In this chapter, we have learned how to program EV3 using the Brick Program application, a visual programming language that uses icons/blocks to construct a sequence of commands that the brick executes to control the robot to our specification.
This is an extremely simple and straightforward means of controlling the robot and, as such, is a powerful programming paradigm. We saw firsthand how easy it is to start writing programs for EV3 using the Brick Program application. It is particularly advantageous when it comes to lowering the entry threshold for programming robots, and is a crucial part of why EV3 works so well as an educational and recreational resource for children.
However, its simplicity, which is such a strength of the Brick Program application, is also the source of many of its limitations:
- Block values (motor speeds and sensor measurements) are limited to a predetermined set.
- There is only a single global loop. There are no smaller loops within the program sequence.
- No branching mechanism (
ifandswitchstructures). - Single speed setting for the differential drive.
Of course, there are other limitations. Some of these limitations are addressed by the visual programming suite that Lego provides free of charge, which can be downloaded and installed on your computer. Unfortunately, this visual programming suite is not available for platforms running Linux (attempts by enthusiasts at running it using Wine have also been unsuccessful to date), a very common occurrence for Linux users.
Even with the visual programming suite available, certain limitations still remain. The biggest one is, of course, the very nature of visual programming. Stringing icons together is a perfectly valid way of programming and learning how to think algorithmically, but it is no substitute for writing actual lines of code with all the advantages it entails. The next chapter will deal with these advantages and how one can acquire them for EV3.