Associating physical robots with their in-launcher icon

[cor3ntin]

We want a way to light a given robot from the launcher so that each student can identify which robot it will use. After thinking about it and talking with Vincent, here is the proposed design.

In a classroom, there will be multiple launchers connected to the same set of robots. And if each launcher decides which color a robot can have, we may end up with 6 green robots, defeating our goal of identifying them.

Instead, deciding which color each robot should have will be left to the device manager

• When a robot connects, it will be assigned a color by the thymio device manager, that color will remain assigned until the robot disconnects
  • In the launcher, on rollover, we will send a message to the Thymio Device Manager to light the device
  • The Thymio Device Manager will run some aseba code on the robot to light the robot of the given color
• The Thymio Device Manager will inform the launcher that the robot is lit and will transmit the color information.
  • After a few seconds, the TDM will reset the thymio and inform the launcher that the robot isn't lit anymore.
  • The launcher will use svg paths to match the color of the device.
  • Busy or locked robots can't be highlighted

This ensure that the colors of the robot won't collide. Vince will make a list of easily distinguisable colors for the TDM to choose from.

Future direction:

• Use a specific pattern
• transmit the pattern frequency to the launcher ?
• dedicated leds
• sound :fearful:

From a protocol standpoint --> HighlightRobotRequest <-- RobotHighlighted #FF00FF <-- RobotHighlighted #000000

[mbonani]

Friendly names are the first stet to distinguish robot, a flashing mechanism can be add in the robot menu as it show it works well. No colour are needed and only white, green or red are sufficient. I will propose at first step to only let the master computer (where the robot is really connect) to flash it.

[mbonani]

think more about the user experience