Pictoblox robotic – Sign Detection in Self Driving Cars (teachers)

Yann KIDSHAKER 19 mars 2025

Sign Detection in Self Driving Cars

Objectives

After this lesson, students will be able to:

Perform sign detection, which will lay a foundation for them to build a self-driving car using PictoBlox and Quarky.
Write a script to make the Quarky, detect different signs, and say the name of the detected sign.

Introduction

This session is the first in a two part session on self driving cars. In this session, students will write a script that performs sign detection of one sign at a time, using their device camera. The script will also make the device display the name of the sign it detected. If no sign is detected, it will say ‘No Sign Detected’. Please note that the camera is being flipped while turning video ON, to nullify the mirror effect and read the signs appropriately.

Activity

Detecting the sign from the landmark cards using the camera, connected to the Quarky robot

Teaching Resources

PicoBlox Code

Title	Description	File
Sign Detection in Self Driving Cars	Detecting the sign and landmark cards from the camera, connected to the Quarky robot	https://ai.thestempedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/session16_Sign-Detection-in-Self-Driving-Cars.sb3

Timeline

Title	Approximate Duration	Procedure	Reference Material
Introduction to sign detection	5	Introduce the students about the coming future of self-driving cars Explain them in brief, about the way sensors and systems are used in self-driving cars to visualize traffic lights, road signs, people crossing roads etc.	Lecture Slide
Activity: Sign Detection in Self Driving Cars	30	Ask students to open a new file in PictoBlox on their devices. Demonstrate the procedure given in the *Sign Detection in Self Driving Cars Activity Sheet* to the students. Ask the students to follow the instructions to create the project. At the end of the activity, the teacher must check if all the students have created the project and provide feedback accordingly.	Lecture Slide, PictoBlox File and Activity Sheet
Concluding the session	5	Make sure that all the students save their script properly before closing PictoBlox. Give a summary of all the points covered in the lecture, and clear doubts of students.	Lecture Slide

Title

Approximate Duration

Procedure

Reference Material

Introduction to sign detection

Introduce the students about the coming future of self-driving cars
Explain them in brief, about the way sensors and systems are used in self-driving cars to visualize traffic lights, road signs, people crossing roads etc.

Lecture Slide

Activity: Sign Detection in Self Driving Cars

Ask students to open a new file in PictoBlox on their devices.
Demonstrate the procedure given in the Sign Detection in Self Driving Cars Activity Sheet to the students.
Ask the students to follow the instructions to create the project.
At the end of the activity, the teacher must check if all the students have created the project and provide feedback accordingly.

Lecture Slide, PictoBlox File and

Activity Sheet

Concluding the session

Make sure that all the students save their script properly before closing PictoBlox.
Give a summary of all the points covered in the lecture, and clear doubts of students.

Lecture Slide

Things to Remember

Before Class

Make sure each PC has the latest version of PictoBlox installed and running.

During Class

If the students are unable to find a block, point them to the color of the block on the block palette.
Explain them, why we are flipping the camera, while turning ON video on the stage.

After Class

Make sure students save their codes/scripts.
Make sure they shut down the PC/Laptops.