Memorandum

From:	Project Manager
To:	Intern Engineers
Subject:	Tests on Wheel Motors

 

Next let’s look at motors – a key component in giving a robot mobility.   Motors take electrical quantities such as voltage and current and convert them to mechanical motion.   Remember Ohm’s law (Voltage = Current * Resistance)?  Well, you will put it into practice.  You will be exploring the relationship between battery power used and work done by the robot. 

In this test, you and your engineering team will make some measurements on the Qwerkbot’s wheel motor. Because turning the wheels does not require precise positioning, a DC motor is used.  You will be measuring current and voltage using a digital multimeter (DMM).

• Documented notes, data and calculations in logbook
• Lab report that includes Excel data sheet, calculations, and graph of RPM vs. current

 

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law [Third Law of Robotics].
(Isaac Asimov)