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SunFounder Sloth:bit Instruction Manual

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Preface
About SunFounder
SunFounder
is
a
technology
company
focused on Raspberry Pi and Arduino open
source community development. Committed
to the promotion of open source culture, we
strive to bring the fun of electronics making to
people all around the world and enable
everyone to be a maker.
Our
products
include
learning
kits,
development
boards,
robots,
sensor
modules and development tools. In addition
to high quality products, SunFounder also
offers video tutorials to
help you make your
own project. If you have interest in open
source or making something cool, welcome to
join us!
About This Kit
This cute learning kit utilize blocks and circuit
driving connecting rod structure to command
the robot to display different expressions. You
can learn the knowledge of bricks, structure
and circuit by applying this kit.

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Summary of Contents for SunFounder Sloth:bit

  • Page 1 In addition to high quality products, SunFounder also offers video tutorials to help you make your own project. If you have interest in open source or making something cool, welcome to join us!
  • Page 2 If you have any TECHNICAL questions, add a topic under FORUM section on our website and we'll reply as soon as possible. For NON-TECH questions like order and shipment issues, please send an email service@sunfounder.com. You're also welcomed to share your projects on FORUM...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Contents Introduction ...........1 What you need ..........2 III. Getting start with micro:bit ....3 Use makecode & sloth:bit block ..5 Assemble the robot ......12 Calibrate ..........32 VII. Project ..........37 1． Obstacle Avoidance example ..37 2． Voice example ........ 38 VIII.
  • Page 4 Javascript API ..........46 PC use micro:bit ......... 46...

  • Page 5: Introduction

    Introduction Sloth:bit is a programmable biped robot that use 9V battery and controlled by BBC micro:bit to drive four servos on driver circuits. It’s easy programmable convenient application. With BBC micro:bit, sloth:bit robot can be applied by micro:bit app in Microsoft. The robot can be controlled on pad or cellphone by visual programming software;...

  • Page 6: What You Need

    II. What you need Battery： Pay attention to the battery type. The first three types are accessible and the last one is unsuitable. Because the last one is carbon-zinc battery, it can just apply in low current. Pad： Ipad or mobile devices Andriod suitable.

  • Page 7: Getting Start With Micro:bit

    Application： This searched at the App store or Google Android market. III. Getting start with micro:bit 1． Search and install micro:bit application at the iPad store. 2． Power on the micro:bit and the power light of the board will be lighten up.(If the robot is not assembled, micro USB wire cable can be used to supply power.)
  • Page 8 Then open the Bluetooth on iPad and startup the 3． app that installed just now, the interface after opening up is as shown below; 4 ． Follow the instruction of the software guide to connect micro:bit with iPad.

  • Page 9: Use Makecode & Sloth:bit Block

    IV. Use makecode & sloth:bit block After connecting successfully, tap Home at the upper left side to go back. Click the second category Create Code.
  • Page 10 This interface micro:bit visual programming. Drag the block and combine them together to compile the program you need.
  • Page 12 2． Click Advanced, then click Add Package:...
  • Page 13 Search sloth, you can see the package we provide. Click on the package to add it to the project. After the package is added, you’ll see the sloth on the left side.
  • Page 14 Program with sloth: Combine these blocks with on start block: After the program is complete, click Download then confirm to download.
  • Page 15 Before downloading the program, you need to press A and B at the same time, then press the Reset at the back side until there display Paring at the matrix, and release A and B to command the board to pair Bluetooth.

  • Page 16: Assemble The Robot

    Click flash on the app to flash the program: Wait until it is complete: V. Assemble the robot Before assembling, it is recommended to check whether the servo is normal. If there exist any problems, you are welcomed to contact with us to change.
  • Page 17 Afterwards, insert micro:bit into the long slot of the driver PCB. Note the direction, if insert in reverse direction, the micro:bit will not power on.
  • Page 18 Power on to check whether all the servos can rotate normally. If the servo is normal, then unplug servos and take out battery and micro:bit to continue the assembling of sloth:bit.
  • Page 19 Do as shown in the following picture to assemble the acrylic parts:...
  • Page 20 Take out all the acrylic parts and take off the protective paper carefully. Note the edge of these parts in case of incised wound. Because these acrylic plates are cutting, there may exist sharp edges cut your finger, so be careful. Now assemble the rocker arms of servos.
  • Page 21 Now we will assemble the robot from down to up. First is the two feet. The parts used here are E, D2. Fix part E M3*10 cap screw nut. It looks as shown below after assembling. part E M3*10 cap screw nut.
  • Page 22 After assembling, it looks as shown in the picture. Afterwards, insert the hollow rivet into the as shown below.
  • Page 23 Insert servo into the feet parts as shown below. When assembling, note the servos direction, the servo cable direction is at the same side with the edge of feet. Fix servos by M2*8 screw nut. When the left foot assembled already, it looks as shown in the following picture.
  • Page 24 Congratulation! You have assembled the left foot successfully. Now, you can assemble the right foot mirrored. Put the two feet together, it should looks as shown in the picture below. If you find there are two left feet or two right, the reason should be that part E is on the reverse side, you need to flip it to the other side.
  • Page 25 following assembly, power on to calibrate is smoother. Please follow the processes as shown below. Assemble two servos into two parts note the servo assembling direction. The side of long hole of part A is the front side, the direction of servo cable face to the side of the arrows.
  • Page 26 Then insert the support copper post into the acrylic board and assembled by M3 copper standoff nut. Assemble the drive circuit board as shown in the picture. When assembling, note the direction of the drive board. The IR should be toward the front side of part A.
  • Page 27 Then fix the circuit board by four M3*6 screws. Insert the micro:bit into the slot of circuit board. Note the direction of micro:bit control board. The LED matrix side should be toward the front.
  • Page 28 Install the battery now. When installing the battery, be careful of the pin in case of scraping your finger. Combine the four servo cables with the interfaces of servo and drive board. The orange lines in the picture below are the way recommended to twine.
  • Page 29 Download a stand still program into micro:bit. Power on it, if combining the servo well, it will stop at the angle of 90. When installing rocker arms, the servo need to be stop at the angle, so, keep the robot power on is necessary.
  • Page 30 Combine the leg and foot part with leg servo. Assemble the rocker arm with servo. Assemble the rocker arm in the angle as shown below. There may exist a little deviation between servo and rocker arm when assembling finishes.
  • Page 31 Fix rocker arm by rocker arm screw. Assemble the bearing with hollow rivet, then combining with acrylic plates.
  • Page 32 This is what looks after assembling. Combine the assemble parts together. When assembling, it’s better to distinguish left and right foot clearly, also the front and back side of the foot. One of the rocker arm need to face the front side of part A.
  • Page 33 part A should be in 90 degree. After the rocker arm and servo gear are combined, power off the robot. Now rotate the feet, there will appear the screw hole of rocker arm. Fasten the rocker arm screw and fix the leg.
  • Page 34 Assemble the other foot at the same way. Note: when assembling the rocker arm gear, power it on and keep the servo gear at the angle of 90. After assembling, power the robot on and the picture below is what is looks if stand still. If your robot stands not straight, maybe you need to repeat the processes of assembling rocker arms.
  • Page 35 When all the processes are finishing, you need to clean the servo lines and fix by ribbon. Then paste the two feet with mats:...

  • Page 36: Calibrate

    VI. Calibrate After assembling the sloth:bit, now download program to sloth:bit thus to command the robot do various actions. Maybe the robot is a little strange, the reason should be that there exist some deviations in the gears. You can calibrate by adjustment. The left one is the precise installation one and the right need to be adjusted.
  • Page 37 Download adjustment program into micro:bit.
  • Page 38 There will display Cali on the LED. After the display, it will come into calibrate mode. When the LED is blinking, it means to choose the servo that is to be adjusted. A, B is to change between servo, and A+B is to ensure the choice.
  • Page 39 Right Leg Left Leg Right Foot Left Foot After choosing one servo, press A and B at the same time to ensure it, then it will come into adjustment mode. A, B are the values of – and +; A and B is to ensure the choice, then blink to display the corresponding servo and the adjustment value.
  • Page 40 Choose the numbers of adjustment. Calibrate the sloth:bit as straight as possible.

  • Page 41: Project

    This is an example program of obstacle avoidance, program according to the picture, then download it into micro:bit. When the sloth:bit goes forward and detect obstacles in front, then the robot turn left for two times; after turning, if no obstacles in front, the robot will goes forward, and if there has obstacles, the robot will turn left.

  • Page 42: 2． Voice Example

    2． Voice example This is an example program of voice, do as shown in the picture, then download into micro:bit. When hearing the voice, there will display the expression of surprised and do the action of swinging...
  • Page 43 for one time; when there has no voice, the robot will not move and display the expression of sleeping. If the surrounding is too noisy, you can enlarge the value of 550 in the on heard over block.

  • Page 44: What's Next

    Light sensor，Temperature sensor，Accelerometer， Compass，Radio，Bluetooth These sensors are helpful to make the sloth:bit smarter and complete more interesting programs. For example, you will see the robot is in the state of felling to the ground by means of acceleration sensor. When the robot is felling to the ground, you can stop it and even design the action of standing up again.

  • Page 45: 3． Pins

    3． Pins Sloth:bit PCB board has several reserved interfaces. It can be extended for more functions and DIY hardware by soldering attached pins inside. The reserved pins interfaces have the functions as shown...

  • Page 47: Appendix

    Micro:bit visual programming program compile is encouraged to be used, surely, you can also use Javascript. There still has no Python package in sloth:bit by this moment. Battery There are different types 9V battery, because carbon- zinc battery can’t supply high current thus not suitable...

  • Page 48: Voice Sensor Environmental Thresholds

    servo shake if the robot is doing actions. Voice sensor environmental thresholds Voice sensor is to return different voltage by means of receiving sounds on cellphone. If the surrounding is too noisy, you need to increase the threshold value of sensors.

  • Page 49: Abnormal Of Robot Actions

    Abnormal of robot actions If the robot can’t be startup, please check: 1． Whether the power is on, it must be on. 2． Whether the battery is full. C heck by multimeter, if less than 7.5V, it means the battery is low. 3．...

  • Page 50: Contact Us

    Contact us Javascript API PC use micro:bit makecode visual programming ： http://microbit.org/guide/quick/ Program micropython ： https://codewith.mu/ Micropython language help ： https://microbit- micropython.readthedocs.io/en/latest/...

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