How to move Arduino Alvik forward and backward using simple code?

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If you are already familiar with Arduino Alvik environment, then you can proceed with the following post. However, if you are new to Arduino Alvik, then we suggest you to read this post on Arduino Alvik basics first!

As we know there are two on board multicolor LEDs on top of the Arduino Alvik. Let us see the following code to blink these LEDs alternately by changing their color.

The following code is freely available for logged in users.

from arduino_alvik import ArduinoAlvik
from time import sleep_ms

# Initialize the Alvik robot
alvik = ArduinoAlvik()
alvik.begin()

# Make the two LEDs off initially
alvik.left_led.set_color(0, 0, 0)
alvik.right_led.set_color(0, 0, 0)

while True:
  # Move forward
  alvik.set_wheels_speed(50, 50)  # Both motors forward at speed 50
  alvik.left_led.set_color(1, 0, 0)  # Red LED glows to indicate forward motion
  alvik.right_led.set_color(1, 0, 0) # Red LED glows to indicate forward motion
  sleep_ms(1000)  # Move forward for 2 seconds

  # Stop for 1 second
  alvik.brake() # note this special function
  alvik.left_led.set_color(0, 0, 0)  # Turn off all the LEDs
  alvik.right_led.set_color(0, 0, 0) # Turn off all the LEDs
  sleep_ms(1000)

  # Move backward
  alvik.set_wheels_speed(-50, -50)  # Both motors backward at speed -50
  alvik.left_led.set_color(0, 1, 0)  # Green LED glows to indicate backward motion
  alvik.right_led.set_color(0, 1, 0) # Green LED glows to indicate backward motion
  sleep_ms(1000)  # Move backward for 1 seconds

  # Stop for 1 second
  alvik.brake()
  alvik.left_led.set_color(0, 0, 0)  # Turn off all the LEDs
  alvik.right_led.set_color(0, 0, 0) # Turn off all the LEDs
  sleep_ms(1000)

If you are new to Arduino Alvik, the read this step-by-step procedure to create new file in Arduino Lab software and then run the code given above.