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Dial Remote Control
Building: Easy
Program: Expert

Building Instructions


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Dial Remote Control Programming

There are two different ways to use the Dial Remote Control:

  1. Bluetooth Wireless Remote control to another NXT project.  Use the Dial_Remote_BT program on the Dial Remote Control, and the Dial_BT_Robot program on the NXT robot you want to control.  You must then establish a Bluetooth connection between the two NXTs.  See the instructions below.

  2. Wired Remote Control.  Use the Dial_Remote_AB program.  See the instructions below.   

 

Using Bluetooth Wireless Remote Control

  1. The NXT robot that you want to control should use motors B and C for driving, and can optionally use motor A for something else.   The Forklift project is a good example.  If your own robot has the motors oriented differently than the Forklift, than the remote control may seem backwards and/or have left and right reversed.  You can either fix this on your robot or modify the the Dial_BT_Robot program as desired.

  2. Download the Dial_BT_Robot program to the NXT robot that you want to control (e.g. Forklift), but don't run it yet.

  3. Download the Dial_Remote_BT program to the Dial Remote Control, but don't run it yet.

  1. Establish a Bluetooth connection from the Dial Remote NXT to the controlled NXT.  See your NXT User Guide for instructions, summarized here:

    1. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on for both NXTs from the Bluetooth menu (from NXT main menu)

    2. From the NXT for the Dial Remote control, go to the Bluetooth menu, and if this is the first time these two NXTs have been connected, pick Search.  Pick Contacts if they have connected before.

    3. Choose the name of the NXT for the robot to control from the list and connect.

    4. Connect using connection number 1

    5. If prompted for a Passkey, you can accept the default 1234 key on both NXTs

    6. The NXTs are connected when they both display a diamond after the Bluetooth icon in the upper left corner of the screen.

  2. Run the Dial_Remote_BT program on the Dial Remote Control NXT.

  3. Run the Dial_BT_Robot program on the NXT robot that you are controlling.

  4. The Forklift and similar projects will operate as follows:

    • With no button pressed, turn the dial forwards or backwards to make the Forklift drive straight forwards or backwards

    • Press and hold the Left arrow button and turn the dial to pivot turn left.

    • Press and hold the Right arrow button and turn the dial to pivot turn right.

    • Press and hold the orange Enter button and turn the dial to raise and lower the lift.

Using Wired Remote Control

  1. Use the two longest wires to connect ports A and B to the motors on a 2-motor vehicle without another NXT (such as the Mini Rover) or similar creation.

  2. Run the Dial_Remote_AB program.

  3. The Mini Rover and similar projects will operate as follows:

    • With no button pressed, turn the dial forwards or backwards to make the rover drive straight forwards or backwards

    • Press and hold the Left arrow button and turn the dial to pivot turn left.

    • Press and hold the Right arrow button and turn the dial to pivot turn right.

    • Press and hold the orange Enter button and turn the dial to sound a tone.

 

Challenges
  • Make some challenges for the Forklift or other vehicles to accomplish and see if you can do it with remote control.

  • Try using the Dial Remote Control with other vehicle robots.

  • Design your own robots to use with the Dial Remote Control (Bluetooth or wired).

  • Try modifying the programs given above to make the remote control work better for your own robot designs.  Perhaps the motor directions need to be switched, speeds changed, etc.

  • Can you modify the remote control program to control something that is not a vehicle?

  • Try using the idea of turning a dial to get a number to do other things in your own programs.  For example, this Enter_Code program uses the Dial Remote Control by itself (not controlling anything else) to have you enter a number using the dial, and then tests to see if it is the secret code 123.

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