Rico

1.6  Lab Exercise: Introducing the Laboratory

Objectives

  1. Organize into groups
  2. Get introduced to myRIO boards
  3. Learn the basics of LabVIEW
  4. Begin reading technical documents
  5. Practice writing technical summaries

Materials

Each station requires:

  • A PC with LabVIEW installed
  • A myRIO configured with LabVIEW
  • Headphones

Group Formation

Form four groups of three or four. These will be your lab groups for the remainder of the term.

Tutorials for LabVIEW and myRIO

These tasks are to be completed outside of scheduled lab time in the Robotics Lab.

Open Lab Policy

This is an open lab: For this and later lab exercises, you can work on tasks marked "Open Lab" at your own pace and schedule.

LabVIEW Basics

Use the following YouTube playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL08CBw4hqKGIAcqZevupbBOhB7YmC0xGd

Watch and follow along in LabVIEW:

  1. Writing Your First LabVIEW Program (3.5 min)
  2. Data Flow Programming Basics (4 min)
  3. Using Loops in LabVIEW (4 min)
  4. Shift Registers (3 min)
  5. Case Structures (4 min)
  6. Charts & Graphs (3.5 min)
  7. LabVIEW Data Types (4.5 min)
  8. Arrays (4 min)
  9. Tools Palette (6.5 min)
  10. Debugging Tools (3.5 min)

myRIO Orientation

  1. Skim the myRIO User Guide
  2. Watch Getting Started with NI myRIO (8 min)
  3. Plug in the myRIO and run the Getting Started Wizard (do not rename it)
  4. Use the Test Panel to move the device, test LEDs and Button0
  5. Complete the Start My First Project tutorial

Optional

Explore the myRIO Project Essentials Guide for project ideas.

Reading & Writing

Find a workspace away from lab stations. Read the article:

Case, White & Kramer (2015) — Soft Material Characterization for Robotic Applications
https://doi.org/10.1089/soro.2015.0002

Get a copy here: PDF Link

This paper discusses the mechanical testing and modeling of soft elastomers commonly used in soft robotics. It includes measurement techniques, stress-strain data, viscoelastic modeling, and sensor design.

Write a 1–2 paragraph summary, addressing:

  1. The main engineering focus and application
  2. Key data or measurements collected
  3. Insights or reflections on writing style, organization, or methods

What to Submit

Unlike for most lab exercises, instead of a report, you will check off the completion of each task and submit a brief summary of the article, as described above.