Using the Program

Balancing is tricky, and the "Balance Bot" program will probably only balance it for a little while, due to inaccuracies in the gyro sensor and other limitations. Here are some tips to get it to work.

1. Start with a fully charged battery, and don't add any parts to the build. The program is tuned for a battery at full strength and with the robot's weight as designed.

2. Before running the program, stand the robot upright as close to balanced as possible, and hold it very gently by its head (the distance sensor) so that you can feel the balance point with your fingers.

3. Press the check button to run the program, then resume a very light balanced hold on the robot as above in step 1.

4. After 1 second, a chime will sound and the robot will try to start balancing on its own. Let go of the robot completely. Don't try to "help" it by supporting it (this will confuse it and make it worse).

5. Once balancing, you may be able to keep it from wandering away too much by nudging it gently by its head, but don't grab or hold it. 

6. When it falls over (due to inaccuracies building up or hitting something), the program should sense the fall and stop the motors. Cancel the program, then set up and try again!

If you can't get the robot to balance even for a little while, it's possible that you may need to adjust the program, due to differences in your gyro sensor or your motors. Tuning the program is tricky, but you can look at the notes in the program and give it a try.