JOWETT MILLAN PADAYAO

VICTOR COLIN TAN

BS ME 4
ROBOTICS 11/21/16

Experiment No. 1 The Touch Sensor

Initially, the general objectives of the experiment are to be familiar with the
Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 kit and the Lego Mindstorms NXT application; to learn
about the user interface of the program; to perform different types of tools and
functions to create a program; and to load the program into the NXT controller. The
specific objective of this experiment is to be able to create a program that involves
touch sensor, paired with motors having a specific function.
The materials needed in this experiment are 1 servo motor, 1 Lego
Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Brick controller, 1 touch sensor and 2 35 cm cables and also 1
USB programing cable. Moreover, the experiment is divided into two activities to
know the specific event of programmed function when touch sensor is pressed.
Summary
First activity was the pressed and released function. After we have
programmed and completed the procedures given from the lab manual, and loaded
the program into the controller, the experiment worked perfectly. When we pressed
the run button, the motor immediately turned. When the touch sensor is pressed,
the motor changed its direction. This is what we had anticipated because the
program instructs that when we press the touch sensor, the motor changes its
direction as its specific function.
On the other hand, the second activity offers a different kind of event. When
we press the same touch sensor with different loaded program which relays a
bumped function, the motor stops with a very short delay. This is also what we had
expected as it was programmed.
Conclusion
The touch sensor basically acts a manual switching mechanism. It allows the
controller to perform a specific action or command when the sensor is pressed. In
the first activity, the motor turns in the other direction because the program
instructs an opposite direction (up and down arrow) from the flowchart. When
controller is initiated, the motor turns, and when sensor is pressed, motor turns the

other way. This will continue forever as because functions are inside the loop, and
so in order to make it stop, the NXT controller is used. In the second activity, the
main difference is that the specific function of touch sensor when pressed is that the
motor will stop as its programmed direction.
Answers

Activity 1
1. After

initially

running

the

program,

what

happens

to

the

motor?

The motor turns, as it is expected. The program in the NXT controller is

not yet actually activated unless we press the touch sensor as observed from
the flow chart.
2. Press and hold the Touch Sensor Button. What happens to the motor?
When the touch sensor button is pressed, the motor turns to other
direction. This will continue to go in that direction unless I released the
button.
Activity

1. Press and release the touch sensor button many times. Write your
observations:
Initially, the motor turns just like the first activity. Then, when touch
sensor button is pressed, the motor stops. When I pressed the button again,
the motor turns on and the loop goes over and over, again and again as I
pressed the button many times.