LAB #4 – Automation Using Photo-Resistor

Read Experiment #4 of the WAM Student Guide. Chapter #4 of the Robotics! Student
Workbook may also be helpful.

To get the teacher’s signature (or all points) the robot must do the following:

Perform the operations described in Challenge Problem #2 on page 67 of the WAM

Student Guide.

Things to turn in (each group member):

A word document with these questions answered. Write the question then place your
answer below. Be specific and describe in detail if necessary.

1) What is a photo-resistor (also called a light-dependent resistor (LDR))? How

does it work?

2) Is a photo-resistor a digital or analog device? How do you know?

3) What is the approximate measured resistance of the photo-resistor at floor

level facing up toward the lights (face of sensor parallel to floor)?

4) What is the approximate measured resistance of the photo-resistor at floor

level facing the classroom door (face of sensor perpendicular to the floor)?

5) Our robots are digital devices (I/O ports work with a 0 or 1 only). If we were
to use an analog sensor (such as a photo-resistor), how is the conversion from
analog to digital accomplished in this lab? Be specific!

6) How do you change the sensitivity of the photo-resistor circuit (digital

switch)? (i.e. the light level that changes the Input Port value from 1 to 0)

7) Fill in the blanks for first three paragraphs on page 68 of WAM Student
Guide. Copy / paste the question into your word document and
BOLD/Underline the answer.