R17-U1 · usually age 17 · Autonomy Innovators

Robotics Software Systems

How do robot components communicate?

Outline: sessions not yet written

Build: ROS 2 simulated robot

Who it is for

Age is a starting point, never a limit. A learner who can show what this unit starts from can begin here at any age.

How they learn: By designing systems in C++ or Python, using simulation as preparation, and proving behaviour with measured trials.
The adult's role: An adult reviews safety, tools and higher-risk subsystems.
Session: 90–120 minutes
Hardware: Arduino, Raspberry Pi Pico, ESP32 or a Raspberry Pi computer. Many of these boards are 3.3 V: use level shifting for 5 V parts. Advance only after driver and power competency.

States
Describe and program behaviour as states, with a state diagram.
Built in R13-U3 Autonomous Behaviour
Latency
Measure and budget the delay from sensing to acting.
Built in R16-U2 Object Detection and Actuation
Functions
Write and reuse functions with parameters, such as forward(speed) and stop().
Built in R13-U1 Mobile Robot Hardware
Communication between boards
Send messages between boards (serial or I²C) and handle a lost message.
Built in R16-U2 Object Detection and Actuation
Versions and changes
Keep versions of code and designs, and say what changed between them.
Built in R14-U3 Data and Tuning

Modular robot software
Split a robot program into parts that pass messages.
Input for R17-U2 Build and Simulate, R17-U3 Safe Autonomy

No studio lab or activity for this unit yet.

This unit is an outline: a title, a question and an intended prototype. Its sessions, materials and adult guide are not written yet.