Overview of Rokit Smart

You get to unbox your Rokit Smart kit! We'll show you all the pieces and what they do, as well as how the electronics work. You'll also learn how to turn the mainboard on, how to select a program on the mainboard, and how to upload your own programs onto it.
Rokit Smart Getting Started cover Rokit Smart Getting Started cover

This lesson works with:

Rokit Smart
Arduino
  • arduino
  • coding
  • electronics
  • overview
  • programming
  • robotics
  • Rokit Smart
  • sensor

Grade level:

3 - 12+

Approx. time required:

30 - 45 mins
CSTA

1B-CS-02

3-5

Model how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks.
CCSS

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.7 Language Arts

Grade 3

Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).

Read More

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.7 Language Arts

Grade 4

Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.

Read More

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.7 Language Arts

Grade 5

Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

Read More

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.7 Language Arts

Grade 6

Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.

Read More

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.7 Language Arts

Grade 8

Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).

Read More

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP5 Math

Grade 3

Use appropriate tools strategically.

Read More
Step 1

What's inside a Rokit Smart kit?

Every Rokit Smart kit will include the following pieces to make 11 awesome robots:

  • 1 main board
  • 2 DC motors (360º rotation)
  • 2 horn adapters
  • 1 carrying kit complete with nuts, bolts, and screws
  • 4 blue peg boards
  • 1 micro USB cable
  • 1 USB to UART connector cable
  • Assorted frame set
  • 1 battery box
  • 1 remote control with a battery
  • 1 Phillips screw driver
  • 1 nut driver
  • 2 wheels

The USB to UART connector cable is used to connect the Smart Inventor Board to your computer so you can upload your Arduino code onto your Rokit Smart robot.

Make sure you know the different between a nut (not the kind you eat), a bolt, and a screw!

  • A nut is used to secure either a bolt or screw.
  • A screw has a sharp point.
  • A bolt has a flat end.
Rokit Smart Parts
Step 2

Smart Inventor Board

The Smart Inventor Board has the following components built in to help your robots work:

  • 4 DC motor pins
  • 5 external digital ports
  • 5 external analog ports
  • 1 buzzer
  • 3 DIP switches
  • 8 blue LED lights
  • 3 IR sensors on the top
  • 7 IR sensors on the bottom

Don’t worry if you don’t know what any of these are yet! We’ll be going over how to use all of these components in almost every lesson.

Step 3

Choosing the right program

Your board comes pre-installed with 11 programs for our 11 default robot builds. To choose the programs, turn your Smart Inventor Board on by flipping the power switch to the “ON” position. By default, the board has a LED positioned for the first program. To choose a program, use the left and right IR sensors.

  • The left IR sensor makes you move down a program (you will see the LED position move to the left).
  • The right IR sensor makes you move up a program (you will see the LED position move to the right).
  • The center IR sensor lets you choose the program you’re on.
Smart Inventor Board1
Smart Inventor Board2
Step 4

Uploading your own code

If you want to use and upload your own code to the Smart Inventor Board, follow these steps:

  1. Place DIP switch 1 in the “ON” position on the Smart Inventor Board, as shown below.
  2. Connect the USB to UART connector to the Micro USB cable and attach it to the board.
  3. The far-right LED will start blinking, which lets you know that you are in programming mode.
  4. While in programming mode, you can create your own programs in the Arduino IDE or even modify our robot programs (which you can find in the robot tutorials).

Note: you need to install the Arduino IDE to do this!

Smart Inventor Board3
You are offline. Basecamp running in offline mode.