Actor-Lab

Actor-Lab is a program that visualizes the Lego Mindstorms RCX internal logic through visual flowcharts. The ideas underlying actor-lab are derived from the event-driven, message-passing computer languages that began with the actor based languages devised by Hewit. Actor-lab requires constant communication with the RCX brick via the infra-red link. This means that you have to mount the RCX vertically for models that move about, and hold the tower in some form of gantry. Actor-lab shows you in real-time what is happening on the RCX, including simulation of motors, sensors, lights, and sounds. You can also add controls at the bottom of the screen to give you real-time control of your program/model. There is a similar program from Lego called Robolab. In Robolab, you can actually download programs to the Lego RCX.

Controls within

*Alt+Mouse Drag on an actor will move him to any location specified.
*Double Click on an actor will edit his current messages.
*Alt+Click on a control will edit the current actions that the control sends to actors.

"Notice that there is one control that cannot be edited. This control is Power OFF or Stop."

References

*cite journal |title=Representing Parallelism in a Control Language Designed for Young Children |author=Whalley, P. |journal=Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing |year=2006 |pages=173–176 |doi=10.1109/VLHCC.2006.41
*cite journal |title=Modifying the metaphor in order to improve understanding of control languages—the little-person becomes a cast of actors |author=Peter Whalley |journal=British Journal of Educational Technology |date=July 2007 |volume=38 |issue=4 |pages=715–726 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00642.x

Links

* [http://actor-lab.open.ac.uk/ Actor Lab Home]
* [http://www.robolabonline.com/ Robolab Online]