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ADM Activity 2.1.3

Optical Sensing & Color Detection

Calibrate the Optical Sensor so product color becomes reliable data that later lessons can use for automated sorting decisions.

Back to Unit 2Student WorkflowWhat You Submit

Your lesson guide

Objective

Work toward the lesson goal: Optical Sensing & Color Detection. Use the directions and success criteria in the activity below.

Materials

For the online work: a browser and your engineering notebook. Follow the activity’s materials list for any physical build, and get teacher approval before using equipment.

Plan your time

Suggested work block: 45–60 minutes. Physical builds and projects may span several classes; follow your teacher’s schedule.

Learning Targets

By the end of this lesson

  • Explain how the Optical Sensor measures color information.
  • Collect and interpret hue data for different objects.
  • Establish reliable color-identification ranges.
  • Evaluate how lighting and object position can affect sensor reliability.
Equipment & Systems

What you will use

  • VEX CTE Workcell
  • Optical Sensor
  • Red and green Disks
  • VEXcode EXP Console
Student Workflow

What You Will Do

  1. Collect Optical Sensor readings for the available colored parts.
  2. Compare repeated readings and determine useful hue ranges for each product type.
  3. Move or reposition objects slightly and observe whether the readings remain reliable.
  4. Test at least one environmental change, such as lighting or sensor-to-object position.
  5. Document the final identification ranges that will be used in Activity 2.1.4.
Programming Focus

How coding supports the lesson

Use variables to store sensor values and print them to the Console or Brain. Do not build the full sorting logic yet; first prove the sensor data is reliable.

What You Will Submit

What You Submit

  • Optical-sensor calibration data
  • Final hue / identification ranges
  • Short reliability analysis
  • Commented sensor-reading program
Back to Unit 2

Build your lesson report

Checkpoint: is your evidence ready?
  • Check calculations, units, labels, and measurements against the activity requirements.
  • Record what actually happened, including unexpected results.
  • Explain what you changed and why; attach required drawings, photos, CAD, or code in your classroom assignment.

Optical-sensor calibration data Final hue / identification ranges Short reliability analysis

A PDF download is not a submission. Review it, then upload it and any required attachments through your classroom assignment system.