How do we Program the Robot?

Although it appears to be work from the sidelines, programming is an integral part of the design of this robot. This post will explain how we are able to program the robot for Project Icebreaker.

All coding is done through WPILib's provided version of Virtual Studio Code. The reason for the use of WPILib's version is it allows easier access to pre-made libraries that make it easier to integrate subsystems of the robot into the robot code. Our programming language is Java.

A typical coding session involves our mentor Austin and I working together at the Zone (or at home) and reading through various resources relating to robot code. In the images below, the first image involves Austin and I reading through WPILib's libraries about drivetrain code structure. One important thing to note is how we test our code.

One may think that it would be extremely difficult to test code on an unfinished robot, and yes, you are correct. However, our robotics team Bots On Wheels 4290 have graciously given us access to a simple testing robot called Spartan. Using Spartan, we are able to individually test certain portions of our code like drivetrain code that can move the robot around, or motor code that programs an individual motor to move a certain way. This preliminary testing will be pivotal to the success of our finished prototype.

As we continue to progress through the design process, our team will continue to improve upon the robot code, which will allow the robot and its user to easily, efficiently, and safely interact with each other. Updates on the programming status will continue to be posted on this blog. Thank you for reading!