The sensors located on the bottom side of the board can only return either a 1 or a 0 to the user when using digital read. Because of this we may have to calibrate it according to ambient conditions i.e. the area around us. We will also need to calibrate it based on what we are trying to detect! Natural light, such as sunlight will actually interfere with our robot, so we have to calibrate our robot to ignore this whenever our sensors have too much interference. To do this we will have to locate our Potentiometer.


Variable Resistor

A potentiometer is a variable resistor that comes embedded inside your Smart Inventor Board. This variable resistor can be adjusted by using the screwdriver included in your kit. To adjust the sensitivity of the sensors located on the bottom side of your board simply turn the potentiometer clockwise or counter clockwise based on what you are trying to ignore or recognize. Turning the potentiometer clockwise will make the digital IR sensors more sensitive, allowing it to distinguish the color white a lot easier. Turning the potentiometer counter clockwise will make the digital IR sensors less sensitive, allowing it to distinguish the color black a lot easier.


detects white space

The image shown on the left is of the Smart Inventor Board using the default program for the line following robot(program 12). When the Board is placed on white space, the LED corresponding to the Digital IR sensor will Turn on. Because all of the IR sensors are placed on white space, all of the LEDs are on.


IR no detect black tape

The image on the left shows the same program but with a strip of standard black electrical placed below. Because the digital IR sensor detects the black gradient, the LEDs corresponding to those sensors are turned off.

You can use this black electrical tape to build cool mazes and tracks that your robot can follow.