Make robot behavior measurable
Students connect movement commands to real distance, angle, drift, sensor readings, calibration, and repeatable tests. The level progresses from first safe motion to a state-based autonomous delivery mission.
ROBOTICS TRACK / LEVEL 03 ROADMAP
Robot Motion Lab
Turn code into controlled motion, measure what the robot actually does, calibrate sensors, and create basic autonomous navigation.
Roadmap status: robot platform validation pending
This is the intended learning path, not a released course or hardware promise. The provisional Arduino Alvik platform must pass physical motion, sensor, restart, battery, and safe-stop testing before this level’s plan can be frozen. Do not purchase Level 3 hardware from this page yet.
Level 2 logic is dependable
- Meet the Level 2 academic and safety readiness gates.
- Reason through named states and compound conditions.
- Change a function call or parameter and collect Serial evidence.
- Measure length, calculate simple differences, and record repeated values.
- Follow a wheels-raised first-motion and motor-stop protocol with an adult.
PROVISIONAL HARDWARE
One integrated learning robot
Arduino Alvik through Arduino C++
The current candidate combines motors, encoders, distance sensing, line and color sensors, and an IMU on one platform while preserving the Arduino programming progression.
Compile success is not physical proof
The C++ toolchain has compiled, but the real robot must still demonstrate the complete sensor, motion, restart, battery, and emergency-stop workflow. Hardware-dependent lesson details may change after that test.
Planning estimate: $140–$190 incremental before tax and shipping. This is a cost band, not a current shopping recommendation.
PLANNED LEARNING ARC
Twelve lessons
Lesson 01 / PreflightRobot subsystems and first safe movement
Verify the platform and make the first wheel-off-floor motion with a proven stop.
Lesson 02 / DriveDifferential drive, reverse, and pivot
Connect two independently driven wheels to straight motion and turning.
Lesson 03 / VocabularyParameterized movement functions
Create a small, reusable language for safe robot actions.
Lesson 04 / MeasureEncoder counts and distance calibration
Compare commanded motion with measured distance and record repeatability.
Lesson 05 / DistanceTime-of-Flight sensing and safe stopping
Measure obstacles and define a bounded stop behavior.
Lesson 06 / SurfaceLine-sensor calibration
Measure contrast, account for ambient light, and establish useful thresholds.
Lesson 07 / ReactDiscrete line following
Use explicit sensor rules and fixed corrections to follow a route.
Lesson 08 / ColorRGB readings and color commands
Calibrate readings and turn color evidence into a validated command.
Lesson 09 / AngleIMU threshold turns and drift
Measure rotation, compare trials, and describe uncertainty.
Lesson 10 / NavigateState-based navigation and recovery
Sequence a mission, handle one bounded failure, and stop safely.
Lesson 11 / IntegrateAutonomous-delivery prototype
Combine motion, calibration, sensors, states, and safety through subsystem tests.
Lesson 12 / ImproveChallenge run and measured revision
Run comparable trials, improve one variable, and explain the evidence.
CAPSTONE + READINESS
Autonomous delivery robot
Sense, navigate, arrive, stop
The planned robot starts safely, follows a route or checkpoint sequence, uses at least two sensor types, reaches a destination, and stops safely.
Measure before tuning
Students should be able to explain unequal motor behavior, gather repeated measurements, calibrate a sensor, tune one variable at a time, and distinguish one successful run from repeatable performance.