Chapter 1 Challenges

Questions
1. What device will be the brain of your BOE Shield-Bot? The Arduino module.
2. When the Arduino sends a character to your PC/laptop, what type of numbers are used to
send the message through the programming cable? Binary numbers, that is, 0s and 1s. We
also saw examples of how the numbers that represent characters are ASCII codes, like 109
= m.
3. What is the difference between the setup and loop functions? The setup functions
statements get executed once when the sketch starts. After finishing the setup function,
the sketch advances to the loop function. Its code block gets repeated indefinitely.
4. Whats the difference between a variable name and a variable type? The variables name
is used for assignment and comparison in the sketch. The variables type defines the kind
and range of values it can store.
5. Whats the difference between global and local variables? Global variables can be
accessed and modified by any function in the sketch. Local variables can only be
accessed and modified within the block where they are declared.
6. What are the arithmetic operators? What does each one do? The arithmetic operators are
+ add, - subtract, * multiply, / divide, and % modulus.
7. What variable type will the Arduino editor apply to 21.5 if it appears in your code? Why? It
will be treated as a float type because it has a decimal point.
8. What three elements are included between parentheses in a for loop? Initialization,
condition, increment.
9. Whats the difference between a block comment and a line comment? A block comment
starts with /* and ends with */, and allows you to write comments that span multiple lines.
A line comment starts with // and makes whatever is to its right on that particular line a
comment.

Exercises
1. Write a piece of code that displays the value of i = followed by the value of stored in the
variable i in the Serial Monitor. Both should display on the same line, and then move the cursor
to the beginning of the next line for displaying more messages.
Serial.print("the value of i = ");
Serial.println(i);

2. Declare a long variable named bigVal, and initialize it to 80 million.

long bigVal = 80000000;

3. Write an ifelse statement that takes the modulus of a variable divided by 2 and
compares it to zero. If the result is zero, display The variable is even. If not, display The
variable is odd.
if(myVar % 2 == 0)
{
Serial.println("The variable is even. ");
}
else
 {
Serial.println("The variable is odd. ");
}

4. Write a for loop that starts counting at 21 and stops at 39, and counts in steps of 3.
for(int i = 21; i <= 39; i+=3)
{
Serial.print("i = ");
Serial.println(i);
}

5. Write a piece of code that displays the character a variable stores along with its ASCII value.
char c = "a";
Serial.print("Character = ");
Serial.print(c);
Serial.print(" ASCII value = ");
Serial.println(c, DEC);

6. Write a for loop, but instead of counting from one value to another, make it count from 'A'
to 'Z' and display the letters in the alphabet.
for(char c = 'A'; c <='Z'; c++){}

Projects
1. Write a sketch to display the printable ASCII characters. The first printable character is the
space character, which is one press/release of your keyboards space bar between apostrophes, like
this: . The last printable character is the tilde character ~. Alternately, you could use 32 for the
loops start value and 126 for the end value.
void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600);

for(char c = ' '; c <= '~'; c++)

{
Serial.print("Character = ");
Serial.print(c);
Serial.print(" ASCII value = ");
Serial.println(c, DEC);
}
Serial.println("All done!");
}

void loop()
{
// Empty, no repeating code.
 }
2. Write a sketch that tells you if a variable is odd or even. Hint: when a number is even, the
remainder of the number divided by 2 is 0. Hint: variable % 2 == 0.
void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600);

int a = 20;

if(a % 2 == 0)
{
Serial.print("a is even");
}
else
{
Serial.print("a is odd");
}
}

void loop()
{
// Empty, no repeating code.
}

Chapter 2 Challenges
Questions
1. How do you connect two leads together using a breadboard? Plug the two leads into the
same 5-socket row on the breadboard.
2. What function sets a digital pins direction? The pinMode function.
3. What function sets pin 13 to 5 V? What function sets it to 0 V? The digitalWrite
function does both, depending on its value parameter:
4. How can a sketch control the duration of a 5 V signal? Assuming a pin has just been set
high, the delay call can keep it high for a certain amount of time. Then, a digitalWrite
call can set it low.
5. What are the pulse durations that tell a continuous rotation servo to turn
a.full speed clockwise,1.3 ms pulses for full speed clockwise,,
b.full speed counterclockwise, (b)1.7 ms pulses for full speed clockwise
c.for staying still and (c)1.5 ms pulses for stay still.
6. Which call would make a servo turn faster? Why?
a.servoLeft.writeMicroseconds(1440) or
servoLeft.writeMicroseconds(1420). Full speed clockwise is
servoLeft.writeMicroseconds(1300), and stop is
servoLeft.WriteMicroseconds(1500).
b. servoLeft.writeMicroseconds(1420).
7.How can a sketch control the duration of a certain servo signal?
Servo.writeMicroseconds(value) followed by delay(ms) followed by
Servo.writeMicroseconds(newValue) or Servo.detach(pin) will keep the servo
turning for ms milliseconds.
Exercises
1. Write a loop function that makes an LED blink 5 times per second, with an on time thats
1/3 of its off time. (Disconnect the servos for this exercise!)
rd

void loop() // Main loop auto-repeats

{ // 200 ms -> 5 blinks/second
digitalWrite(13, HIGH); // Pin 13 = 5 V, LED emits light
delay(50); // ..for 0.05 seconds
digitalWrite(13, LOW); // Pin 13 = 0 V, LED no light
delay(150); // ..for 0.15 seconds
}

2. Write a setup function that makes the pin 13 servo turn full speed clockwise for 1.2
seconds, while the pin 12 servo stays still. After that, set both servos to stop.
void setup() // Built in initialization block
{
servoLeft.attach(13); // Attach left signal to pin 13
servoRight.attach(12); // Attach right signal to pin 12

servoLeft.writeMicroseconds(1300); // 1.3 ms -> clockwise

servoRight.writeMicroseconds(1500); // 1.5 ms -> stop
delay(1200); // ..for 1.2 seconds
servoLeft.writeMicroseconds(1500); // 1.5 ms -> stop
}

3. Write a setup function that makes one servo turn the same direction for 3 seconds. The
other servo should turn the opposite direction for the first 1.5 seconds and the same direction for the
second 1.5 seconds. Then, make both servos stop.
void setup() // Built in initialization block
{
servoLeft.attach(13); // Attach left signal to pin 13
servoRight.attach(12); // Attach right signal to pin 12

servoLeft.writeMicroseconds(1700); // 1.7 ms -> cc-wise

servoRight.writeMicroseconds(1300); // 1.3 ms -> clockwise
delay(1500); // ..for 1.5 seconds
 servoRight.writeMicroseconds(1700); // 1.7 ms -> cc-wise
delay(1500);
servoLeft.writeMicroseconds(1500); // 1.5 ms -> stop
servoRight.writeMicroseconds(1500); // 1.5 ms -> stop
}

Projects
1. Look up the servo librarys detach function and use it in place
of servoLeft and servoRight.writeMicroseconds(1500) to stop servos after they
turn for 3 seconds.
/*
Robotics with the BOE Shield Chapter 2, Project 1
Generate a servo full speed counterclockwise signal with pin 13 and
full speed clockwise signal with pin 12.
*/

#include <Servo.h> // Include servo library

Servo servoLeft; // Declare left servo signal

Servo servoRight; // Declare right servo signal

void setup() // Built in initialization block

{
servoLeft.attach(13); // Attach left signal to pin 13
servoRight.attach(12); // Attach right signal to pin 12

servoLeft.writeMicroseconds(1700); // Pin 13 counterclockwise

servoRight.writeMicroseconds(1300); // Pin 12 clockwise
delay(3000); // ..for 3 seconds
servoLeft.detach(); // Stop servo signal to pin 13
servoRight.detach(); // Stop servo signal to pin 12
}

void loop() // Main loop auto-repeats

{ // Empty, nothing needs repeating
}
 2. Write a program that makes the pin 13 servo turn counterclockwise while the pin 12 servo
turns clockwise. After 3 seconds, make both servos turn counterclockwise for 0.6 seconds. Then,
make both turn clockwise for 0.6 seconds. Then, make the pin 13 servo turn clockwise and the pin
12 servo turn counterclockwise for 3 seconds.