Programming the Humanoid with Block Coding in PictoBlox

Introduction

Quarky’s humanoid robot kit is a perfect way for students to learn about robot mechanisms, their control, and AI-based applications. With 6 DOF and stability features, it can be programmed to perform complex tasks with precision.

The robot is programmable with PictoBlox. PictoBlox is coding education software using graphical block-based coding and Python programming.

With PictoBlox, you can program the Humanoid to walk, dance, and make other cool moves! You can also create your own actions with special servo motors and servo oscillators.

If you haven’t installed PictoBlox, please follow the instructions:

Windows Installer (.exe)

STEP 1: Download the Pictoblox Installer (.exe) for Windows 7 and above (Release Notes).

Windows Installer 64-bit

Windows Installer 32-bit

STEP 2: Run the .exe file.

Some of the device gives the warning popup. You don’t have to worry, this software is harmless. Click on More info and then click on Run anyway.

STEP 3: Rest of the installation is straight forward, you can follow the popup and check on the option appropriate for your need.

 

Your software is now installed!

macOS Installer

STEP 1: Download the Pictoblox Installer (.dmg).

macOS Installer

STEP 2: Run the .dmg file.

Mobile App Installer

STEP 1: Open Google Play Store on your Smartphone and and search for PictoBlox or visit the link here to head over to the Google Play Store. You can even scan the QR Code below from your Smartphone to head to the PictoBlox App.

Mobile App Installer

STEP 2: Install the PictoBlox App.

Connecting Quarky with PictoBlox

Let’s begin by first connecting Quarky to PictoBlox. Select your preferred type of device i.e. either the desktop/laptop or your smartphone and follow the instructions.

Desktop

Follow the steps below for connecting Quarky to PictoBlox:

1. First, connect Quarky to your laptop using a USB cable.
2. Next, open PictoBlox on your desktop.
3. After that, select Block as your coding environment.
4. Then, click the Board button in the toolbar and select board as Quarky.
   
5. Next, select the appropriate Serial port if the Quarky is connected via USB or the Bluetooth Port if you want to connect Quarky via Bluetooth and press Connect.
   
6. Click on the Upload Firmware button. This will upload the latest firmware in Quarky.
   
   Note: If your device already has the latest firmware, then PictoBlox will show the message – Firmware is already updated. For learning more you can refer to this tutorial: https://ai.thestempedia.com/docs/quarky/quarky-toubleshooting/updating-quarky-firmaware-with-pictoblox/
7. Once the firmware is uploaded, Quarky starts the Getting Started program. This runs only for the first time. Run through it.

And voila! Quarky is now connected to PictoBlox.

Mobile

Follow the steps below for connecting Quarky to PictoBlox:

1. First, power ON Quarky.
2. Open PictoBlox on your smartphone. Go to My Space and make a new project by clicking the ‘+(plus)’ button in the bottom-right corner.
   
3. Then, tap the Board button in the top-right corner of the toolbar.
   Select board as Quarky.
   
4. Next, tap the Connect button:
   Select your device from the list.
   

And voila! Quarky is now connected to PictoBlox.

Quadruped Extension

The Quadruped extension in PictoBlox allows you to control the robot. It has blocks for specific applications. To add the Quadruped extension follow the instructions:

1. Click on the Add Extension button and add the Quarky Quadruped extension.
2. You can find the Quarky Quadruped blocks available in the project.

PictoBlox Blocks for Humanoid

The following blocks are available for the Humanoid:

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The block changes its sprite’s costume to the next one in the costumes pane, but if the current costume is the last in the list, the block will loop to the first.

It clears any sound effects currently in place. However, it does not stop the sound currently being played.

The block pauses its script until the specified Boolean condition is true.

The block sends a broadcast throughout the whole Scratch program. Any scripts in any sprites that are hatted with the When I Receive () block that is set to a specified broadcast will activate. This broadcast block lets scripts send broadcasts without any waits in its script (unlike the Broadcast () and Wait block). Broadcasts are a good way to have sprites and scripts communicate.

The () of object () block reports the following attributes of the object: class, x position, y position, width, height, and confidence.

The block checks if the Boolean inside it is false — if it is false, the block returns true; if the condition is true, it returns false.

The block simply reports the items of its list as a string. Whenever a list is created, a version of the block appears with the list’s name on it; this results in a version of this block for every list.

This block returns the y position of the pose landmark detected. The position is mapped with the stage coordinates.

The recognized () () name block reports the name of the recognized celebrity/brand/object/image tag.

The get expression of face () block reports the recognized expression of the selected face. If the face selected is not detected, then it reports NULL.

Once you have analyzed the images for handwritten text, you can use a handwritten text result block to get the recognized text from the image in a string format.

The block reports the recognized class from the selected image feed (camera, stage, costume, or backdrop).

The () of object () block reports the following attributes of the object: class, x position, y position, width, height, and confidence.

The block returns the x or y coordinate of the specified landmark points of the QR code.

The block returns the wind speed (Unit Default: meter/sec) or the wind direction (in degrees – meteorological) of the location.

The block sets the project’s tempo, or speed, to the specified amount, using the unit “bpm”, or “beats per minute”.

The block changes the specified value by the number input. 

The block changes the specified value to the integer or float according to the input.

The block is used to create custom patterns on the RGB LED display of Quarky.

The block performs the automatic line following logic with the parameters specified in the set parameter F () T1 () T2 () block.

The block sets the orientation of the robot to align the left and right movement of the robot in horizontal robot position and vertical robot position.

The block is a hat block and starts the execution of the script added under it when the specified touch sensor of Quarky is pressed.

The block reports the recognized class from the analyse image from () block.

Once you have analyzed the images, you can use the get # of objects block to get the number of objects recognized in the image.

The block reports the recognized class from the analyse image from () block.

The block reports the recognized class from the analyse image from () block.

The block sets the sprite’s mass to the specified value.

The block reports the state of the analog sensor connected to the selected pin. The block returns true when the analog reading of the sensor is greater than the threshold value set by the user. Else it reports false.

The block stops the specified motor of the Quarky.

The block gets the last color value from the specified feed and stores it in PictoBlox. The value can be reported from the get () value block.

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Activity 1: Calibrating Humanoid Robot

In this activity, we are going to calibrate the humanoid robot. Due to some mechanical assembly errors, there may be some misalignment of the servos which can be handled with calibrate left hip () right hip () left foot () right foot () block and calibrate left hand () right hand () block.

Follow the steps:

1. Open a new project in PictoBlox.
2. Connect Quarky to PictoBlox.
3. Click on the Add Extension button and add the Quarky Humanoid extension.
4. Make the following code:

Run the code with Green Flag. Now you have to make sure that the robot has the following orientation:

If you find any twist of angle in the robot, edit the value of the servo motor in the calibrate left hip () right hip () left foot () right foot () block and calibrate left hand () right hand () block. If this step is not done properly, your robot may move in an incorrect manner.

Note: This has to be done only once as the offset values are stored in the memory of the robot.

Activity 2: Control Humanoid Predefined Motions

In this project, we will explain how to run predefined motions in PictoBlox for the Humanoid. The predefined motions allow users to make the robot move forward, backward, left, and right.

Follow the steps:

1. Open a new project in PictoBlox.
2. Connect Quarky to PictoBlox.
3. Click on the Add Extension button and add the Quarky Humanoid extension.
4. There are four predefined motions for Quarky in PictoBlox which can be accessed through do () motion () times at () speed Using the do () motion () times at () speed block, we can control the number of times the motion has to be executed. Motions: Forward, Backward, Left, and Right.
5. Make the following code:
6. Click on the green flag to run the motion sequence.
7. Try running the robot at different speeds and try other actions.

Note:  If you feel that your robot is not running well, make sure to calibrate it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Quarky‘s humanoid robot kit is an excellent resource to learn about robot mechanisms, their control, and AI–based applications. With PictoBlox, users can program the robot to perform a variety of motions and actions with ease, as well as create their own custom movements with special servo motors and servo oscillators. By following the steps outlined in this lesson, users can easily install PictoBlox and connect Quarky to the software, as well as calibrate the robot and program it to move in different directions.