Activity+1

=ExploroBot: Activity 1=

=The Mayan Challenge I – King Ixtua's Tomb= You are an archeologist who is excavating the newly discovered tomb (pyramid) of Mayan King Ixtua. The tomb is over 700 hundred years old and well protected. King Ixtua liked small spider monkeys and trained them to do tricks. To protect his tomb from tomb robbers, he had the pyramid builders design the pyramid so that only someone friendly to his monkeys could gain access to the tomb. Unfortunately, none of his spider monkeys have lived 700 years – so you can't even try to become their friend and gain access to the tomb. Even though you have the Mayan manuscript that gives a description of the inside of the tomb and possible traps, how are you, a normal sized person, going to defuse the traps and gain access?

Fortunately, you brought your NXT Mindstorm with you to Guatemala. It's even smaller than a spider monkey – and easier to train (sometimes!). Checking the Mayan manuscript that an earlier archeologist has given you, you see that the first problem to entering the tomb is getting someone (since you don't have a spider monkey) to go down a small, twisting tunnel and trigger a pressure panel to open a door. (If you try to open the door any other way, a trap will be triggered and you're doomed.)

According to the Mayan map, the tunnel goes straight for about 3-4 feet, then left 3-4 feet, then left again for about 3 feet. It ends at the pressure plate. No problem except that the tunnel is only 18" high and 18" wide. Too small for you – but not too small for your NXT if you design it well – and then program it properly to accomplish the task (get to and sit on the pressure panel so that the traps are disarmed) and then return to you.
 * Problem **

**Your Mission** – NOT impossible – and which you must accept ;) Get the robot down the tunnel, rest on the pressure panel, and return to the tunnel entrance in good shape for the next challenge.  Complete the three discussion questions on this page and meet the challenge.  The first team to succeed (and complete the Discussion questions) gets 5 points towards their final score. The second team gets 3 each and the third team gets 2 each. Good luck!

All tunnel paths are 18" high and 18" wide.
 * Tunnel Map **

Build your own robot or use the [|Explorobot example]
 * Build It **

**Team 3's Video** media type="custom" key="12869974"

Return to Mayan Adventure

Based on ExploreBot chapters in LEGO Mindstorms NXT- The Mayan Adventure by Jim Kelly. Taken from http://pacerobonotes.wetpaint.com/page/Curriculum+and+Project+Ideas