Identifying the 123 Robot’s Features

View of the 123 Robot from above, with labels pointing out its features. On the top face of the robot are the touch buttons, including the Start button that also acts as the indicator light, the Move button, the Right button, the Sound button, and the Left button. On the edge of the robot's top face the Built-In Speaker is pointed out, and on the back of the robot the USB C Charging port is pointed out as well.

The VEX 123 Robot is equipped with many physical features.

View of the 123 Robot from below, with labels pointing out its features. The Eye Sensor is pointed out on the front side of the robot, and the Line Detector is nearby and on the underside of the robot. The wheels are marked as the Two Wheel Drivetrain, and a circle on the bottom of the robot is pointed out as the Built-In Gyro and Accelerometer.

The 123 Robot also contains built in sensors and controls.


Robot Physical Features

The 123 Robot has the following physical features:

Diagram of a hand pushing the Move forwards Touch Button on the 123 Robot.

The Move, Right, Sound, Left, and Start buttons to code the 123 Robot to drive forward, turn, or play a sound. For more information about coding with the buttons on the 123 Robot, view this article from the VEX Library.

Sound button on the back of the 123 Robot is highlighted.

A built in speaker. The 123 Robot can be coded to play sounds. The 123 Robot also plays operating sounds during use, such as when the 123 Robot wakes up, completes a project, or powers down. To learn more about some of these sounds in the context of using the 123 Robot, view this article from the VEX Library.

Top down view of the 123 Robot with the indicator light glowing green to indicate that it is fully charged.

Indicator lights in the Start button. The indicator light can be coded to change colors, as well as display certain light patterns to alert you to the 123 Robot’s battery level and status while connecting or starting a project. For more information about the different light patterns in the context of using the 123 Robot, view this article from the VEX Library.


Robot Sensors and Controls

The 123 Robot has the following sensors and controls:

Top down view of the 123 Robot with a circle around it representing the 360 degrees of rotation that the robot can sense.

A Gyro Sensor that is built into the Drivetrain. The Gyro Sensor enables the 123 Robot to drive straight and also to make accurate turns. Whenever the Gyro Sensor is rotated, it measures the angle of the turn. The returned measure is in degrees, where turning clockwise is positive, as shown in the image below.

123 Robot shown from the front where the Eye Sensor is located. An arrow points to the Eye Sensor, which is located about halfway down the side of the robot and facing forwards.

An Eye Sensor on the front of the 123 Robot that can detect if there is an object present. The Eye Sensor can also detect color (red, green, blue).

A built in Accelerometer. This allows the 123 Robot’s movements to be measured and also detect if the 123 Robot has crashed into an object or wall.

A Line Detector on the bottom of the 123 Robot. This allows the 123 Robot to perform certain behaviors, such as stopping or turning around, once a line is detected underneath it.

A 2-Motor Drivetrain. The Drivetrain is the part of the 123 Robot that connects the motors and wheels to allow the robot to move. The Drivetrain can move your 123 Robot specific distances, forward, left, and right with only one button press, one Coder card, or one block in VEXcode 123, instead of having to code the movement of each motor individually.

For more information, help, and tips, check out the many resources at VEX Professional Development Plus

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