Presentation delivered during the Karel Comenius project meeting, Beypazari, 10 - 16.11.2013

1. KAREL
Detailed Specifications
Mihai AGAPE, Teacher
Maria-Genoveva AGAPE, Teacher
Palatul Copiilor Drobeta Turnu Severin
KAREL, Comenius Project Meeting
Beypazari, 10 – 16.11.2013

2.  This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission.
 This communication reflects the views only of the
authors, and the Commission cannot be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.

3. The Purpose of the
Presentation
Propose detailed specification
for KAREL robotics platform
Hardware
Software
Curriculum

4. Mechanical Specification
 Able to climb a surface with a 30 % slope
 Maximum speed more than 0.5 m/s
 The footprint smaller than 15 x 15 cm
 Height less than 10 cm
 Weight less than 250 g
 Payload 250 g
 2 wheels
 1 or 2 ball caster
 2 DC brushed gearmotors which drive
independently both wheels.

5. Optional
 1 slot for a felt pen in the center of the robot
base
 2 incremental encoders.
 1 robot gripper

6. Electrical Specification
 Battery autonomy > 2 hours (move 15 %)
 Operating voltage 6 – 9 V
 Reverse voltage protection circuit
 Regulated supply voltage 5 V
 Voltage shifter for components with suplply
voltage not equal with 5V
 MOSFET IC drivers (current at least 1.2 A)
 Microcontroller >16 kB flash, fcpu>8 MHz
 Controller PC communication via USB

7. Electrical Specification
 2 bumper sensors
 4 user programmable pushbuttons / switches
 8 infrared optical sensors
 ambient light
 obstacle detection
 line detection
 4 LED’s
 1 servomotor

8. Optional
 1 potentiometer
 1 microphone
 1 speaker
 2 encoders
 1 ultrasonic sensor
 1 color sensor
 Arduino compatible
 Controller PC communication via Bluetooth
 TV remote receiver

9. Other Requirements
 Software Specification
 Open Source software
 Financial Constraint
 Price of rae material less than 99 EUR
 Environment
 Indoor use
 Low noise (no audible from 10 m)

10. Challenges
 Follows the light
 Follows the wall
 Follows a moving object in front of the robot
 Avoids obstacles
 Follow the line
 Fight in sumo contest
 Escape from a line maze
 Escape from a maze with walls
 Draw with a marker attached to the robot
 Breaks ballons of one color

11. Lesson Plans
 Pupils aged from 12 to 19 years old
 At least 21 lesson plans
 At least 2 lesson plans for each field
 Physics
 Biology
 Programming
 Mechanics
 Electronics
 Robotics

12. Bibliography
 Agape, Mihai; Papadopoulos, Anestis;
Çankal, Esra; Tokarz, Piotr. Application
Form of Karel – Autonomous Robot for
Enhancing Learning, February 2013.

13. Closing and Questions
 There are many choices for controller,
drivers, and power supply
 We proposed some choices
 We have to decide together in order to satisfy
the requirements from Application Form