CS1112 --> iRobot Create Simulator Toolbox

The CS1112 Fall 2010 exercises involving the use of the iRobot Create Simulator Toolbox are collected here, along with the instructions for obtaining the toolbox. The development of the simulator and these exercises was supported by an Academic Support Award from MathWorks

Getting the iRobot Create Simulator Toolbox

  1. Download the toolbox zip file from the simulator website and extract (open) the file. This gives you a folder called iRobotCreateSimulatorToolbox.
  2. Place the folder in a permanent location of the drive, e.g., C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2010a\toolbox
  3. In Matlab, click File, then select Set Path
  4. Click Add Folder, navigate to the toolbox folder you have just saved, e.g.,
    C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2010a\toolbox\iRobotCreateSimulatorToolbox
    select it, then click OK
  5. Click the Save button, then click Close
Some computer configurations require that the Administrator perform the save path operation. In that case quit Matlab and reopen it by right-clicking and choosing Run as Administrator. Then perform step 3 through 5 again.

Introductory Lab Exercise

This is a 15-minute lab exercise to introduce students to the simulator. Students will explore some of the GUI functions as well as write a simple control program.

Download   Exercise   Code   Solution

Programming Projects

Project 3 has two programming problems: the "randomly wandering robot" and the "reconnaissance robot." The main programming concepts covered are user-defined functions, 1-d arrays, and loops. Matlab graphics (plot) are used.

Download   Project 3   Code
Email dfan at cs.cornell.edu for the solution

Project 5 builds on Project 3. The central problem is to evaluate visually how well the robot covers an area (the square-shaped lab from Project 3). Part 1 of the project asks students to write a function to generate a color map for visualizing data in a matrix. The simulator is not used in part 1. Part 2 of the project asks students to revise their code from Project 3 to create output files indicating the robot's travel and then write code to read those files in order to compute the 2-d histogram data representing the robot's travel. Finally students use the function from part 1 to visualize the 2-d data computed in part 2. The main programming concepts covered are 2-d arrays, cell arrays, structure arrays, and file I/O. Matlab graphics are used.

Download   Project 5 Part 1   Project 5 Part 2   Code
Email dfan at cs.cornell.edu for the solution