Uploaded June 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Who says you can’t train a cat? Nearly everyone. But you CAN train an animated cat. We’re using sensors and if/else loops to turn BOLT into a cat controller. Check out the activity here: edu.sphero.com/remixes/4216879
This activity taps into BOLT’s gyroscope and accelerometer sensors. First, we turn off stabilization to make sure the robot tilts each time we move it. Then, we start a program with a loop forever and nest FIVE separate conditionals inside -- one for each of the five types of movements we want the cat to copy. So fur so good? Claw-some!
In the first if/else we check to see if the accelerometer measures greater than 2g. This makes the cat pounce.
The second and third if/else check to see if BOLT has been tilted to the right or left more than 15º. This makes the cat walk to the left or right.
And the last two if/else conditions check to see if BOLT has been tilted forward or backward more than 15º. This makes the cat walk forward or backward.
Each of these conditions has their own animation that depicts the cat copying the direction of the tilt. You could create all sorts of conditionals that check the sensors’ position in time and then get your robot to react based on each statement. There’s so much potential -- this activity just scratches the surface. That’s the last cat pun, we promise.
Check out this week’s activity to learn how to do this with a Mini or SPRK+. Share your results @SpheroEdu as soon as paws-ible! Okay, that’s the last one.
Who says you can’t train a cat? Nearly everyone. But you CAN train an animated cat. We’re using sensors and if/else loops to turn BOLT into a cat controller. Check out the activity here: edu.sphero.com/remixes/4216879
This activity taps into BOLT’s gyroscope and accelerometer sensors. First, we turn off stabilization to make sure the robot tilts each time we move it. Then, we start a program with a loop forever and nest FIVE separate conditionals inside -- one for each of the five types of movements we want the cat to copy. So fur so good? Claw-some!
In the first if/else we check to see if the accelerometer measures greater than 2g. This makes the cat pounce.
The second and third if/else check to see if BOLT has been tilted to the right or left more than 15º. This makes the cat walk to the left or right.
And the last two if/else conditions check to see if BOLT has been tilted forward or backward more than 15º. This makes the cat walk forward or backward.
Each of these conditions has their own animation that depicts the cat copying the direction of the tilt. You could create all sorts of conditionals that check the sensors’ position in time and then get your robot to react based on each statement. There’s so much potential -- this activity just scratches the surface. That’s the last cat pun, we promise.
Check out this week’s activity to learn how to do this with a Mini or SPRK+. Share your results @SpheroEdu as soon as paws-ible! Okay, that’s the last one.
