K'Nex Education 79100, Education 79484 User Manual

USER’S GUIDE

ROBOTICS

Building System

Education

79100/79484

Education

V01 8-2016

Education

USER’S

GUIDE

ROBOTICS

Building System

CONTENTS

HARDWARE GUIDE .........................................3

SOFTWARE GUIDE ........................................16

WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD – Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

A NOTE ABOUT SAFETY:

Safety is of primary concern in science and technology classrooms. It is recommended that you develop a set of rules that governs the safe, proper use of K’NEX in your classroom. Caution students to keep hands, face, hair and clothing away from all moving parts.

K’NEX and K’NEX Education are registered trademarks of K’NEX Limited Partnership Group.

K’NEX ROBOTICS

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HARDWARE GUIDE

The K’NEX ROBOTICS CONTROL BOX

The K’NEX Robotics Control Box is the link between the computer and the electrical components in a model. It provides power for the electrical components and also acts as a buffer between the components and the computer. It can store and play up to 10 different programs.

The K’NEX Robotics Control Box is equipped with:

4 Motor Outputs

6 Sensor Inputs

Power Switch

Power Supply Socket

USB Port

2 Digital Outputs

To precisely control motor speed and direction.

To provide feedback and input to the Control Box. The sensors may be digital on/off switches (such as push button) or analog measurements (such as distance sensor).

To turn the Control Box on and off.

To power the Control Box via the provided power supply.

To connect the Control Box to a PC via a standard USB cable. Allows the PC to operate the Control Box directly or download programs for later use.

To operate LEDs.

LCD Screen

4 Buttons

Speaker

Microphone

Battery Compartment

Wi-Fi Compartment

(behind battery

compartment)

The K’NEX Robotics Control Box has the ability to recognize what is connected to it. For example, if you connect a motor to port A and another to port D, it will recognize that motors have been connected. The same is true for remote sensors and digital outputs.

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To display a list of programs and user options. Can also be used to display user generated images when running a program.

To navigate user options and select and run programs downloaded to the Control Box.

To play sounds.

To detect sound levels.

To house 6 “AA” batteries used to power models when not connected to the power supply.

(Optional) To house Wi-Fi module. When installed, Wi-Fi module allows wireless connection to the PC. (sold separately)

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K’NEX Robotics User’s Guide

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The K’NEX ROBOTICS

USB Plugged In

CONTROL BOX

LCD Screen

Inputs 1 - 6 for Sensors

STOP or BACK

Button

Speaker

Outputs A - D for Motors

Power Supply

Plugged In

Battery Power Level Indicator

Power Switch

Power Supply Socket

SCROLL Up Button

USB Port

Digital Outputs 1 and 2

ENTER or SELECT Button

SCROLL Down Button

Microphone

K’NEX ROBOTICS CONTROL BOX BUTTONS

The ENTER button is used to start programs, progress to the next screen, or confirm a choice.

The square STOP button is used to stop programs from running (press and hold) or return to the previous screen.

The SCROLL buttons are used to scroll through menus on the LCD screen.

K’NEX Robotics User’s Guide

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K’NEX ROBOTICS CONTROL BOX

SCREEN NAVIGATION GUIDE

Optional Wi-Fi screen

Wi-Fi screens start on next page

Press and Hold to Stop Program

Sensors needed for program to run will disappear upon insertion

Firmware Version Number

See pages 6 and 7 for Wi-Fi Navigation Screens

Serial Number

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K’NEX Robotics User’s Guide

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Chart continues

on next page

K’NEX ROBOTICS WI-FI SCREEN NAVIGATION GUIDE

(If equipped with optional Wi-Fi)

exit and save

exit without saving

K’NEX Robotics User’s Guide

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Move forward and back through characters

MOTORS

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Motors provide motion to models and contain a rotation sensor that allows precise control of the motor. Motors can be built into K’NEX models using the Power Take Off (PTO) Drive and rod loop on the motor housing. Connect motors only to sockets A, B, C or D along the top of the Control Box.

Commands in the K’NEX Robotics software can be used to control the speed and direction for each motor. Motors can be operated for a set number of seconds or a precise number of rotations.

PTO Drive Rod Loop

SENSORS

Sensors provide feedback to the Control Box to allow it to interact with its environment. Five different types of sensors are provided including 3 remote sensors and 2 sensors that are part of the Control Box.

The sensors and LED can each be assembled to a K’NEX model two ways; either by snapping the squared rod ends into a K’NEX connector or pressing the pins on the other side of the housing into the side openings of a K’NEX connector.

Touch Sensor

A simple push button switch is one type of touch sensor. When the button is pressed (input ON) the contacts connect together and allow current to ﬂow. When the button is released (input OFF) the contacts are open and no current ﬂows.

Distance Sensor

This sensor uses ultrasonic pulses to measure distance between the sensor and an object. The sensor has two components; an emitter and receiver. The emitter sends out an ultrasonic pulse which bounces off the object in front of it and is echoed back to the receiver. The receiver picks up the “echo” and calculates the distance between the sensor and the object based on how long it took for the pulse to travel from the sensor to the object and back. This same technology is used in rear parking systems in many modern cars and is very similar to echo location used by dolphins.

The Distance Sensor will work best when detecting large, hard, ﬂat surfaces. Small or curved surfaces, surfaces with many holes, and thin surfaces may not work properly with the sensor. Multiple distance sensors operated near each other may interfere with each other and cause incorrect readings.

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Color/Light Sensor

This is a dual use sensor which is capable of measuring either light levels or the color of an object. The sensor contains two separate sensor chips and a white LED which are visible behind the clear window on the end of the housing.

When used to measure light, the sensor will return values between 0% (dark or black) and 100% (light or white). Either sensor 1 or sensor 2 can be selected to measure light values independently. Additionally, a “light difference” option is available to measure the absolute difference between sensor 1 and sensor 2.

When used to measure color, the sensor will identify one of 6 color values: red, orange, yellow, green, blue or violet. When measuring color, only sensor 1 is used.

Microphone

This sensor is built into the Control Box and can only be used to measure sound levels.

OUTPUTS

Three different types of outputs are provided, two contained in the Control Box and one remote.

WHITE

LED

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

The monochrome LCD is built into the front of the Control Box. When the power is switched on, the display shows a welcome screen and then defaults to the main menu, which displays program and user options. The LCD can also be programmed to display text, variables or user generated graphics.

Speaker

The 8khz mono, speaker is built into the bottom of the Control Box and can be used to playback short sounds.

L.E.D. (Light Emitting Diode)

LED

The LED has four output states: Off, Red, Green or Yellow.

CABLES

Four different cable lengths are provided for connecting the motors and sensors to the Control Box. Each cable length has a uniquely colored plug end for easy identiﬁcation; 9” black, 13” red, 17” blue, and 21” yellow.

Only the provided cables should be used to connect components to the Control Box. DO NOT attempt to connect the Control Box to any device or component other than those provided by K’NEX. Doing so could damage the component, the Control Box or both and void all warranties.

A standard USB to mini USB cable is provided for connecting the Control Box to a PC.

POWER SUPPLY

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The power supply “transforms” the AC power from your household electrical outlet into DC power similar to that supplied by batteries. The power supply can be used to power the Control Box to conserve battery power. It is recommended that it be used to power the Control box when creating and testing control programs.

The power supply can be used at any time, either with or without batteries installed in the Control Box. The power supply cannot be used to charge batteries, as internal electronics prevent it from doing so.

DO NOT connect the Control Box to a power supply except the one supplied by K’NEX. Doing so could damage your unit and void the warranty. Please contact K’NEX for a replacement if your power supply becomes damaged or is lost.

Setting Up for the First Time

The K’NEX Robotics Control Box is the link between the computer and the electrical components on a model. It provides power for the electrical components and also acts as a buffer between the components and the computer. In order to use a computer to control these components, you will need to download the K’NEX Robotics software.

You will need:

• A PC (not Mac compatible) with an available USB port

• The K’NEX Robotics software (supplied at www.knex.com/robotics)

• The K’NEX Robotics Control Box (supplied)

• A USB connection cable (supplied)

• The power supply (supplied)

• Input and Output devices such as motors, LEDs,

and various sensors (supplied)

Step 1

Install the K’NEX Robotics software on your computer. For additional details of how to install and use the software, please refer to the software portion of this user guide.

Step 2

Connect the power supply lead to the socket on the side of Control Box and plug the power supply into a standard wall socket. Switch the Control Box on and the LCD will display the welcome screen and other information.

Step 3

The ﬁrst time a Control Box is connected to the USB port on a computer, the USB drivers will be installed by the computer.

• Connect the Control Box to the USB port on your computer with the USB cable.

• Windows will automatically detect a new device and install the necessary drivers.

A notiﬁcation window will pop up in the taskbar along the bottom of your screen to conﬁrm the driver status.

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Step 4

To use the Control Box with K’NEX Robotics software, it must ﬁrst be set up from the software.

1. Start the K’NEX Robotics software.

2. If this is the ﬁrst time K’NEX Robotics

software is opened then a “Choose the Connection” window will automatically open immediately after the software welcome screen.

3. Select “USB connection”.

4. Click on OK. These settings will be saved

and automatically used next time the program is loaded.

NOTE: No attempt is made to connect to the Control Box until you click on the ‘Connect’ control box icon from the software menu bar. If you are planning to use the optional Wi-Fi module to connect to the Control Box, please see the documentation accompanying the Wi-Fi module for how to set up the connection.

Step 5

Click on the Connect control box icon to establish connection to the Control Box.

When a connection is established the icon changes to show “Disconnect”, which is used to break off connection with the Control Box.

Using the K’NEX Robotics Control Box

After the Initial Set-Up

• Connect the Control Box to the power supply and switch the Control Box on.

It is possible to connect the Control Box to the computer using only battery power,

but we recommend using the power supply to conserve battery power for operation away from the computer.

• Connect the Control Box to the computer using the USB cable.

• Start the K’NEX Robotics software.

• Click on the Connect icon to establish a connection between the software and the

Control Box.

When a connection is established the icon will change to Disconnect (which is used to break

off connection with the Control Box).

There are two distinct modes of operating the Control Box.

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1. It can be connected to the computer and operate as an ordinary real time control

interface with the K’NEX Robotics software, providing real time feedback on the program’s status.

2. It can run a downloaded program while disconnected from the computer.

The program is stored and processed by a microprocessor in the Control Box.

Programs are stored in non-volatile memory in the Control Box so even if the power is disconnected or turned off, the programs will not be lost. When the power has been restored, select the desired program using the LCD menus and press “RUN”.

Running a Program When Connected

to the Computer

It is recommended to create control programs with the Control Box (and K’NEX model) connected to the computer. As you write the control program you can test the functionality of the model to ensure it works as intended. With the Control Box connected to the computer and a control program is open, click the “Start/Stop” Icon. The program will play directly to the Control Box. As the program plays you can watch it progress through each icon on the screen and in the map tab in the information panel.

Downloading a Program to the

K’NEX Robotics Control Box

Use the K’NEX Robotics software to write your control program – for more details see the software portion of this user’s guide. Once the control program has been written, it can be downloaded to the Control Box as follows:

• Check that the Control Box is connected to the PC and powered up.

• Select the “Download” icon from the toolbar.

• A “Download Manager” window will open.

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• Select the desired slot for your program by clicking on a number 1-10. The chosen row

will highlight. NOTE: You can choose a vacant spot or overwrite an existing program.

• Click “Download Program” and a “Control Program Name” window will open. Enter a name for your program (15 characters or less) and click “OK”.

• The “Control Program Name” window will close and the entered program name will show in the “Compile and Download” window along with the date and time the program was stored.

• Your program is now stored in the Control Box. Close the “Compile and Download”

window.

Running the Program when

Disconnected from the Computer

• Switch the power to the Control Box on.

• Using the LCD and buttons on the Control Box, navigate to the

desired program and press the “ ENTER” or “SELECT” button.

o If the sensors and motors match the control program, the

program will run. If there are no user programmed graphics being displayed, the LCD will display “running development control program”

o If there is a mismatch between the sensors and motors connected to

the Control Box and those called for in the program, the Control Box will prompt you to connect or “insert” the proper motors and sensors.

For example: “Insert… 3) Distance” means to connect the distance sensor to

port 3. As you make the proper connections the missing item will disappear from the prompts. Once you make all connections, the box will display “Sensors now correct. Enter to continue” Press the “Select” button again to start the program.

• To stop a program that is running, press and hold the “STOP” button until the

program stops. The LCD will display “Control program stopped”

• Press “STOP” again to return to the main menu to select and run another program.

o If no user programmed graphics are being displayed, the LCD will display

“program running”.

ENTER/ SELECT

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K’NEX Robotics User’s Guide

Stored Program Limits

The K’NEX Robotics Control Box has 2Mb of user program storage space.

• Ten programs can be stored in the Control Box.

• The maximum size of any single program is 64K (approximately

6500 symbols or steps!).

• Within each program there can be a maximum of 16 threads (starts) and an unlimited number of sub-procedures (with up to 14 nesting levels).

• Each program can use up to 64 variables.

• Each program can use an unlimited number of sound samples (up to

a maximum combined duration of 30s).

• Each program can use up to 32 images.

Technical Speciﬁcations

• USB V 1.1, V2.0 & V3.0 full speed compatible.

• Power supply, Output 7.5V, 2 A, regulated dc with a positive center and negative

outer pin.

• 6 sensor inputs.

• 4 motor outputs.

• 2 digital outputs.

• 1 speaker.

• 1 microphone.

• Suitable for use in a 32-104 degrees F (0-40C) operating range and 0-95% relative

humidity (non-condensing).

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Please note:

• The Control Box does not contain user serviceable parts.

• Using the Control Box in a way that is outside its normal operation (as described

in this manual) may impair the unit’s (warranty) protection and ability to function correctly.

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K’NEX Robotics User’s Guide

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TROUBLESHOOTING

Problem:

When I click on the Connect icon, I get a “Communications Error: could not connect to the interface” message.

1. Disconnect the power supply, reconnect and try again.

2. Check that the Control Box is powered and switched on.

3. Conﬁrm that the USB cable is ﬁrmly connected to the USB port on the Control Box

and the USB port on the computer.

4. Conﬁrm that the Interface/Connection is correct. (Select Interface from the File menu.)

If it still fails to respond, contact the Technical Support department at K’NEX.

Please provide the following details:

• The computer platform it is being used with (Windows 7, 8, etc.).

• The software and its version number (from the “Help” and “about” menu).

• A description of the problem being encountered.

If possible, telephone from a location where you can operate the Control Box and the computer with K’NEX Robotics software installed.

Problem:

I have switched an output on but the component plugged into the output is not working.

Check:

• The component is plugged into the correct port.

• The “Connect” icon in the K’NEX Robotics software shows as “Disconnect”.

• The Control Box is powered and switched on.

• There is not a loose connection.

• The I/O (Input/Output) Panel in the software indicates the output is switched on.

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K’NEX ROBOTICS

SOFTWARE GUIDE

Overview

The K’NEX Robotics software is a fully featured Control program. Designed for students 10+, it offers a simple yet powerful programming language that allows students to program and control K’NEX models and devices using the K’NEX Robotics interface.

The language is based on worldwide standard ﬂowcharting principals. Flowcharts offer a high level visual development environment, being both easy to understand and powerful; students can quickly achieve dramatic, positive and valid results.

In addition to the standard ﬂowchart language, the software offers a side-by-side view of the program as a traditional textually described program. This high level textual representation uses everyday language and avoids the risk of errors caused by complex syntax and typing entry errors. Offering both graphical and language views gives the student the best of both worlds!

Students are used to highly animated, highly visual stimuli (video games, TV, etc.). We need to engage the students by matching their expectations within an educational context:

• to a control project that helps the student to understand a problem.

• that the student can identify with, be it from rsthand experience or via a subject

area they are interested in.

The K’NEX Robotics set offers familiar and exciting models to engage the students.

The Software

The K’NEX Robotics software can be downloaded from www.knex.com/robotics and is designed to be installed on a single PC or a network of PCs.

Example control programs

The example control programs required to control 6 of the models in the K’NEX Robotics set are supplied at www.knex.com/robotics. They are not copied to the PC when the software is installed. If you wish to access these ﬁles you need to download them from www.knex.com/robotics.

Operating Modes

Simulation – The K’NEX Robotics software can run a student’s program without being

connected to the K’NEX Robotics Interface.

Real-time – The K’NEX Robotics software can control the K’NEX Robotics

interface directly. Click on the ‘Connect’ icon for communication to be established.

Remote – The K’NEX Robotics interfaces allows a control program to be downloaded

from the software into the interface to be run disconnected from the computer.

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System Requirements

Computer:

Operating System:

Minimum Software:

Display:

* If Microsoft.NET 4.0 framework is not detected during the installation setup

process, it will be automatically installed prior to the application install. This may extend the installation time signiﬁcantly.

PC with free USB port (not Mac compatible)

Windows 7, 8.1, 10

Microsoft.NET 4.0 Framework

1024 x 768

Installing the K’NEX Robotics Software

• Log on as ADMINISTRATOR (or with equivalent access rights) on the system.

• Close any open programs – you need to restart your machine after installation

for conﬁguration changes to be made.

• The K’NEX Robotics software can be downloaded from www.knex.com/robotics. After downloading the software, navigate to the location the ﬁles were downloaded and click on setup.exe.

• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation of the software and its associated ﬁles.

• When the installation is complete, restart your system.

Connecting the K’NEX

Robotics Interface

USB connection

The ﬁrst time the K’NEX Robotics interface is connected to a USB port on the computer,

the USB drivers will need to be installed.

1. Install batteries into the K’NEX Robotics interface or plug it into the provided

power supply and turn it on.

2. Connect the K’NEX Robotics interface to a USB port on the computer with the

provided USB cable.

3. Windows will automatically detect a new device and install the necessary drivers.

Starting the K’NEX Robotics Software

for the First Time

Start the K’NEX Robotics software by selecting it from the start menu.

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K’NEX Robotics User’s Guide

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Menu Bar

Standard Toolbar

Selector Toolbar

Symbol

Toolbar

The Screen Layout

Control Toolbar

Information Panel –

This panel contains 6 different tabs that

display different

information about the

control program.

Window Dividers –

drag left/right or

up/down to alter

window size/shape.

Edit Area – This is where the

ﬂowchart or procedure currently

being created, edited or reviewed

is displayed. Right click to alter

the scale of view.

Toolbars

The toolbars can be positioned at the top, bottom or left of the window. To move a toolbar, position the mouse pointer over the dotted line at the left end of the toolbar. When it becomes a

The Standard Toolbar

Stop All:

Stop all

programs or

procedures

symbol, click, hold down and drag the toolbar to the desired position.

Open:

Open an

existing

program

I/O Panel or the Selection Panel

• The I/O tab displays the state of all the inputs/ouputs/motors and sensors.

• If a symbol is currently selected then this area becomes the selection panel.

Print:

Print the

current

program

- contains several

formatting

options

Start/Stop:

Start or stop

a program

Single Step:

Run through

a program

one step at

a time

Download:

Download a program

to a control

box

New:

Create a

new control

program

Save:

Save the

current

program

Options:

Modify system

settings

Pause:

Temporarily

halt the running

program

Connect:

Connect to

a control

box

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K'Nex Education 79100, Education 79484 User Manual

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Frequently Asked Questions

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