of cogs. Knobs canbe connected both in the same plane and perpendicularly. WormGear is a threaded sleeve laid on the axis, length: 2 units. Block isthe basic element of a worm gear. Ratio of a gear depends on theapplied gear and amounts to 1 to the number of cogs. The gear canbe driven only on the part of the worm. The gear changes the planeof rotation.

Electronic parts

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The set provides two large DC motors and one smaller one, as wellas a microcontroller, known as the EV3 Brick. You also get a numberof different sensors. Motors and sensors can be connected with thebrick by means of cables with plugs. Cables constitute the onlyelement that wears out considerably soon, because plugs getdamaged easily. You may think about stocking up – LEGOEducation distributors can often help with that. The main function of the EV3 Brick is to control created robots. As amatter of fact, the Brick is a microcontroller based on the ARM9processor with Linux OS packed into one large LEGO brick. It’sequipped with display, speaker, 6 buttons (5 programmable ones,highlight included), 4 input ports, 4 output ports, mini USB port forcomputer connection, USB port, Micro SD port (up to 32 GB) andbattery case. Communication with the device is possible via USBcable, built-in Bluetooth module, or WiFi (if you plug the externalWiFi module into the USB port of the Brick).

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In use, the Brick performs quite well. However, its menu is notexactly user-friendly and start-up takes a bit of time (around 30seconds), which may be irritating for some. From time to timeerrors do occur; the Brick may crash or turn off on its own accord. Insuch cases, it usually helps to update the firmware, or reset theBrick. If you’re having other problems with the Brick,  thisarticle might help you out.

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In both versions of the EV3 set you’ll find two large and onemedium DC motors. All motors have a built-in rotation sensor. Oneof its possible uses is to coordinate two motors present in oneconstruction, so that the robot advances straight forward. Sensorreadouts can also be used in programming exercises, i.e. as controllevers. Rotation control in both types of motors is very precise (upto 1°), thanks to the built-in tachometer.

Large motors have higher powerand a big rotating head, whichfacilitates drive transmission. Theyreach 170 rpm. The smaller motoris capable of higher speed (up to250 rpm) at the expense of thepower available.

Thanks to its size,it can be easilyincorporated intonumerousconstructions.

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Touch sensor is included in both versionsof the set. It’s a simple analog sensor,which detects whether the button is beingpressed, or not. You can use it to run orstop operation of a construction, to createbumpers, or to count button presses.

Color sensor is included in the Home andEducation version of the LEGO MindstormsEV3 set. It collects data concerning colors(distinguishes 8), or light intensity(ambient, or of a reflected beam). It can beuseful in line followers, sumo fights, orsorting devices.

Together with 5 buttons on the EV3 Brick, they are touch sensors aswell!), you may even create an advanced system to control yourrobot.

The gyro sensor is available only in the Education version. Composedof several accelerometers, this sensor measures angular position andcan detect changes in the position of an object with the accuracy of3° in all axis of rotation. It can prove especially helpful when creatingbalancing robots, or controllers reacting to changes in tilt.

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The ultrasound distance sensor, producesultrasonic waves, which uponencountering an obstacle rebound andreturn to the sensor. The time elapsedbetween sending and retrieving of thesignal is used to estimate distance fromthe obstacle. The measurement is quite precise (+/- 1 cm); themeasuring range covers 1 to 250 cm. In addition to distance, thesensor can produce ultrasounds and detect ultrasounds in itsenvironment. Thus, this element can be used to measure distance,pass through labyrinths, or detect objects.

All electronic elements are good-quality. The very first problemsappear only after a few years ofintense use. Purchasing additionalcables (they break down first) andindividual electronic modules isdefinitely worth considering. Otherproducers have even more sensors intheir offer and they are definitelyworth checking out.

Programming

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LEGO Mindstorms EV3 sets can be programmed through thededicated app, based on LabView. You can access it on computersand tablets. The EV3 software allows to program robots in an intuitive graphiclanguage. Programs are created by dragging individual instructionsto the start block. Once completed, the program must be uploadedto the EV3 Brick. When you activate it, the commands included inthe program will be executed from left to right. Every instructionblock can be adjusted  through various options. Overall, theenvironment is good for controlling LEGO robots in a simple andprecise manner. Programs are created easily, almost intuitively,and all block options are visible right away. The only problemconcerns the size of the blocks. Longer, more complex programsdon’t fit on the screen, which forces users to scroll the preview. Thisflaw makes the process of creating advanced programs slightlyinconvenient. However, it’s rarely a problem for projects executedduring school robotics classes.

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At a later stage of education, it’s possible to introduce textprogramming of the EV3 robots. The language selection is quitewide. You can choose from the dedicated languages: EV3Basic andRobot-C, or even take up one of the classics, e.g. Java or Python(after you install a new OS on the EV3 Brick – moreon  ev3dev.org).The EV3 Brick connects with the computer, ortablet, by using Bluetooth technology, WiFi (if you attach theexternal WiFi module), or USB cable. The last method is perhapsplain, but trouble-free. Once you upload a program to the Brick,you can disconnect the USB cable and the robot will operateautonomously. Programming the EV3 sets on a computer provides the mostpossibilities and enables you to fully exploit their potential. You getaccess to a full palette of programming blocks, which are groupedinto 6 categories. You’ll be able to browse action blocks (controllingmotors, display and highlight of the Brick buttons), flow controlblocks (waiting, conditions, loops), sensors blocks, data operationsblocks (variables, lists, mathematic operations), advanced blocksand finally, blocks created by the user.

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The Education app works on computers with Windows (7, 8 and10), or with Mac OS in version 10.6 or newer. You can download theapp here.

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Conclusions

LEGO Mindstorms EV3 sets have many assets and stand out amongcompetitors, regardless of the version. The building system is easyand quick, the elements are durable. Since the entire set is foundedon LEGO bricks, all constructions can be assembled in a nice, easyway and most importantly, very swiftly. Construction and electronicelements are diversified, which equips teachers with basis forearnest teaching of elementary mechanics and physics. These setsalso develop creativity, because they encourage testing outindividual ideas. Undeniably, they have wide possibilities and canbe used even on higher levels of education. Many colleges anduniversities decided to adopt the EV3 into their robotics andmechatronics labs. The software for programming robots (especially in the PC version)is a great tool for learning basics of programming. It allows users tocreate advanced programs easily, in an intuitive manner, whichfosters computational thinking and helps beginners to understandbasic concepts without any need for learning complicated syntax oftext programming languages.

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Although they can be a little messy and require some planning andforethought, robotics classes using LEGO Mindstorms EV3 sets are afun way to teach children essential STEAM skills in a way that willfire their imaginations and that they’ll remember for years to come. If you’re interested in running a robotics workshop and would likesome more advice on how to make it a resounding success, registerfor one of our free webianrs. In addition to plenty of time-saving and organizational tips thewebinar will include information on where to find new roboticslesson ideas. You’ll find out which kits are our favorites and how topick the right kit for your students. Plus, you’ll get the chance towatch a demo robotics lesson and meet a functioning robot.    To register for the free webinar, click here. In the meantime if youhave any questions or you would like some advice about how tointroduce robotics into your school’s curriculum please email usat support@robocamp.eu and we’ll respond as soon as we’re able.Good luck!