Laila Mirza

Coding Conclusion Questions

3.1.1
1. Describe how these motors and sensors may be used.
These motors and sensors can be used in many different ways. In a
classroom setting, the motors could be used to turn pulley systems, turn
gear chains, and create torque. Sensors are mostly used to start and stop
an action, like the ultrasonics use of distance can start or stop an action. In
real life, motors are used in engines and sensors can be anything from
automatic door sensors to alarm system sensors.
2. Describe scenarios where the motors or sensors did not respond as you
would predict.
If not programmed correctly, the bump switch would not even activate
the motor that it was supposed to. Sometimes ROBOTC would disregard
the bump switch action and just start the motor. Also, there was one time
that the left motor turned on but the right motor did not. They were, in
theory, supposed to turn at the same time, but only the left motor did.
Lastly, the green LED, no matter how much I thought the programming was
correct, would not turn on. I learned you have to triple check that the LED is
placed in the corresponding port that ROBOTC thinks it is in.
3.1.2
1. Describe any challenges that you encountered while developing
the program.
In this activity, there were not many challenges that I encountered. I
believe that this is due to the fact that I have worked with ROBOTC a little
bit previously, so I was well aware of how to program simple tasks. One
challenge, however, was making, that when I turn the motor one, to put the
start motor command back instead of skipping that part and placing the
wait time.
2. Describe how these outputs might be used in an application.
These outputs can be used in many ways and resemble many real
life situations. For example, because these tasks were simple, repetitive
commands, outputs like these ones can be used to power a traffic light and
turn on and off a light switch. Any real life command or task that involves a
single object doing one task over and over could be programmed by
outputs like the ones in 3.1.2. The most common example could be
powering an object on and off.

3.1.3
1. Describe any challenges that you encountered while developing
the program.
This activity was a little bit more difficult than 3.1.2 and it did bring its
share of challenges, but like 3.1.2, I was used to programming tasks like
these. I believe that the hardest task was dealing with the potentiometer.
You had to make sure that you chose the correct command (either greater
than or less than) in order to program the task correctly.
2. Describe three applications for the use of sensors that you worked
with in this activity.
One application of the LED light is a traffic light. Once it is given the
command to turn on, it can help direct and organize traffic. An application
for the potentiometer is a steering wheel. When the wheel is turned to a
certain position, it will activate the tires to turn in that direction too, causing
the car to turn. Lastly, an application for the bump switch could be an
elevator button. When the button is pressed, it starts the elevators
horizontal movement.
3.1.4
1. Describe any challenges that you encountered while developing
the programs.
Unlike 3.1.2 and 3.1.3, this activity was pretty difficult. The hardest
part about this activity was figuring out how to incorporate the while loop.
You had to make sure that you adjusted the curly brackets accordingly,
otherwise the command would not work. Once the while loop and
brackets were figured out, you had to make sure that you had 2 scenarios
for each part, so that the loop had a command for every possible outcome.
2. Describe one application each for While loops and If-Else structures.
A While loop and If-Else structure can be used as an automatic door
system. If an object (person) comes within 3 feet of the sensor, than the
doors will open. The doors will stay opened until the sensor does not sense
anything that if within 3 feet of it. So once the object (person) has gone past
3 feet of the sensor, the door closes. The door keeps opening and closing
every time it senses something in its area. Automatic doors are used in a
lot of public places, such as hotels, hospitals, malls, and other public
places. The while loop is used because the doors only do one simple task,
and they must do it all day long.

3.1.5
1. Describe any challenges that you encountered while developing
the program.
This activity was not as challenging as 3.1.4 (while loops) because
the layout was given to us on the 3.1.5 paper. It was a little simpler.
However, this activity did come with its challenges. I believe that the
hardest part about this activity was that one had to make sure that the
motors and sensors were all set up in the correct ports. Because if they
were not, the command would not work. It took a while before I figured out
that that was the problem.
2. Describe applications for variables and functions.
Variables are spaces in the robots memory where data is stored.
They improve the robots abilities to easily read and understand an entire
command. Functions are the motor or sensor that the variable is being
applied to. For example, in int speed; speed = 0, the variable is 0 and the
function is speed. Applications for variables and functions can include
programs such as solar panels. The amount of energy that a solar panel or
group of solar panels takes in depends on the amount of energy they
capture from the sun. The initial variable is anything > 0 (because 0 energy
intake is not efficient) and the function are the panels.
3.1.6
1. Describe an open loop system that has not already been given as an
example. Could the system benefit from feedback? Justify your answer.
There are many examples of open loop systems that are all around
us. Some common examples are washing machines, gas ovens, light
switches and more. The input is the desired time and wet clothes, the
controller is time, and the outputs are dried clothes. The system could not
benefit from feedback. Feedback, in this case, could be any malfunction
with the machine itself. This would not benefit the open loop system.
2. Describe a closed loop system that has not already been given as
an example. Describe the feedback utilized. Explain why this type of
feedback is utilized.
An example of a closed loop system could be a person and their
heater. The person would like a specific room temperature to remain
comfortable, so in order to heat up the house, they turn on the heater. The
heater heats up the house, and once the desired temperature is reached,
the person turns off the heater. But the next day, the temperature of the
house decreases, and the person does the same thing to heat up the

house. The feedback that was utilized is the persons desire for a
comfortable temperature. If the person did not have a desire to change the
temperature, the system would be open. Also, another feedback is the
decrease in temperature from the time the heater was turned off to the time
it was turned back on. Again, if this feedback was not utilized, the system
would not be closed.