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Exploration

Now that you've finished the build, test what it does. Play with your build and then answer these questions in your engineering notebook.

  1. How do you think the Clawbot could be used as a tool for measurement?

  2. If you didn't have a ruler to measure, which VEX piece would you choose to act as a measuring stick?

  3. While the Clawbot is off, lift its arm gently until it is lifted as high as it can go. Stop when you feel resistance. Measure how high the claw is off of the surface the Clawbot is on. Measure in millimeters. Why do you think it's a bad idea to move the robot at high speeds with its arm fully lifted?

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  1. Answers could vary due to VEXcode V5 Blocks-based or Text-based experience. Because the Clawbot can be programmed to drive specific distances, you can measure large objects by programming the robot to move specific distances until it moves the entire length of the object.

  2. Most students should suggest using shafts because they are named with their lengths (e.g., 2, 3, 3.5, and 4 inches). They could use them to measure a length or distance and then convert the measurements to metric. A similar but more time-consuming solution would be to use a spacer to measure but at under an inch in length, the process would be prone to errors.

  3. The Claw is about 450-455 millimeters high when the arm is fully lifted. The second question is intended to get students thinking about the robot's stability. Having the Clawbot's arm fully raised while driving risks having the robot tip - especially at higher speeds.