This proposed project has recently been launched as a 'Kickstarter' project. Feel free to visit the Kickstarter at the link below and back the project today.

www.kickstarter.com/projects/11644483/formula-allcode-a-complete-course-in-robotics

What is this project?

The Formula AllCode will be a full course in robotics comprising of the following:

• The Formula AllCode robot itself
• A FREE PDF course in robotics
• Accessories used to learn including graphical mat and maze walls

The robot can be used with hosts including Windows, MAC, Raspberry Pi, Android and iPhone and a number of examples can be seen in our headline video and on our website at www.matrixtsl.com/formula-allcode.

A low cost robot buggy, the AllCode is great for makers to test their skills and capabilities using an interesting and diverse platform or for introducing younger school children to programming and robotics in a fun and motivating way with huge scope for further work and competitions. The video at the link below explains more about the vision for Formula AllCode and provides some examples of what the robot itself can achieve when used with Raspberry Pi, Android, Flowcode etc.

https://youtu.be/rD15n7HgTmo

How to program the robot.

The major benefit of Formula AllCode is that you learn about robotics with a software and hardware platform of your choice.

Not only is this a superb learning tool with free robotics PDF course, but also a robot that is compatible with hardware from Raspberry Pi to Android to iPhone, Windows PC's, MAC and more.

What's more, you can program the AllCode via just about anything including Flowcode, LabVIEW, MATLAB, Python and AppBuilder.

The accompanying, free PDF course details how to use and program the robot in a range of exercises. So how does one robot buggy work with so many languages and hardware platforms?

The Formula AllCode includes a powerful 16 bit processor and a Bluetooth module. The processor is pre-programmed with a full API (Application Programming Interface) that allows you to control the robot buggy using Bluetooth.

So to use the Formula AllCode, simply send and receive information via Bluetooth inside your program. As long as your host device or computer is Bluetooth-enabled and your programming environment supports Bluetooth RFCOMM commands then you can easily control the robot.

Example programs for common platforms are provided: Windows PC with C# and Labview, Python with Raspberry Pi, Android with Appbuilder, and PC with Flowcode.

If you are a Flowcode user, you can simulate and program the AllCode using Flowcode 6 for dsPIC via USB or Bluetooth. Flowcode can be supplied by Matrix TSL.

Using Flowcode also allows the firmware of the AllCode to be reprogrammed so it can solve mazes (etc.) autonomously without a permanent Bluetooth link to a host. This autonomous behaviour can also be achieved by writing embedded C code.

If you are using the Raspberry Pi you will need a Bluetooth ‘dongle’ (sourced separately).

This proposed project has recently been launched as a 'Kickstarter' project. Feel free to visit the Kickstarter at the link below and back the project today.

www.kickstarter.com/projects/11644483/formula-allcode-a-complete-course-in-robotics