🚀 Project 1.1 – Serial interaction

🎯 What you’ll learn

• ✅ Goal 1: Print text from your robot to the computer.
• ✅ Goal 2: Read text typed on the computer.
• ✅ Goal 3: Use a variable in a simple decision.

Key ideas

• Serial communication: A chat between your robot and your computer.
• Variable: A box that stores a word or number.
• Decision: The robot chooses based on what you type.

🧱 Blocks glossary (used in this project)

• Serial print: Robot shows a message on your computer.
• Serial read: Robot reads what you type in the serial window.
• Variable set: Save a value with a name (like “choice”).
• if / elif / else: Make a decision.
• Loop while true: Repeat steps forever (not needed here, but handy later).

🧰 What you need

• 🔌 Wiring tip: Only USB cable for this project.
• 📍 Pin map snapshot: No pins used.

✅ Before you start

• USB: Cable plugged in.
• Serial: Monitor open.
• Test print: Run this first.

import machine                 # Load base library to start
print("Clu-Bots Ready!")                # Show start message on the serial screen

🎮 Microprojects (5 mini missions)

🎮 Microproject 1.1.1 – Hello Clu-Bots

• Blocks used:
  • Serial print
• Block sequence:
• 

import machine                 # Load base library
print("Hello Clu-Bots")           # Print a friendly message to the serial screen

• Reflection: Your robot can speak to you through the serial screen.
• Challenge: Change “Hello Clu-Bots” to your name or a fun phrase.

🎮 Microproject 1.1.2 – Ready message

• Blocks used:
  • Serial print
• Block sequence:
• 

import machine                 # Load base library
print("Ready!")                # Print a start signal so you know the code is running

• Reflection: A start signal helps you verify communication.
• Challenge: Add a second line: “Let’s go!”

🎮 Microproject 1.1.3 – Echo command

• Blocks used:
  • Serial print
  • Serial read
  • Variable set
• Block sequence:
• 

import machine                      # Load base library
print("Type a command:")            # Ask the user for a word or phrase
command = input()                   # Read the user’s input into variable 'command'
print("You typed:", command)        # Show the exact input back to the user

• Reflection: Your robot can listen and repeat what you type.
• Challenge: Try numbers, words, and short phrases; see the echo.

🎮 Microproject 1.1.4 – Simple decision

• Blocks used:
  • Serial read
  • Variable set
  • if / else
  • Serial print
• Block sequence:
•  

import machine                      # Load base library
print("Type 1 or other:")           # Ask the user to choose
choice = input()                    # Read the choice and store in 'choice'

if choice == "1":                   # If the user typed the number 1
    print("Hello")                  # Respond with Hello
else:                               # For any other input
    print("Bye")                    # Respond with Bye

• Reflection: Decisions change the robot’s behavior.
• Challenge: Add “2” as a second choice with a special message.

🎮 Microproject 1.1.5 – Tiny menu

• Blocks used:
  • Serial print
  • Serial read
  • Variable set
  • if / elif / else
• Block sequence:
  1. 

import machine                      # Load base library
print("Menu: 1=Hello, 2=Bye")       # Show the simple menu
choice = input()                    # Read the user’s selection

if choice == "1":                   # Option 1 selected
    print("Hello")                  # Print Hello
elif choice == "2":                 # Option 2 selected
    print("Bye")                    # Print Bye
else:                               # Any other input
    print("Invalid choice")         # Inform about invalid option

• Reflection: Menus guide the robot’s actions step by step.
• Challenge: Add “3=Surprise!” with your own custom message.

✨ Main project – Interactive serial menu

🔧 Blocks steps (with glossary)

• Blocks used:

  • Serial print: Show menu options
  • Serial read: Get the user’s choice
  • Variable set: Save the choice
  • if / elif / else: Decide the response

• Block sequence:

  1. 

import machine                              # Load base library
print("Menu: 1=Hello, 2=Bye, 3=Surprise")   # Show the full menu
choice = input()                            # Read the user’s selection

if choice == "1":                           # If 1 is chosen
    print("Hello")                          # Respond with Hello
elif choice == "2":                         # If 2 is chosen
    print("Bye")                            # Respond with Bye
elif choice == "3":                         # If 3 is chosen
    print("Surprise!")                      # Respond with Surprise
else:                                       # If input is anything else
    print("Invalid choice")                 # Inform that the choice is not valid

📖 External explanation

• What it teaches: How robots can read your input and react with different messages.
• Why it works: The program compares your input to conditions (if/elif/else) and prints the matching response.
• Key concept: Decisions in code control what the robot does next.

✨ Story time

• Mission hook: Imagine your robot is taking orders like a friendly waiter. You choose from the menu, and it serves the right message every time.

🕵️ Debugging (2 common problems)

🐞 Debugging 1.1.A – Nothing on screen

• Problem: No text appears.
• Clues: Serial monitor is closed or not focused.
• Broken code:

print("Hello Clu-Bots")            # This prints, but you won’t see it without serial open

• Fixed code:

print("Hello Clu-Bots")            # Open the serial monitor before running

• Why it works: The serial window must be open to show messages.
• Avoid next time: Always open serial first and look for “Ready!”.

🐞 Debugging 1.1.B – Choice not recognized

• Problem: You typed 2 but didn’t see “Bye”.
• Clues: Extra spaces or different characters.
• Broken code:

choice = input()                # If you typed a space or symbol, it won’t match "2"
if choice == "2":
    print("Bye")

• Fixed code:

choice = input()                # Type exactly 1, 2, or 3 (no spaces)
if choice == "2":               # Exact match triggers the correct response
    print("Bye")

• Why it works: Exact string matching is required.
• Avoid next time: Type exactly the option number.

✅ Final checklist

• Screen: I saw “Ready!” at the start.
• Action: I printed and read messages.
• Change: My menu choice changed the result.

📚 Extras

• 🧠 Student tip: Add “4=Joke” and print a funny line.
• 🧑‍🏫 Instructor tip: Watch for closed serial windows and exact input matching.
• 📖 Glossary: Serial, Variable, if/else, Menu.
• 💡 Mini tips: Keep messages short; always test with “Ready!” first.