The wire of the anti-theft alarm system used in action movies.

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08 Feb 2019
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During this level we are constantly going to check whether we can disable the alarm systems we create by merely cutting the power or switching the sensor off. You have often seen in movies how robbers try to “stop the guards” by cutting the power or destroying the control panel. Even more often they just cut the wire which controls the sensor.

Every time you come across the next task, try activating the system by simply removing the sensor cable. If the system is activated and the alarm goes off, it is well protected. However, if disconnecting the cable allows you to steal the protected object, then you should make the system better.

In addition, discuss with your teacher and classmates why the system sounds or does not sound the alarm when the cable is disconnected.

Courses and lessons with this Tutorial

This Tutorial is used in the following courses and lessons

Robotics with LEGO - Level 3.0 - Security systems

This is the fifth level of the Robotics with LEGO curriculum for students in fifth to twelfth grades.

In this level students will learn how to work with data measured by the sensors. The concept of Algorithm is introduced and the programs perform calculations without knowing the values beforehand. The programming blocks transfer data between each other via data wires. The robots are designed to address the problems of security systems. Variety of alarm systems are built and the physical principles of different security methods are considered.

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Lesson 1 - Smart security plates

Introduction: Museum Security

Did you know that some pieces of art, for example statuettes, have a really high price, sometimes reaching millions of dollars/euros? This is one of the main reasons why such pieces of art are so tempting for robbers. In order to prevent them from being stolen, various alarm systems for museums and galleries have been developed over the years. Nevertheless, when one has a clear goal, one becomes exclusively crafty, especially when talking about robbers. In this lesson we are going to focus on various security devices and the ways robbers can be caught/ hacked. Will we manage to come up with the most secure system?

Today we are going to build security devices for a museum with highly valuable exhibits. The aim of our robots will be to detect whether there is an intruder in the museum hall and whether the exhibit is on its stand. For the purposes of our lesson, we are going to use a mobile phone or the robot’s brick as an exhibit.

Later, we are going to use the already programmed stand to play Indiana Jones and try to steal the valuable statuette without being detected. Then, we will move to something more practical – namely, we’ll try to automate a store.

Robotics with LEGO - Level 3.0 - Security systems

This is the fifth level of the Robotics with LEGO curriculum for students in fifth to twelfth grades.

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Lesson 2 - Weighing security stand

Weighing plate, using weight change block

The sensor of the robot from the previous lesson was binary. This means there was only one state possible – either there is an object or there is no object. Therefore, it was very easy to press the plate, take the exhibit and put a stone instead. And the system could not detect us anyway. That is why now we have to think of something better in order to protect the valuable exhibits.

A clever solution is to have a robot which “senses” each change in weight. If the weight is greater, this will mean there is someone pressing the plate and the system should trigger the alarm. If the weight becomes lower, this will mean someone has stolen the exhibit and the alarm should also go off.