Lesson 1: Introduction to the UNIHIKER K10 Robot Car

Kararne.Yang Aug 14.2025

0 34 Easy

Product Introduction

The UNIHIKER K10 Robot car is a learning platform designed for youth programming education and AI enlightenment. It combines the Maqueen Plus V3 smart chassis with the UNIHIKER K10 main control board, integrating technologies like control, graphical display, voice recognition, voice synthesis, image processing, and wireless communication. This helps students progress from basic programming to advanced intelligent system development, mastering hardware interaction, sensor applications, and other key skills.

This robot car not only excels in movement and environmental sensing but also supports multi-modal interactions like lights, sound, and screen displays, making learning more fun and immersive. Whether for classroom teaching, maker activities, or robotics projects, it’s a highly expandable and practical educational tool.

Hardware Introduction

1. Maqueen Plus V3 Smart Chassis

-5 line tracking sensors: Supports black line recognition and path tracking for smart line-following tasks.

-2 light sensors: Detects ambient brightness for smart lighting or light-sensitive behavior control.

-Matrix laser sensor: Uses 64 laser points for millimeter-precision obstacle avoidance and cliff detection.

-RGB car headlights and ambient lights: Customizable 16 million colors for enhanced visuals and status feedback.

-Buzzer: Provides sound alerts for better human-machine interaction.

-Detachable metal motors: Precisely matched for smooth rotation without stalling.

2. UNIHIKER K10

-2.8-inch color LCD: Displays data, interfaces, and animations for intuitive interaction.

-Offline voice recognition: Supports Chinese/English voice commands without internet.

-Built-in camera: Enables image capture and processing for projects like object detection, -face recognition, QR code scanning, and cat/dog recognition.

-Integrated sensors: Includes accelerometer, microphone, temperature, and light sensors for perception-based projects.

-Wireless communication: Supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for remote control and IoT projects.

Onboard speaker and RGB indicators: For voice feedback, status display, and light interactions.

Assembly Tutorial

For detailed steps on assembling the Maqueen Plus V3, check the Maqueen Plus V3 Assembly Tutorial.

Place the UNIHIKER K10 screen-facing forward and insert its gold fingers vertically into the chassis slot, ensuring full insertion.

Software Introduction

Mind+ is a beginner-friendly graphical programming software for primary and secondary school students. With its intuitive and user-friendly interface, Mind+ has become a leading platform in programming education. It supports multiple hardware platforms and offers a wide range of programming modules and resources, making learning to program more engaging and enjoyable.

-Intuitive graphical interface: Mind+ features a drag-and-drop interface that allows students to build programs without writing complex code. This intuitive design significantly lowers the barrier to entry and helps beginners get started quickly.

-Extensive hardware compatibility: Mind+ supports a variety of hardware devices, including the Maqueen Plus V3 and the UNIHIKER K10. This broad compatibility enables students to flexibly apply different hardware in their projects.

-Rich programming modules: The software provides a diverse set of modules covering motion control, sensor data processing, graphic display, sound playback, and more. It offers students a wide space for creativity.

Download: https://mindplus.cc/en.html

Note: Requires Mind+ V1.8.1 RC1.0 or later.

1. Interface Overview

Mind+’s interface has 8 key areas: Menu bar, mode switcher, quick tools, command blocks, script area, code area, extensions, and serial monitor.

2. Adding Extensions

Switch to Upload Mode: all projects in this course use this mode.

Add the main control board: "Extensions" > "Boards" > "UNIHIKER K10"

Add the expansion board: "Extensions" > "Expansion Board" > "Maqueen Plus V2/V3"

After adding, you will see new command blocks: "UNIHIKER K10" and "Expansion board".

Hands-On Programming

1. Hardware Connection

Use a USB 3.0 to Type-C data cable to connect the assembled robot car to the computer.

Note: The Type-C end should be connected to the UNIHIKER K10.

2. Software Setup

Open Mind+ and follow the setup steps below.

3. Writing the Program

Let’s display the UNIHIKER logo on the screen and cycle the Maqueen Plus V3’s RGB lights through red, yellow, blue, and green.

Use the "cache local image at X0 Y0" and "show cached content" command under UNIHIKER K10 command zone to show the logo.

Note: The use of these commands will be explained in detail in later lessons. For now, we’ll just use them briefly to get started.

To control the RGB lights on the Maqueen Plus V3 base board to display different colors, you need to use the commands in the "Expansion" command area. Use the "pin RGB LEDs" command under "UNIHIKER K10 on start" to initialize the number of RGB lights to 4.

Then, inside a "Forever", use the "pin RGB to show color" block to set the four RGB lights to display red. Use the "Wait 1 second" block to keep the red color on for one second.

Repeat this process to make the RGB lights show yellow, blue, and green, each for one second. The complete program looks like this:

4. Run the Program

Make sure the UNIHIKER K10 is properly connected to your computer via a USB cable. Once connected, click the "Upload" button in the Mind+ software.

Once the program is uploaded, disconnect the USB cable from the UNIHIKER K10. Turn on the power switch on the car’s battery pack and the power switch on the chassis. The UNIHIKER logo will appear on the screen, and the RGB lights on the chassis will cycle through red, yellow, blue, and green.