Page 93 - The Unofficial Guide to Lego Mindstorms Robots
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5
Minerva, a Robot with an Arm
In this chapter:
• Building Instructions
• Programming
• Directional Transmission
• Pulleys
• Mechanical Design
• Two Sensors, One Input
• Where Am I?
• Online Resources
Minerva is a mechanical marvel. Although she has the same wheel layout as Trusty, Minerva's drivetrain is radically different.
In addition, she has a simple arm with a grabber, which allows her to pick up and drop small objects. Best of all, Minerva can
be built with the pieces from the RIS alone. The grabber arm is operated by a single motor. The other motor powers the
drivetrain, which moves the robot forward or spins it in place. Figure 5-1 shows a picture of this remarkable robot.
Figure 5-1.
Minerva, a mechanical masterpiece
When you run Minerva's program, she drives straight forward. When the light sensor (mounted on the end of the grabber arm)
sees something dark, Minerva stops driving. She uses the arm to try to pick up whatever the light sensor saw.
