L1 — Meet Edison | Teacher Slides

Lesson 1 of 6

Meet Edison

Introduction to the Edison V3 Robot

Year 9 · Robotics with Edisons

Learning Objectives

1Identify and describe the key sensors and components of the Edison V3 robot

2Explain what barcode programs are and how they are loaded onto Edison

3Successfully scan and run at least 3 barcode programs, recording observations

Prior Knowledge: Students should be familiar with the concept of input/output and basic hardware components from Y7/Y8.

Lesson prep: Print the Edison barcode sheet (Resource: Edison Robot Barcode.docx). Ensure all Edisons are charged and USB cables are available. Have EdPy open on your screen to show the environment for next lesson.

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Key Vocabulary

Terms students need to know before we start

🤖

Edison V3

A small, programmable robot designed for education. Version 3 features improved sensors, USB-C charging, and is compatible with LEGO. Programmed using EdPy (Python).

🔴

IR Sensor (Infrared)

Infrared sensors emit invisible light and detect reflections. Edison uses these at the front to detect obstacles, and underneath for line tracking.

📊

Barcode Program

A pre-loaded program that Edison runs when it scans a specific barcode with its optical sensor. No coding required — useful for exploring robot behaviour.

🐍

EdPy

A Python-based programming language specifically designed for Edison robots. Code is written online at edpyapp.com and downloaded to the robot via USB.

Differentiation: Ask students to suggest which sensor might be most useful for different real-world robot tasks (e.g., a warehouse robot, a vacuum cleaner, a self-driving car).

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Edison V3 Anatomy

Know your robot before you program it

Physical Components

🤖

🔴 IR Obstacle (front ×2) 🔵 LED 🟢 Line Sensors (bottom ×2) 🟡 Buzzer

Sensor Reference

Component	Location	Used for
IR Obstacle (×2)	Front	Avoiding objects
Line Tracking (×2)	Bottom	Following lines
Clap Sensor	Front	Detecting loud sounds
LED	Top-front	Visual output
Buzzer	Internal	Audio output / beeps
USB Port	Right side	Programming / charging
Play Button ▶	Top	Run program / scan barcode
Record Button ⏺	Top	Record (round button)

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Barcode Programs

Running pre-loaded behaviours without writing code

Live Demo: Show students how to scan a barcode. Place barcode sheet flat on desk. Hold Edison's front-underside about 1–2cm above the barcode. Hold ▶ Play button for 3 seconds until it beeps. Release the button — Edison runs the program.

Available Barcodes

⬆️

Drive Forward

Edison drives forward until it detects an obstacle

🔄

Obstacle Avoidance

Uses IR sensors to autonomously navigate around objects

🎵

Play Music

Plays a short melody using the buzzer

👋

Clap Control

One clap = start driving; second clap = stop

⚫

Line Follower

Follows a black line on white paper using bottom sensors

Key question for class: "These programs are already inside Edison. Can you think of a real device where pre-loaded programs are useful without needing to code them yourself?"

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Student Task

Explore your Edison using barcodes and the student worksheet

Direct students to the student worksheet: student.html → L1 Meet Edison. They work through Steps 1–3 on the worksheet.

Task Overview

1Step 1: Identify Edison's parts — take a photo of their robot and upload it to the worksheet

2Step 2: Read about the barcode programs — discuss predictions before scanning

3Step 3: Scan 3 barcodes — predict, observe, record. Upload photo evidence and complete plenary reflection

🥉 Bronze

Identify 5 components on Edison and scan 3 different barcodes

🥈 Silver

+ Explain the purpose of each sensor in your own words

🥇 Gold

+ Research: find one real robot that uses similar sensors and describe its purpose

Timing: Steps 1 & 2 — ~8 minutes. Step 3 (barcode challenge) — ~15 minutes. Final reflection — 5 minutes.

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Plenary

Consolidate learning and preview Lesson 2

Exit Ticket — Think → Pair → Share

"A barcode program for 'obstacle avoidance' is already inside Edison. In Lesson 2, we will write our OWN obstacle avoidance code. What do you think is the advantage of writing it yourself rather than using a barcode?"

✅ Today we covered

Edison V3 hardware and sensors
How barcode programs work
Predict → Observe → Explain approach

⏭ Next Lesson

Lesson 2: Moving with EdPy

We will write our first Python-based EdPy programs to control Edison's movement — forward, backward, turns, and speed.

Remind students: Their lesson is unlocked on the worksheet once they finish Step 3 and upload evidence. They must export their PDF before the end of the unit.