Modular Robotics MOSS Exofabulatronixx 5200 User Manual

Exofabulatronixx 5200

Guide to Getting Started

MOSS is designed and assembled by Modular Robotics in
Boulder, CO USA from components made all over the world.

Modular Robotics
3085 Blu Street
Boulder, CO 80301

[phone]

For questions and more robots, visit:

www.modrobotics.com

1. Getting Started

A

Extended
Battery
x1

Every MOSS robot needs a Battery Block. The Exofabulatronixx 5200

A

kit includes one Extended Battery Block. Flip the power switch on and
the green LED will tell you that your Extended Battery Block is
charged. It’ll turn red when it’s getting low, but you can recharge it
using the included Micro USB cable. Just plug it into your computer
until the yellow charging light turns o!

Attach a Motor Block so that one of its green power faces is

B

connected to a green power face on the Extended Battery Block. Now
the Motor Block is powered, but it still needs an input to tell it how to
spin.

Attach a Proximity Sensor with one of its green faces connected to a

C

green power face on the Extended Battery Block. Make sure that the
red data-output face of the Proximity Sensor is connected to one of
the Motor’s brown data-input faces.

Woo! You just created a simple MOSS robot. The Motor now responds

D

to the Proximity Sensor. Move your hand in front of it to nd the sweet
spot where the Motor stops and changes direction.

Proximity
Sensor
x1

Motor
x1

B

C

D

2. Face Colors

Understanding the colors of MOSS faces is essential to building robots. Power and
Data must ow through your construction without mixing. If they do, you won’t hurt
MOSS, but your robot may misbehave.

Power

Green faces route power
throughout a MOSS robot.
Once a block is powered by
connecting a green face to a
Battery Block, its other
green faces will power more
blocks.

Data Out

Red faces broadcast data.
For instance, the red face on
a Proximity Sensor sends out
data according to how close
it is to an object.

Data In

Brown faces listen for data
to tell that block what to do.
Connect a red face on a
sensor to the brown face on
a Motor Block and it’ll drive
according to the sensor’s
output.

Pass-through

Blue faces can conduct
either Power or Data, but not
both at once. You can use
the blue faces on a Flexy
Block to connect two faces
that can’t be arranged to
touch.

3a. The Brain Block

Introduction:

You can remotely control your robot with Bluetooth using a Brain
Block! The Exofabulatronixx 5200 includes a Double Brain Block. The
Double Brain has eight red data faces, numbered one through eight.

You can use the Double Brain to pair your constructions with any of
our free iOS or Android MOSS mobile apps. Pair your Double Brain to a
Mac or PC to reprogram your Brain Block using MOSS Scratch or
MOSS Flash. By pairing with dierent applications you can remotely
control your constructions, read data from sensors, and reprogram
your construction to exhibit entirely new behaviors. Learn more at
www.modrobotics.com/moss

Two constructions in this guide require the use of the Brain Block.
You’ll need to pair via Bluetooth with a mobile app to control and
maneuver those robots.

As you build, note the numbered faces on
the Double Brain Block. They correspond to
the numbered controls in apps such as
MOSS Control.

Look for this symbol to know
when a construction requires
a Bluetooth-connected
mobile device to operate.

“Made for iPod,””Made for iPhone,” and “Made for iPad” mean that an electronic accessory has been designed to connect

specically to iPod, iPhone, or iPad, respectively, and has been certied by the developer to meet Apple performance
standards. Apple is not responsible for the operation of this device or its compliance with safety and regulatory standards.
Please note that use of the accessory with iPod, iPhone or iPad may aect wireless performance.

Made for Apple iPhone®, iPad®, and iPod®

iPhone 5s
iPhone 5c
iPhone 5
iPhone 4s
iPhone4
iPhone 3GS

iPad (4th generation)
iPad mini
iPad (3rd generation)
iPad 2
iPod touch (5th generation)
iPod touch (4th generation)

3b. Pairing the Brain Block

When using your Double Brain Block you’ll need to pair it with an

A

Android or iOS mobile device. Before you begin, make sure your
device has Bluetooth capability and it is turned ON.

Connect your Double Brain Block to the Extended Battery and

B

turn the battery on. If you do not see a series of ashing colors on
your Double Brain Block or need help with this step, please refer
to Section “1. Getting Started.”

Once you power on your construction, you’ll need to use your

C

mobile device to complete the pairing. Open your Bluetooth
settings and look for the MOSS Brain Block you wish to pair with.
For additional help please refer to your specic device’s support
guide.

When you pair with a MOSS Brain Block, its LED indicator light

D

will turn solid blue indicating a successful connection. You are now
ready to use one of our free mobile apps to play!

R G B C M Y W

The ashing lights on a Brain Block are
the identifying code. Each color
corresponds to a letter at the end of a
MOSS block name. For example a red
light corresponds with the letter “R.”
Use the three color codes to tell
MOSS brains apart.

Control Log Dashboard Sketch

To learn more about our mobile apps visit www.modrobotics.com/moss/apps

Robot 1806: Braitenbird

The splendid Braitenbird is a ightless MOSS robot that uses two
proximity-sensing “eyes” to detect and avoid obstacles. A robotic
marvel of magical movement inspired by the writings of Valentino
Braitenberg. Build this adventurous avian wanderer and watch it
navigate through a forest of standing books with incredibly lifelike
behavior.

Extended Battery
x1

1

Corner
x2

Motor
x2

Robot 1806: Braitenbird

section 1 of 5

Microphone
Sensor
x1

2

Knob
Sensor
x1

Hub
x2

Robot 1806: Braitenbird

section 2 of 5

Proximity
Sensor
x2

3

Hub
x1

Corner
x1

Arch Brace
x1

Robot 1806: Braitenbird

section 3 of 5

Short Flexy
x2

4

Corner
x1

Arch Brace
x1

Short Brace
x1

Robot 1806: Braitenbird

section 4 of 5