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Week 2: Autonomous Movement and Control

YEAR 9 DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES • WEEK 2

Autonomous Movement and Control

This week you will move from manual driving to autonomous behaviour. You will code the Simple Clawbot to move with purpose, collect cubes, return to a target zone, and improve performance through testing.

Used each lesson: Simple Clawbot, battery, controller, device with VEXcode IQ, and your engineering notebook.

💻 VEXCODE HELP

If you need help installing VEXcode, connecting your robot, configuring devices, downloading a project, or finding the Help tools inside VEXcode, use the internal VEXcode reference page first.

Open the VEXcode setup and help page
🎯 THIS WEEK
  • configure and test the drivetrain and claw properly
  • use path planning before writing code
  • complete the Capture the Cube task autonomously
  • move into the Clawbot Collector challenge
  • start building a table of useful VEX Python-style function calls
📘 ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK

Your engineering notebook is required in every lesson.

  • record path plans, tests, fixes, and results
  • show what changed between runs
  • keep a running record of useful robot commands
✅ BY THE END OF WEEK 2
  • your robot should complete at least one autonomous collection task
  • your code should be tested and improved, not just written once
  • your notebook should show path planning and iteration
  • you should have started building a table of useful VEX Python-style commands
📌 IMPORTANT
  • Do not guess distances blindly.
  • Do not change lots of things at once.
  • Do not move on until the earlier step works.
  • Start the robot from the same position every time when testing.
Lesson 1: Learn the autonomous routine
📝 TODAY'S RECORDING

Record your first path plan, the first working movement test, the first working claw test, and the result of your first full run attempt.

🔧 WHAT TO DO
  1. Open the L2 Introduction and Learn material first so you understand the week’s task.
  2. Open the drivetrain, spin-for, and path planning resources.
  3. Configure the drivetrain correctly in VEXcode IQ.
  4. Configure the claw motor correctly.
  5. Open the Capture the Cube field setup and copy a simple path plan into your notebook before coding.
  6. Create a movement-only test: drive forward to the cube area without using the claw yet.
  7. Adjust the drive distance until the robot stops in the right place.
  8. Create a claw-only test: open and close the claw while the robot is stationary.
  9. Combine the working movement and claw actions into one full autonomous sequence.
  10. Test the full routine from the same starting position each time.
✍️ WHAT TO WRITE IN YOUR ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK
  1. Write the date and lesson title: Lesson 1 - Learn the autonomous routine.
  2. Sketch the field and planned path.
  3. Write the sequence of actions in order.
  4. Record the result of your movement-only test.
  5. Record the result of your claw-only test.
  6. Record the result of your first full routine attempt.
  7. Start a table called Robot commands this week and add the drivetrain and claw commands used today.
✅ WHAT COUNTS AS FINISHED
  • drivetrain test works
  • claw test works
  • full routine attempted
  • notebook entry complete
  • teacher check of robot and notebook
🛟 IF YOU GET STUCK
  • Check drivetrain configuration again.
  • Do not test the full routine until the movement-only test works.
  • Do not test the full routine until the claw-only test works.
  • Check whether the problem is driving, turning, or claw movement.
🚀 IF YOU FINISH EARLY
  • improve the accuracy of the stopping point
  • time your run and try to beat it
  • reduce extra turning or wasted movement
  • add Python-style command names to your Robot commands table
Lesson 2: Practice and improve the routine
📝 TODAY'S RECORDING

Record your revised path, each change you make, and what happened after each test. This lesson is about controlled improvement, not guessing.

🔧 WHAT TO DO
  1. Start with yesterday’s best working project.
  2. Run Capture the Cube once and compare the real path to your notebook path plan.
  3. Change one thing only: drive distance, turn amount, or claw timing.
  4. Run the project again and record the result.
  5. Repeat until your Capture the Cube routine is more reliable.
  6. When your teacher says to move on, open the Clawbot Collector challenge.
  7. Plan how your robot will collect all 3 cubes into the Starting Zone.
  8. Create or modify your code for the Clawbot Collector challenge.
  9. Run the challenge from the same starting position and same field setup each time.
✍️ WHAT TO WRITE IN YOUR ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK
  1. Write the date and lesson title: Lesson 2 - Practice and improve the routine.
  2. Draw your revised path plan.
  3. Record at least two separate code changes.
  4. Write what happened after each change.
  5. Write whether your Capture the Cube routine became more reliable.
  6. Write the first plan for the Clawbot Collector challenge.
  7. Add at least two more entries to your Robot commands this week table.
✅ WHAT COUNTS AS FINISHED
  • Capture the Cube re-tested and improved
  • Clawbot Collector attempted
  • notebook shows revision and testing
  • teacher check of robot and notebook
🛟 IF YOU GET STUCK
  • Break the task into smaller parts and test each part.
  • Keep the field setup the same while troubleshooting.
  • Start from your last working version.
  • Do not change speed, path, and claw timing all at once.
🚀 IF YOU FINISH EARLY
  • try to complete the challenge faster
  • make your robot succeed two times in a row
  • compare two different path strategies
  • add parameter notes to your Robot commands table
Lesson 3: Compete, review, and extend
🎯 TODAY'S CHALLENGE

Today you will run the Week 2 competition task, compare results, and begin noticing where repeated code could be made more efficient later.

🔧 WHAT TO DO
  1. Set up for the Clawbot Collector challenge exactly as shown in the challenge resource.
  2. Use your best working project from Lesson 2 as your starting point.
  3. Run one timed attempt.
  4. Record the result in your notebook.
  5. Make one improvement to the code or path strategy.
  6. Run the challenge again and compare the new result.
  7. Complete the Lesson 2 challenge questions if your teacher tells you to.
  8. If your main project is working well, open the [Repeat] block extension and look for one part of your code that could be repeated more efficiently.
✍️ WHAT TO WRITE IN YOUR ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK
  1. Write the date and lesson title: Lesson 3 - Compete, review, and extend.
  2. Record your first timed result.
  3. Record your best timed result.
  4. Write one change you made between runs.
  5. Write whether that change helped.
  6. Write one repeated action or repeated code pattern you noticed.
  7. Add more entries to your Robot commands this week table and include notes about any Python-style function calls you now recognise.
✅ WHAT COUNTS AS FINISHED
  • challenge attempted seriously
  • at least two runs completed
  • notebook includes evidence from multiple runs
  • teacher sign-off complete
🛟 IF YOU GET STUCK
  • Go back to the last version that definitely worked.
  • Check whether the problem is path, timing, or claw use.
  • Simplify before adding more complexity.
  • Keep your starting position and field setup consistent.
🚀 IF YOU FINISH EARLY
  • optimise for speed without losing accuracy
  • use the repeat resource to shorten one part of your code
  • compare your block actions with Python-style function names
  • organise your Robot commands table into sections such as drivetrain, claw, and later sensing

📍 Looking ahead

Next week the robot begins to react to its environment using sensor input. Keep your robot working, your notebook up to date, and your best code file saved properly.