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mBot Learn Page

 

 

Part 1: Introduction

mBot is a low cost, easy-to-run robot kit for kids to get hands-on experience about graphical programming, electronics, robotics. It is an all-in-one solution for robotics learning and designed for STEM education.

Features:

  • Easy to assemble within 10mins
  • Electronics are based on Arduino open source platform
  • Supports IOS&Android App. Suitable for individual users and family
  • Two programming tools: Arduino IDE and mBlock, a drag-and-drop
    programming tool based on Scratch 2.0
  • Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless module included, without wire limited
  • Easy and intuitive wiring with color-coded RJ25 connector
  • 2 mm thick aluminum chassis, strong and compatible with
    Makeblock & Lego parts
  • Free lessons are provided and increasing continually
  • Achieve different fun projects like wall avoidance, line following,
    games with other mBots, using sensors to play games in Scratch.

Part 2: Getting Started

Unpack your mBot and assemble:

Download the mBot instructions to see how to put together your robot.

Test mBot with remote control

Install the graphical programming software mBlock

mBlock is a graphical programming environment based on Scratch 2 Open Source Code that makes it easy to program Arduino projects.

Windows & Mac support now, download here http://mblock.cc/download/

mBot communication options

Start from some lessons

We have created some lessons about graphical programming and robotics to  help teachers or kids get started easier.

Scratch 2.0 The Adventures of Mike

We suggest you start learning graphical logical programming with Scratch 2.0 The Adventures of Mike,then learn how to use Scratch2.0 to interact with mBot with the book mBlock Kids maker rocks with robots

Scratch 2.0 the adventures of Mike has nine chapters with different projects. Kids can explore the world of Scratch 2.0 by creating a lot of interactive stories, games and animation in the virtual world, aiming to help kids learn basic logical programming and know how the Scratch2.0 works. More resources about Scratch2.0 https://scratch.mit.edu/.

mBlock Kids maker rocks with robots

Kids maker rocks with the robots has twelve chapters with different projects. It can guide kids to enjoy fun of programming mBot in a lot of game scenes for learning graphic programming, electronics, robotics.

 

Part 3: Programming

1. Robot lessons with mBlock

mBot line following car

This video is talking about how to program mBot as a line following car.

mBot music car

The car will play the rhythm of the 1st sentence of the song Oh! Susanna: I come from Alabama with my Banjo on my knee...

mBot obstacle avoidance

This video tutorial is talking about how to program obstacle avoidance robot with mBot in mBlock.

mBot with Me LED Matrix

Have you ever imagined how vivid it would be if a dynamic face plate is added on your robot which enables it to have various facial expression like a real man? Or have you tried to program LED walls to display animations or characters? What Me LED Matrix 8×16 can do is to help you achieve these gorgeous display effects. It’s highly welcomed by mBot users. Me LED Matrix 8×16 has 128 blue leds packed into 16*8 dot matrix. You can program it graphically via mBlock to display simple animations/text and all kinds of robot emotions.

Firstly

Assemble the led face plate, then plug the face plate into port 1 of mCore.

Secondly

Make sure you have done things below:

  1. Connect the mBot to your computer via USB cable and upgrade the firmware(mBot) for mBot.
  2. Turn on the mBot, choose the correct serial port and board

Thirdly

Write script below and double click to run.

If it doesn’t work, please try steps below:

  1. Navigate to “C:\Users\your computer’s user name\Documents”, then delete the folder “mBlock”
  2. Reopen the software mBlock with internet connection. Note: the software will download the newest mBlock setting files automatically on internet.
  3. Upgrade the firmware and run scripts

 

mBot Arduino C programming

Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. The Arduino software
consists of a development environment (IDE) and the core libraries. The IDE is written in java and based on the processing development environment.

This video tutorial is talking about how to program mBot with C language.

This video tutorial is talking about how to use Arduino mode with mBot in mBlock.

 

Part 4: Resource Downloads

mBot App

mBot App is a free App that specifically designed for mBot robot. It’s an easy way for users to pair cellphone with mBot by Bluetooth, we could play with mBot immediately without programming and updating the firmware.What is mBot robot? mBot robot is a high cost performance, easy to run robot kit for students to achieve the STEM project. You could use Bluetooth to connect mBot with cellphone easily, the App has integrated main functionality of mBot, which contains motion control, automatic line-tracking, ultrasonic obstacle-avoiding, buzzer, RGB LED and so on.

Download method:

IOS: search mBot in the Apple App sotre.

Compatibility: Requires iOS 7.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Android: search mBot in the Google Play.

mBlockly For mBot

LET YOUR ROBOT FEEL, THINK, AND DANCE

With mBlockly, your mBot robot may perceive distance via ultrasonic sensors, mind its feet through line-tracking sensors, and be afraid of dark with its lightness sensor. Build short programs to let your mBot move or sing a little song when it is happy or sad.

TAKE YOUR MBOT WITH YOUR TRIP

Computers and cables are no more needed. Your iPad communicate directly with your mBot via Bluetooth.

TURN YOUR IPADS INTO MAGIC WANDS

mBlockly can read the status of iPad’s gyroscope, meaning that you may let your mBot dance by shaking the iPad or tilting it to each direction.

mBlock Software download

mBlock is a free modified version of Scratch2.0 developed by MIT Media Lab. Added some hardware-related blocks based on the original Scratch, mBlock enables users to read sensors, control motors and even the whole robot with ease.

Download mBlock Software

System Requirement：

  1. Windows or Mac operating system
  2. Adobe Air version 17.0+ (included)
  3. Arduino IDE version 1.6.5 (included)
  4. Over 120 MB free hard drive space