RoboForge ✕
◆ RoboForge Learn 🎓 Teach 🗺️ Adventure 🤝 Together 🔁 Review ⋯ More 🧭 My Journey Teach the Cast Some of RoboForge’s cast are still learning. When you teach them, YOU learn it best — catch what they get wrong, then quiz them.
✕ Teach Sense You be the teacher — Sense is still learning. Helping Sense figure it out is the practice. (Sense's progress stays on this device; nothing is sent anywhere.)
🎓 In a minute you'll be the teacher. Get ready to teach Sense: sensors.
A robot only knows what its sensors measure. To stop before a wall, it needs a sensor that can detect the wall.
Teach the connections
Show how the robotics ideas connect You've helped them one at a time. The real understanding is how the ideas CONNECT — teach that next.
Sense (sensors and perception — the robot only knows what it can sense) × Loop (the control loop — read, decide, act, repeat)
A robot keeps bumping walls even though its program is fine. Why do Sense and Loop point at the sensors?
Loop's read step depends on Sense — if the robot cannot sense the wall, its read-decide-act loop is blind at the start and it bumps regardless of the program The control loop works perfectly even with no working sensors Sensors and the control loop are unrelated parts of a robot
Sense then says: “A robot's control loop runs fine even if its sensors detect nothing at all.” — is that right?
No — Loop's first step is Sense's reading; blind senses make the whole loop blind Right, sensors do not matter to the loop
The link: sensing is the read step the whole control loop is built on.
The loop can only act on what it can sense.
Loop (the control loop — read, decide, act, repeat) × Tune (testing and calibration — the first run fails; that is information; tune and run again)
A robot's first run overshoots every turn. How do Loop and Tune turn that failure into progress?
Tune uses Loop's repeat — each failed pass is information to calibrate the next one, so the loop improves every iteration A failed first run means the robot is broken and should be scrapped, not tuned The control loop and calibration have nothing to do with each other
Loop then says: “If a robot fails on its first run, that means it will never work and you should give up.” — is that right?
No — Tune treats Loop's failed pass as information; you calibrate and run the loop again Right, a failed run means give up
The link: the loop's repeat is where each failure gets tuned into progress.
Run, learn, adjust — and run the loop again.
Capstone — build one robot brain together Three parts of a working robot. Bring in the cast member for each.
Choose the senses right for the job. Who?
Who do you bring in?
Sense — sensors and perception Bolt — the chassis Tune — calibration
Turn power into controlled motion. Who?
Who do you bring in?
Drive — motors and actuators Loop — the control loop Sense — sensors
Read, decide, act, and repeat. Who?
Who do you bring in?
Loop — the control loop Drive — motors Bolt — the chassis
The synthesis: sense the world, drive the motion, and loop read-decide-act — the whole of a robot in three parts.
Sense, drive, and loop — a robot that thinks.
Try it in the sensor lab →
Reading Access Make reading comfier. Saved on this device only — nothing leaves your device.
Line spacing Normal Roomy Roomiest
Letter & word spacing Normal Wide Widest
Font Default OpenDyslexic Book
Reading tools Reading ruler Focus mode Read aloud Bigger tiles
Motion & sound No motion Sound off
Game look Usual Bigger and calmer
Same ideas with a younger band's look: bigger type and buttons, a rounder font, slower motion. For any child who wants it.
Heavy features Auto Full Lighter
Auto picks for this device. Lighter uses smaller downloads. Nothing is turned off.
Reset to defaults 