Lego Meeting Summary:9/29/2013

Hey, BrickBusters!
In today's meeting, we started off by directly going to the board and understanding the missions. There were some missions that had restrictions,whereas some were pretty straight forward. Then, we all were divided into groups, and each group tried and understand some of the missions that were assigned. This way, the work got faster and then each group explained the missions that they studied to everyone. We also started to plan and arrange the order in which we think we should perform the missions. The groups were as follows-
1-Mukund, Srikar and Shaun who studied the bottom part of the missions.
2-Samarth and Shane who studied the middle part of the missions.
3-Medhini, Suhani and Shreya who studied the top part of the missions.
After looking at the missions, we had a glance at the stemcentric tutorial of Data Variables and Operations for EV3. Unfortunately, we never got time to start the presentations and decided to start them next class. The homework for next class, is as follows-

• Get ready to present about your solution towards wildfires for next class.
• Look at the missions and think as to what accessories can we build in order to accomplish the missions. (You can either look at a mission that you like, or choose from the missions that your group worked upon)

Thanks, and Go BrickBusters!

Samarth.

9/26/2013 Meeting Summary

Hello BrickBusters,
        Sorry this is late. In today's meeting, we basically just discussed about our ideas for different solutions possible to either detect wildfires ahead of time or to prevent damage. We all came up with many great ideas! Some of them included sprinklers that spray water in dry areas, sprinklers that spray Alumina Trihydrate (ATH) in the dry areas in the forest, animal tracking devices,drones, and other detectors.
This is the homework for next class:

1. Research about and work on your solution.
2. Read the EV3 help on data wiring and variables

Thanks and Go BrickBusters!!!

        Srikar

Fire Retardant Link

Hey BrickBusters,
Here are the links I was talking about today:
http://www.hubermaterials.com/products/alumina-trihydrate-ath-magnesium-hydroxide-mdh/flame-retardants-smoke-suppressants.aspx
AND
http://www.hubermaterials.com/products/alumina-trihydrate-ath-magnesium-hydroxide-mdh/flame-retardants-smoke-suppressants/how-flame-retardants-smoke-suppressants-work.aspx

Thanks, and Go BrickBusters!

Lego Meeting Summary: 9/22//2013

Hello BrickBusters,
          In today's meeting, we first started by reviewing what we had learned last time about the switch blocks, and how they function. In addition to this, we learned about the "My Block Builder" tool in the EV3 software, its function (to reduce the amount of clutter). After that, Coach assigned us the job of programming the robot to move back whenever the robot senses the following colors: black, red, green, blue, and yellow. We split into three groups to make the program and test it: Sriya, Medini, and Suhani; Mukund and Shane; Srikar, Samarth, and Shaun. After the programming, we all shared the solutions that we had in mind. Here were some ideas of solutions:

1. Balloon(Samarth)
2. Animal Detector(Suhani)
3. Sprinkler System(Srikar)
4. Tunnel(Mukund)
5. Detector. Firefighters on alert when weatherman announces any thunderstorms during the day.(Medini)
6. Method used to "control" the weather(Samarth)-Can be implemented into our solution

This is our homework for Thursday:

Programming:

• Watch the Stemcentric Tutorial if you haven't already
• Learn about variables/data inputs/my blocks
• Read about and understand the missions. http://www.firstlegoleague.org/sites/default/files/Challenge/NaturesFury/NATURE%27S%20FURY%20Challenge.pdf

Project:

• Research about the current solutions for preventing or stopping wildfires.
• Come up with other solutions possible. List their pros and cons.

Here is another link useful that talks about many wildfires. Coach has also sent out an e-mail.

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-wildfire.htm

Thanks and Go BrickBusters!!!

Srikar

FLL Meeting: September 19th, 2013

Hey BrickBusters!

Sorry this is late, but here it is.
We had a great debate/discussion on what our project topic should be; the Tillamook Burn or the Dalles wildfire. We debated so much and it was split so perfectly, that, in the end, we chose to research both for our project. This will be beneficial because we will have a wide variety of information to present to the judges, and we will also have two field trips.

In addition to the debate, we learned about Switch Blocks, Loop Blocks, Loop Interrupts, and how to link multiple processes in the new EV3 software. Our homework is as follows:

1.) Research on potential resources for the Tillamook and Dalles fires. Also, look at solutions and come up with a few ideas yourself.

2.) Work on creating a program using the EV3 software with a switch block, loop block and possibly try to run multiple processes at once.

Thanks, and Go BrickBusters!

Meeting: September 15th, 2013

Hey BrickBusters!

In our meeting today, we began to learn about programming with the new EV3 software. Coach had created a small program in which the robot would go onto the small mat, sense the black line, turn around, say the word "black", and repeat. We were supposed to replicate this program. We learned about the rotation block and the other move blocks, as well as working with the new color sensor and the loop. We finished building the EV3 robot, so we were able to program it and use the color sensor. We were all able to successfully complete the program, and we ran them perfectly.

After we completed working with the EV3, we all gave our presentations/speeches on the community or wildfire we chose. Here were the chosen communities:

Medini: Warm Springs fire (July 20th, 2013) : Lighting 

Suhani: Arizona (Yarnell) (20th June 2013, 8324 acres burned caused by lightning

Sriya: Dalles: 3 fires happened (Aug 18-19, 2013): 4700 acres ( buildings damaged): Lightening 3 places. 

Samarth: California (Cedar fire/San Diego Oct 25th 2003): 100000 acres. Human caused. $2 billion damaged. 

Srikar: Yellowstone fire  June 1988- nov 1988, 1.2 acres were burned.

Shane & Shaun: Tillamook fire 1930s

Mukund: The Dalles (same as Sriya)

We took a vote, and in the end it came down to the Dalles fire and the Tillamook fires. Because of that, we will have a debate next Thursday, and here is our homework preceding the debate:

1.) Go through the new EV3 software tutorial video (on StemCentric), and learn the basics.

2.) Prepare for the debate:

Dalles fire: Mukund, Medini, Sriya, Suhani

Tillamook fire: Srikar, Samarth, Shane, Shaun

Justify your choice and be prepared.

Thanks, and Go BrickBusters!

- Mukund Madhusudan

Lego Team Meeting: September 6th, 2013

In this meeting, we had to accomplish 2 things:

1. We had to program the robot to sense a back line and come back (Samarth, Srikar, Shaun, etc.)
2. We had to build a moderately strong chassis with the EV3 for testing on the Robot Game Board (Mukund and Shane)

Building the chassis was fairly easy because of a new part in the EV3. It looks like a square with a bunch of holes in various locations for the pins. We were able to connect both motors perfectly placed 1  

stud apart. After that we added plenty of exterior and interior supports and braces to make sure that, in the occasion the EV3 got stepped on, dropped or tripped over, it would suffer no major damage except  

for a couple of loose pins. After placing the brick, we put on the wheels (with much difficulty).

For programming Srikar, Shaun and Samarth created a program that worked in theory, but malfunctioned due to the distance between the floor and the color sensors. The NXT brick might have been switched with the older version, and compatibility may have been a problem.

To wrap up the meeting, coach showed the team the stuck on parts and pieces on the lard, complete after 3 meetings worth of preperation and building. For next meeting, remember to bring a lot of research in on wildfires.

Thanks, and Go Brickbusters!!!

Shane Puthuparambil