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• Low-profile design fits under beds, sofas, and other tight spots where conventional vacuums can’t reach

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A robot is an electromechanical device capable of performing both programmed and autonomous tasks. Robots in fictional media tend to have humanoid characteristics and are able to interact with their human creators. Fictional robots also tend to be highly intelligent and follow human orders.

Much of the drama of robots in fiction occurs when robots either exceed their programming or their programming becomes corrupted. A robot that began a story as humanity’s faithful servant often ended it by becoming the villain. The following is a brief overview of robots in fiction.

Reading About Robots

In 1942, science fiction author Isaac Asimov introduced the world to his Three Laws of Robotics. In a series of short stories and novels, Asimov explained these Three Laws through the interaction of robots and humans.

Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics were 1) A robot may not harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm; 2) A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law; and 3) A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Asimov’s robots were constructed with fictional “positronic” brains. His robots were constrained by the Three Laws, with the First Law taking precedence over the others, and the Second Law taking precedence over the Third Law. Drama in Asimov’s robot stories usually resulted from unexpected behavior from robots obeying the Three Laws in unanticipated ways.

Mechanical Men In Movies

The information about robots presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about robots or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

The 1956 science fiction classic film “Forbidden Planet” introduced audiences to Robby the Robot. Created by Dr. Morbius with the assistance of alien technology, the enormously talented Robby served as a glorified butler to Dr. Morbius and his daughter. Robby possessed the strength to carry at least 10 tons, could converse intelligently on many subjects, and even had the ability to convert matter from one form to another. If the ship’s drunken cook served as “comic relief” in the movie, then Robby the Robot certainly fulfilled the role of “straight man.” It is worth noting that Robby was programmed with the equivalent of Asimov’s First Law of Robotics in that he could not harm a human being, even when ordered to do so by a human.

The “Star Wars” saga spanned almost three decades and introduced a whole new breed of robot. The robots R2-D2 and C-3PO were referred to as “droids” (e.g., androids, or robots with human form). However, only C-3PO had a humanoid body. R2-D2′s squat cylindrical body and non-speech communication made him more robotic than his humanoid companion.

“The Terminator” showcased the evil robot turning on his creator. In this twist of the classic Frankenstein story, the evil cyborgs (e.g., cybernetic organisms, or robots with organic parts) gained self-awareness and sought to eliminate their creators. This movie differs from the others discussed here in that the robot was specifically programmed to kill humans. However, in typical Hollywood fashion, later movies featured a robot protector sent to protect humans from the killer Terminator.

Television Tin Men

The robot from the “Lost In Space” television series remains one of the most recognizable TV robots. The unnamed Robot, like his ancestor Robby, existed to serve the Robinson family. Despite his dome-like head and cylindrical body, the Robot was portrayed as very human through his personality and extreme loyalty to his owners. He often acted as a companion to the boy Will, and is noted for his signature warning, “Danger, Will Robinson!” An incarnation of Robby the Robot actually appeared in an episode of “Lost In Space.”

More recently, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” included the android named Data as a member of the crew. Except for his unusual skin and eye color, Data appeared to be human. In fact, to be human was Data’s eventual goal. Data and his evil twin Lore, possessed great speed, strength, and supercomputer brains. In tribute to Isaac Asimov’s groundbreaking robot fiction, Data’s brain was referred to as “positronic.” Data possessed much greater latitude in his actions and choices than the other robots discussed in this article.

Conclusion

Robots and their more human-like android cousins will continue to be an integral part of science fiction in all media. They will continue to serve as humanity’s most faithful servants, most intelligent villains, and even comic relief. As robots become more common in today’s society, their influence on fictional media will continue to grow.

Those who only know one or two facts about robots can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you’re learning here.

Robot Kits

Fascinated with electronics, then you will be doubly fascinated with the robots. And if you are indeed, then get yourself the robot kits so that you can have an amazing learning experience at your home. With the robot kits not only you will be able to understand and implement the knowledge of electronics, but after completion of the task you can have the ultimate robotic companion. But for the beginners, let us understand what is a robotic kit? Technically a robot kit is a special construction kit, which is used for building robots, especially autonomous mobile robots. In all, the robot kits are a great educational tool that keeps you involved and informed at the same time.

The robot kits are available for all the age groups and there can be many options while selecting it. Beginners can start with the entry level robot kits to venture in this field. Remember it is always better to understand the complete process and technique involved before you start with a costly robot kit. This is just to avoid any accidents in the process. The robot kits typically consist of structural elements, mechanical elements, motors (or other actuators), sensors and a controller board that controls the inputs and outputs of the robot. Some advanced robot kits are also available without electronics so as to provide you the opportunity to use your won designed electronics controllers and other circuits.

There are many manufacturers and designers of robot kits who provide a wide array of mechanical, programmable and various other multifunction robot kits. The general robot kits are a combination of mechanical and electronics process with a programmable chipset and can be used widely as great educational tool, whereas the high-end robot kits are similar, and the only difference being much complexity that can be a product of artificial intelligence, which is incorporated in the robots. These high-end robots take a great length of time to complete and can be taken as a group task, rather than an individual activity.

One of the popular robot kits are qfix robot kits. The qfix robot kits are an excellent educational tool for purpose of teaching robotics. They are widely popular and are commonly used in schools, high schools and mechatronics training in companies. Apart from this hobby robot builders commonly use the robot kits. Another popular robot kit is manufactured by the legendry Lego Mindstorms and consists of mechanical parts, a advanced controller, various sensors and actuators, and a software environment in order to program the constructed robot. In the qfix robot kits the mechanical parts are made of aluminum and all elements are industry standard. The mechanical elements in the robot kits include bars and plates, holders for motors and sensors, axes and wheels. Generally, Atmel controllers are used as electronics components.

Mastering this activity can lead you to the competitions that are held at various levels for robot building. This can be the most rewarding experience for any participant to present and display his or her robot.

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Robotics History

 

Definition of a ‘Robot’

                                                                           

First use of the word ‘Robot’

 

First use of the word ‘Robotics’

 

Three Laws of Robotics

 

The First Robot ‘Unimate’

 

Modern Industrial Robots

 

Benefits of Robots

 

 

Definition of a ‘Robot’

 

According to the Robot Institute of America (1979) a robot is:

“A reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through various programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks”.

 

A more inspiring definition can be found in Webster. According to Webster a robot is:

“An automatic device that performs functions normally ascribed to humans or a machine in the form of a human.”

 

 

First use of the word ‘Robot’

 

The acclaimed Czech playwright Karel Capek (1890-1938) made the first use of the word ‘robot’, from the Czech word for forced labor or serf. Capek was reportedly several times a candidate for the Nobel prize for his works and very influential and prolific as a writer and playwright.

 

The use of the word Robot was introduced into his play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) which opened in Prague in January 1921.

 

In R.U.R., Capek poses a paradise, where the machines initially bring so many benefits but in the end bring an equal amount of blight in the form of unemployment and social unrest.

 

The play was an enormous success and productions soon opened throughout Europe and the U.S. R.U.R’s theme, in part, was the dehumanization of man in a technological civilization.

 

You may find it surprising that the robots were not mechanical in nature but were created through chemical means. In fact, in an essay written in 1935, Capek strongly fought that this idea was at all possible and, writing in the third person, said:

 

“It is with horror, frankly, that he rejects all responsibility for the idea that metal contraptions could ever replace human beings, and that by means of wires they could awaken something like life, love, or rebellion. He would deem this dark prospect to be either an overestimation of machines, or a grave offence against life.”

[The Author of Robots Defends Himself - Karl Capek, Lidove noviny, June 9, 1935, translation: Bean Comrada]

 

There is some evidence that the word robot was actually coined by Karl’s brother Josef, a writer in his own right. In a short letter, Capek writes that he asked Josef what he should call the artificial workers in his new play.

 

Karel suggests Labori, which he thinks too ‘bookish’ and his brother mutters “then call them Robots” and turns back to his work, and so from a curt response we have the word robot.

 

 

First use of the word ‘Robotics’

 

The word ‘robotics’ was first used in Runaround, a short story published in 1942, by Isaac Asimov (born Jan. 2, 1920, died Apr. 6, 1992). I, Robot, a collection of several of these stories, was published in 1950.

 

One of the first robots Asimov wrote about was a robotherapist. A modern counterpart to Asimov’s fictional character is Eliza. Eliza was born in 1966 by a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Joseph Weizenbaum who wrote Eliza — a computer program for the study of natural language communication between man and machine.

 

She was initially programmed with 240 lines of code to simulate a psychotherapist by answering questions with questions.

 

 

Three Laws of Robotics

 

Asimov also proposed his three “Laws of Robotics”, and he later added a ‘zeroth law’.

 

Law Zero: A robot may not injure humanity, or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.

Law One: A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm, unless this would violate a higher order law.

Law Two: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with a higher order law.

Law Three: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with a higher order law.

 

 

The First Robot: ‘Unimate’

 

After the technology explosion during World War II, in 1956, a historic meeting occurs between George C. Devol, a successful inventor and entrepreneur, and engineer Joseph F. Engelberger, over cocktails the two discuss the writings of Isaac Asimov.

 

Together they made a serious and commercially successful effort to develop a real, working robot. They persuaded Norman Schafler of Condec Corporation in Danbury that they had the basis of a commercial success.

 

Engelberger started a manufacturing company ‘Unimation’ which stood for universal automation and so the first commercial company to make robots was formed. Devol wrote the necessary patents. Their first robot nicknamed the ‘Unimate’. As a result, Engelberger has been called the ‘father of robotics.’

 

The first Unimate was installed at a General Motors plant to work with heated die-casting machines. In fact most Unimates were sold to extract die castings from die casting machines and to perform spot welding on auto bodies, both tasks being particularly hateful jobs for people.

 

Both applications were commercially successful, i.e., the robots worked reliably and saved money by replacing people. An industry was spawned and a variety of other tasks were also performed by robots, such as loading and unloading machine tools.

 

Ultimately Westinghouse acquired Unimation and the entrepreneurs’ dream of wealth was achieved. Unimation is still in production today, with robots for sale.

 

The robot idea was hyped to the skies and became high fashion in the Boardroom. Presidents of large corporations bought them, for about $100,000 each, just to put into laboratories to “see what they could do;” in fact these sales constituted a large part of the robot market. Some companies even reduced their ROI (Return On Investment criteria for investment) for robots to encourage their use.

 

 

Modern Industrial Robots

 

The image of the “electronic brain” as the principal part of the robot was pervasive. Computer scientists were put in charge of robot departments of robot customers and of factories of robot makers. Many of these people knew little about machinery or manufacturing but assumed that they did.

 

(There is a common delusion of electrical engineers that mechanical phenomena are simple because they are visible. Variable friction, the effects of burrs, minimum and redundant constraints, nonlinearities, variations in work pieces, accommodation to hostile environments and hostile people, etc. are like the “Purloined Letter” in Poe’s story, right in front of the eye, yet unseen.) They also had little training in the industrial engineer’s realm of material handling, manufacturing processes, manufacturing economics and human behavior in factories.

 

As a result, many of the experimental tasks in those laboratories were made to fit their robot’s capabilities but had little to do with the real tasks of the factory.

 

Modern industrial arms have increased in capability and performance through controller and language development, improved mechanisms, sensing, and drive systems. In the early to mid 80′s the robot industry grew very fast primarily due to large investments by the automotive industry.

 

The quick leap into the factory of the future turned into a plunge when the integration and economic viability of these efforts proved disastrous. The robot industry has only recently recovered to mid-80′s revenue levels.

 

In the meantime there has been an enormous shakeout in the robot industry. In the US, for example, only one US company, Adept, remains in the production industrial robot arm business. Most of the rest went under, consolidated, or were sold to European and Japanese companies.

 

In the research community the first automata were probably Grey Walter’s machina (1940′s) and the John’s Hopkins beast. Teleoperated or remote controlled devices had been built even earlier with at least the first radio controlled vehicles built by Nikola Tesla in the 1890′s.

 

Tesla is better known as the inventor of the induction motor, AC power transmission, and numerous other electrical devices. Tesla had also envisioned smart mechanisms that were as capable as humans.

 

An excellent biography of Tesla is Margaret Cheney’s Tesla, Man Out of Time, Published by Prentice-Hall, c1981.

 

SRI’s Shakey navigated highly structured indoor environments in the late 60′s and Moravec’s Stanford Cart was the first to attempt natural outdoor scenes in the late 70′s.

 

From that time there has been a proliferation of work in autonomous driving machines that cruise at highway speeds and navigate outdoor terrains in commercial applications.

 

Fully functioning androids (robots that look like human beings) are many years away due to the many problems that must be solved. However, real, working, sophisticated robots are in use today and they are revolutionizing the workplace.

 

These robots do not resemble the romantic android concept of robots. They are industrial manipulators and are really computer controlled “arms and hands”. Industrial robots are so different to the popular image that it would be easy for the average person not to recognize one.

 

 

Benefits

 

Robots offer specific benefits to workers, industries and countries. If introduced correctly, industrial robots can improve the quality of life by freeing workers from dirty, boring, dangerous and heavy labor. it is true that robots can cause unemployment by replacing human workers but robots also create jobs: robot technicians, salesmen, engineers, programmers and supervisors.

 

The benefits of robots to industry include improved management control and productivity and consistently high quality products. Industrial robots can work tirelessly night and day on an assembly line without an loss in performance.

 

Consequently, they can greatly reduce the costs of manufactured goods. As a result of these industrial benefits, countries that effectively use robots in their industries will have an economic advantage on world market

 

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I. Introduction

“You can’t achieve what you can’t conceive.”

-Author unknown

The United States of America may lose its supremacy as a superpower if our children of today can’t grasp the technologies of tomorrow. The trend has already been set. High-level engineering jobs are currently being outsourced to other nations, not only because of cheaper costs, but inadequacies of filling them in the states. Let’s face it; there are not too many Americans who strive to have a doctrine in Electrical Engineering to do research and development. To other countries like Korea, many students see Math as the “universal language” and foresee a technically based doctorate level diploma as a necessity for excelling in their country. To many, this is the only road out of poverty. American children, stereotypically, do not have this fear to motivate them. Many children in this “superior” country just view mathematics as something needed to pass a proficiency test. Its value is discarded. The implementations are unseen. The desire of children to follow this type of career path is decreasing. Obviously, these future implications are disturbing and may some day be detrimental to the foundation of our country. However, I believe nurturing children’s enthusiasm in needing to use math may be the answer. Not surprisingly as stated in Robots for Kids, “Robots rank right up there with dinosaurs when it comes to grabbing the attention of elementary school students…” [1 p. 232]. Hence, I predict an interest, active participation, and proper guidance in robotics will increase nationally recorded math scores.

II. Staggering Math Scores

The facts don’t lie. According to the US Department of Education in 1999 [2], the United States ranked 12th among 4th graders, a staggering 28th among 8th graders, and just 19th among seniors in nationally recorded math scores. How can poverty stricken and problematic country like Israel be three rankings ahead of us with 8th graders? Clearly, money isn’t the answer. Nor do I believe Israelis have fewer fears about violence than our inner city children do to distract them. Although I’m a bit perplexed by the answer, I believe solution lies in a child’s own aspirations and inner desires. Many of our youth dream to be professional athletes or pop singers. That’s what they see. That’s what they know. That’s what they love. These young easily influenced children view these avenues not only as fun, but also as a means for financial freedom. With mathematics being the “universal language,” children in other countries may see this as the only way to break through levels of poverty and thrive in life. Let’s face it; math can be a difficult subject to grasp. Unless one either has the first name ‘Albert’ or discovers motivational reasons to put forth extra effort, the scores will suffer. The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) has found that “students who agreed that they like math and that math was useful for solving problems, scored higher than students who disagreed” [3]. To no surprise, many educators have already taken this as a given. The question that now arises is how to motivate the children? Or better yet, how does one follow a handed-down curriculum while taking advantage of today’s enticing technologies? As stated by Druin and Hendler, “I believe the desire for learning has to do with an animating idea or an engaging project. New technologies enable students of all ages to pursue richer, far more complex learning experiences. With robots, students can truly be scientists, engineers, designers, and builders” [1 pp. 161-62].

  Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 12

Rank Nation Score Nation Score Nation Score

1 Singapore 625 Singapore 643 Netherlands 560

2 Korea 611 Korea 607 Sweden 552

3 Japan 597 Japan 605 Denmark 547

4 Hong Kong 587 Hong Kong 588 Switzerland 540

5 Netherlands 577 Belgium 565 Iceland 534

6 Czech Republic 567 Czech Republic 564 Norway 528

7 Austria 559 Slovak Republic 547 France 523

8 Slovenia 552 Switzerland 545 New Zealand 522

9 Ireland 550 Netherlands 541 Australia 522

10 Hungary 548 Slovenia 541 Canada 519

11 Australia 546 Bulgaria 540 Slovenia 518

12 United States 545 Austria 539 Germany 495

13 Canada 532 France 538 Hungary 483

14 Israel 531 Hungary 537 Italy 476

15 Latvia 525 Russian Fed. 535 Russian Fed. 471

16 Scotland 520 Australia 530 Lithuania 469

17 England 513 Ireland 527 Czech Republic 466

18 Cyprus 502 Canada 527 United States 461

19 Norway 502 Belgium 526 Cyprus 446

20 New Zealand 499 Sweden 519 South Africa 356

21 Greece 492 Thailand 522    

22 Thailand 490 Israel 522    

23 Portugal 475 Germany 509    

24 Iceland 474 New Zealand 508    

25 Iran 429 …(28th)United States 500

   

Figure 1: Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) of 1999 Math scores [2].

Figure 2: Average mathematics scores by students that state “I like math” [3].

Figure 3: Average mathematics scores by students that state “Mathematics is useful for solving everyday problems” [3].

III. Robots in the Media

Television may be lending a helping hand in the educational pursuit of sparking kid’s interest in robots. Maybe the eyes have been blessed to see Honda’s commercial of a 4 foot robot walking down the driveway to pickup a Sunday paper. This completely autonomous robot, which appears to be wearing a space suit, is currently on tour around the world. This “Advanced Step in Innovative MObility,” or better known as ASIMO, is the result of a robotics program that began in 1986. Being the most advanced humanoid robot in existence, this intriguing creation walks on two legs, has 26 degrees of freedom, can walk up steps, and is currently on a North American Educational Tour. Recently, this technological marvel visited the Bronx schools in an attempt to “encourage the interest in the study of robotics and science” [4]. Even a section on the website is dedicated to teacher’s resources for children. With ASIMO, Honda is truly giving our youth “The power of dreams” [4].

Sony is also doing its part to “Change the way you see world.” AIBO has become a pet of the future for many while the SDR-4X II is all the rave. AIBO is an autonomous dog that can learn, do tricks, and express feelings. This approximately $2000 piece of entertainment is completely programmable for upgrading and educational purposes. Be prepared for the pet to express 6 different types of feelings, act according to its environment and attention it’s receiving, seek out its toys, and without human help it will wake up and fall asleep on a charging station. Not only does the dog mature overtime, but also it won’t dirty the carpets as a puppy! The SDR-4X II, on the other hand, literally has become the rave among youngsters. This humanoid can be caught “raving” (a techno dance technique), throwing balls, doing tai chi, and even jogging. Even better, the video clips available on the Internet and television demonstrate five of them doing it in unison. And it gets better! This robot also has face recognition, a 20,000-word vocabulary for speech recognition and synthesis, color recognition, and still finds time to map out a room for optimum placement to show off. Now only if this thing didn’t need to be charged. Oh, did I mention work is already being done on that [4, 5]?

The stated robots do a wonderful job of creating attention for themselves and portraying to youngsters “cool” jobs to have when they grown up. However, I believe the television show Robot Wars is a driving force for inspiring them to begin building. I can vouch as living proof of that statement. Turn on TechTV and you will have the pleasure of watching robots battle to the death in an arena that has gusts of fire, pits to oblivion, and flippers that launch unfortunate robots through the air to their doom. Combine this with hundreds if not over a thousand screaming children in the stands and this show becomes a quick favorite. The program’s website even provides a daily quench for the thirst of building. Direct links are provided on how to start creating robots from home. GI Joes begin to look like baby toys in comparison to a 500 pound robot that shoots fire, spins blades, has crushing pinchers, and is moving strictly to survive and destroy someone else’s creation. Inside this 20- by 54-foot arena is the ultimate in robot combat and competition. Children love it [7, 8]!

IV. Creative Avenues

A common place many turn to when compelled to build a bot is David Cook’s book, Robot Building for Beginners. Following these instructions, not only will a line following robot be built, but math is unavoidably used and pursued. In order to understand speed, one must first understand Revolutions Per Minute, trade offs between speed and torque, battery levels, friction, robot mass and ways to manipulate these values with different voltages, gear ratios, and tire sizes. Trial and error is always an option and, might I add, a popular one amongst beginners. Remember, robotics is something that making a mistake is ‘OK’ and a tremendous amount of the learning results from these mistakes. However, this is where a teacher steps in and provides a ‘bag of tricks’ to the knowledge hungry children. I believe Miller and Stein say it best when they detail reactions from a second grade class:

“…several students will stare with awe and admiration at the one or two students who know their multiplication tables and can predict how many times a motor needs to turn to make the wheel on their robot turn once… All of a sudden radii, circles, circumferences, and so on have utility—as one of our students suddenly loudly exclaimed, “So that’s what pi is for!”” [1 pp. 231-32].

Wow, all that to just determine speed. Lets not forget that the person reading the book is going to learn about materials science (i.e. textile strength), basic electronics (voltage = current * resistance), mechanics (loads and stress), diodes, resisters, capacitors, LEDs, and all the tools and procedures to use them effectively. At first glance, this may seem like a lot to learn for a child. Remember this: it’s not the teacher’s lessons being forced on the kids, it’s their own! What child becomes enthused with a question stating, “If Jack is half as old as Jill, and Jill is one third as old as Jan? Then how old is Jack on Jan’s 60 birthday?” Building robots is a teacher’s dream–true problem solving with the added benefit of enthusiasm [9].

With DC robots, the sky is the limit on how technical the project will become. However, sometimes quicker and less complex solutions may be more appropriate. BEAM technology uses solar energy to power very simplistic, yet captivating, robots. This acronym for Biology Electronics Aesthetics Mechanics represents an area of robotics using no computational power, inspirations from Mother Nature, a focus on designs that appeal to the eye, while making it all work with the small amount of power given from a solar panel. There are rarely circuit boards used, no programming is involved, and just a few inexpensive are parts needed. My first BEAM robot involved a paper clip, a pager motor, a solar panel, a capacitor, and a little solder. In about 20 minutes, the 5 parts came to life! The beauty of these robots is the simplicity to build, the parts are cheap to buy or easily found in techno junk around the house, and only a soldering iron is necessary to build them. While these robots generally take the form of a bug or some other small creature, they have a large appeal to children. Projects are very quick. This fact alone adheres to those with a short attention span who want immediate feedback on their progresses. In addition, many of the basic principals of science and biology are incorporated in the design and can be discussed with respect to solar energy. Visits to the zoo will become more educational as children will seek out animals to mimic their moments and appearance. “Construction material and project ideas that appeal to a broad range of interests allow multiple entry points into science, mathematics, engineering, design, art and music for all types of learners. These materials not only make new knowledge domains accessible, but also provide new ways for children to relate to domains of knowledge to which they have already been exposed” [1 p. 22]. In addition, an obvious challenge of this solar technology is to minimize the current used and find ways of storing (capacitors) what little energy that is available. Hence, young robotists will learn the importance of reading and comprehending part data sheets in order to choose the appropriate parts wisely. Naturally, some of the most basic problem solving techniques are utilized at its finest [10].

When the pupil is young or the soldering skills have not quite matured, Lego Mindstorms is always an exceptional choice. Actually, anyone of any age will find this technical and robotic line of Legos a wise investment. Not only are the parts reusable and nonexclusive to a particular project, but also they can be programmed in various languages on a computer from Visual Basic to Lego’s own object oriented programming language. No cables are needed either. All of this can be done via an infrared transmitter! It’s difficult to fathom how Legos have walked hand-in-hand with technology. For example, let’s take a closer look at the kit “Robotics Invention System 2.0.” This set includes a battery operated RCX Microcomputer used to store programs and connect all the peripherals, 718 pieces which include 2 motors, 2 touch sensors, and 1 light sensor, a USB infrared tower, and a simple yet powerful picture based programming language on CD. Of course, all the Legos from any of the prior kits can be used in conjunction with this educational tool. In addition, at the Mindstorms website, there is a free online program in which to create projects choosing any Lego in existence. This 3D virtual environment is ideal for posting creations on the web or experimenting with Legos that have yet to be purchased [11, 12, 13].

As a result of the software included, children can have their first robot built in less than an hour after purchase. There are a slew of practice lessons, training sessions, and missions included on the CD. Each of these training sessions teaches a specific capability of the Robotics System while describing various ways to test, troubleshoot, and tweak the constructions. Eventually, the lessons will escalate into such capabilities as: using sensors to interact with the environment, programming with icons that represent blocks of code, and create environmental responses for the robot to do anything its creator desires. By the time the CD is completed, nearly all the fundamental techniques necessary to complete projects will have been covered [11, 14].

Already, there are over a dozen books written about Lego Mindstorms with detailed how-to’s of creating everything from a scanner, musical instrument, and a picture creator, to a spy bot, fingernail polisher, and M&M color sorter. I even own books that describe the creations of an ATM machine, card dealer, elephants that squirt water, and even a robot that does the work of cleaning the Lego’s from the floor [15]. By completing these projects, according to Cole and O’Conner, “(Educational) benefits include helping children to improve their concentration skills, work with instructions, problem solve, and develop patience” [16]. This line of Legos created by MIT professors is currently being used with thousands of educators across the world. Since most children only view the robot as a “toy”, they tend to stay highly focused and engaged throughout the lessons. Thus allowing more productive group settings, more creative and in depth solutions to given scenarios, and development of interpersonal skills and team-building skills. All of this is accomplished without the use of a pencil [17, 18]!

V. Case Study

If something can’t be measured, then I believe it cannot be proven or improved. My hypothesis is that with an interest, active participation, and proper guidance in robotics, the TIMMS scores on average will increase at least 10 points over a year’s time. Since the tests are taken at 4th, 8th, and 12th grade years respectively, this undertaking would need to involve an entire school system and then relate the scores to the year’s prior. Remember, the content of an experience, and not so much the tools, are what is vital to learning. Hence, the roles, guidance, and trainings of the teachers and designated robot/BEAM/Lego Mindstorms “experts” cannot be stressed enough. It is naive to consider placing a computer in front of a person and expecting one to be capable of building a network, creating a webpage, or becoming fluent in a programming language. The same goes for robotics. When launching this curriculum upgrade in the beginning of a fall school year, it is essential to educate the teachers during the prior summer. Obviously, this time will be spent to understand the equipment, discuss and personalize previously created and borrowed lesson plans, and provide an entire summer of uninhibited experimentation. However, this is also a period to overcome any fears or dislikes of technology and change. “For example, some people uncomfortable with new ways can replicate the old ways by using technology. It is a safe way to sneak up on change… Some teachers, who have little experience with new technologies in their classroom, have been known to force-fit new technologies to well-worn curricula” [1 p. 159]. For this case study to be effective, educators must embrace breaking through the mold of “old school” comfortable habits and adhere to the potentials of what technology can foster. This is, of course, the pursuit of “richer, far more complex learning experiences [1 p. 161].

The procedure itself is laid out in a similar pattern amongst the different grade zones. Months prior to the start of the school year, a letter detailing the curriculum changes should be sent out to all the parents. This letter should brief the intentions and communicate resources that a parent could turn to for pre-exposure to themselves and their children with the upcoming technologies. Parental support and involvement are essential to exceeding expectations in this new process.

A. Elementary School

Beginning with the elementary level, grades 1-5, the year should begin with a speaker. Here, Lego Mindstorms will be introduced and accompanied with a display case full of inventions. Demonstrations will be shown to all. This will incite interest and curiosity amongst the listeners. Also, leaving these creations in a strategic trophy-case-like display will perpetuate the excitement and foster a desire for involvement. Lego Mindstorms will be added to the curriculum. This time invested can be substituted for some of the weekly sciences and designated math time slots. When executed properly, the lesson plans of different mathematical principals can be shared as helpful hints to the students. Also, in replacement of the annual science fair, a “Lego Fair” could be established. This will provide for more parental involvement regarding the Mindstorms. How many projects are really done 100% by the student anyway? Also, a sense of pride and achievement will be attained in the ownership of a creation on display for everyone to see. In addition, having the student stand by the project during showing to answer questions and provide detailed descriptions and demonstrations will solidify the understanding, theories, and principles used in the creation process.

Just as in high school, I believe tenure and seniority should have its perks. Assuming the continuation of this curriculum advancement, 4th and 5th graders would eventually have 3 and 4 years of Mindstorms experience under their belts. Thus, allowing for more advanced projects and deeper problem solving capabilities. To add fuel to this fire, a monthly competition could be established solely for the “upper class people.” This could involve creating a solution to build a robot that follows a line and picks up Legos, a race around a track following a line, or even a robot that can navigate through a simple maze. Whatever the challenge; a secret agenda should be accomplished. Carefully choose a project that is best solved using principles that coincide with the forecasted science or mathematical lesson plans that month. I believe this would serve as an honor to be old enough to participate in these activities. Student involvement would inevitably increase as a result. Also, what’s better than having a child seeking out mathematical tricks from the teacher, i.e. how to use fractions for simplification of programming timings, in an attempt to gain a competitive advantage over a fellow classmate? Stated in business terms, competition fosters innovation. Then last of all, administer the TIMMS tests and compare the scores to a prior non-Lego integrated year.

B. Middle and Junior High School

In a similar fashion, grades 6th through 8th will experience robotics with a heightened level of technical skills necessary to complete the projects. The main differences are the integration of electrical components, basic electrical principles, soldering techniques, and solar technology used in the foundation of BEAM technology. A guest will also be brought in at the start of the school year for the technical overview and exhibitions of a display-case amount of BEAM robots. However, this speaker will also be an electrical engineer. This expert will relay the pertinence of the BEAM skills to be learned as they are utilized in the real world. Also, the professional should state the educational path best taken in math and science to prepare for a college major in this field. As with the elementary children, the creations will be left on display and questions will be welcomed both during the presentation and on a one-on-one basis.

Since students will more than likely be changing classes for the different subjects, the science labs should be equipped with the necessary tools for the solar robots. This robotics class will need to be slotted in a certain portion of the week in replacement of the sciences. In addition, a yearly BEAM robot fair should also be created. Robots that interact, seek out light, and intertwine independent ideas (as apposed to just following directions out of a book) should be suggested. A new twist will be added to this fair though. Students will be required to provide a write-up that details schematics, electrical calculations, and descriptions of the robot. This should even include how light transforms to energy for the motor. This insures that the student is actually understanding the creation and learning the principles—not just excelling in the field of directions following. If the Beam Robot Fair is the yearly event for all grades, the monthly projects for the privileged 8th graders could be a robot race. I would like to better name these functions “The Solar Roller Races.” Here, students will create solar powered drag cars to race their fellow classmates. These simple creations will be entered into a bracketing system in which the monthly winners will have their names engraved on an annual plaque. Winners could be encouraged to retire that car and work on a new one for the next month. This will encourage continued devotion to these races from everyone. And as the last step in this process would be, TIMMS test should be administered to the students and compared to prior non-robot years.

C. High School

With no surprise, the most involved, demanding, and in depth robotic projects will be asked of those in high school. The sky is the limit on the complexity of any project here. Also, in hopes of keeping the robotics program alive for many years, those who began with the Lego Mindstorms will be able to utilize their skills since first grade on the projects. Robot bases can easily be made of Legos and light can also be used as a power source. Students will eventually learn there are advantages and disadvantages to every decision they make.

The school year for grades 9-12 will follow in line with K-8 and begin with a visit from a speaker. This speaker will be an Electrical Engineer fluent in the field of robotics. Again an overview will be given, creations will be demonstrated, a Q/A session will take place, career paths will be detailed, and specific class routes will be suggested. Although the speaker descriptions appear to just be reiterations of other grade levels, the importance cannot be stressed enough. Many teenagers begin career paths based upon what they enjoy. Hopefully, those who become passionate about robotics understand the importance of accelerated classes for technical majors in college. This fact cannot be forgotten. The classes specific to robotics will be offered to each grade level with increasingly more in depth coverage for the higher grades.

Also, instead of a yearly robot fair, I desire the yearly event to be participation in FIRST. “For Inspiration in Science and Technology” is a 6 weeklong competition modeled after an MIT 2.70 mechanical engineering class [1 p. 248-49]. As described on the FIRST website:

“The FIRST Robotics Competition is a national engineering contest which immerses high school students in the exciting world of engineering. Teaming up with engineers from businesses and universities, students get a hands-on inside look at the engineering profession. In six intense weeks, students and engineers work together to brainstorm, design, construct and test their “champion robot.” With only six weeks, all jobs are critical path. The teams then compete in a spirited, no-holds-barred tournament complete with referees, cheerleaders and time clocks.

The partnerships developed between schools, businesses, and universities provide an exchange of resources and talent, highlighting mutual needs, building cooperation, and exposing students to new career choices. The result is a fun, exciting and stimulating environment in which all participants discover the important connection between classroom lessons and real world applications.

Each year, the competition is different, so returning teams always have a new challenge to look forward to. However, the details are kept secret until the unveiling at the Kick-Off workshop. This provides a high level of excitement as everyone sees the new challenge for the first time and ideas immediately being forming in people’s minds” [19, 1 pp. 248-49].

Upper class people will also have their privileges in high school. The monthly event open to 10th and 11th graders could be robot sumo. Here, students will create completely autonomous robots and mimic the rules of one of Japan’s most popular sports—sumo. Instead, the idea is for the size and weight class restricted robots to push each other out of a circular ring. Robot sumo has already made its way into many robot clubs, high schools, and universities. The popularity of this event can be credited to its low part costs and simplicity of rules. In 2001 alone, more than 4,000 robots competed in a 4-month season in Japan and those numbers are growing at an exponential rate. Innovation is what keeps this “game” growing in numbers and proves invaluable for student participation and educational advancement [20].

Naturally, in order to prove my hypothesis, the high school students would also need to be administered an internationally recognized TIMMS exam. These scores would then need to be compared to non-robotic years.

VI. Conclusions

Although the robotic case study has not been implemented to test my hypothesis, I will make predictions on the findings. As forethought, I also believe the conclusions to be correct to a high amount of accuracy. There are many ingredients to this success and I will attempt to touch on most of what I consider obvious outcomes. However, as a person of science, I admit that these ideas are not factual and even incomplete without the study actually taking place.

Public displays of projects and competitions have fostered extraordinary outcomes. So does the cooperative participation with all students. In time, I believe this will portray robotics as a “cool” thing to do in school. This being the case, some of the educational barriers will be hurdled in the process. Especially during the competitions, students will be working with the adults and not for them. Realizations that it is not the gender, race, creed, sex, or social status that matters in reference to partnering in robotics, but what they know and can contribute to the cause is a vital lesson. The differences in people will be grayed out while their possibly unknown qualities will shine. Robotics gives a chance for people who generally wouldn’t have associated with each other to seek each other out for their robotic potential [1 pp. 287-88].

Specifically looking at gender differences, it is important to note the participation of females in robotics. A finding from Robocamp states, “It appears that girls in particular may need encouragement and a formal structure in order to experiment and be creative… They would do more advanced exercises only when specifically asked” [1 p. 321]. Another finding exhumed from the book Robots for Kids details finding at an elementary school in Reston, Virginia. Believing the importance of ideas to be best left in the author’s words,

“We (KISS Institute for Practical Robotics) distributed flyers to the fifth and sixth graders (ages 10-11), and the next day 30 registrations appeared: 29 boys and 1 girl.

This overwhelming imbalance highlighted an obvious need to reach out to girls, and this inspired immediate action on our part. We received permission to present short robot demos for second graders. During these demos, students were invited to push buttons, flip levers, and otherwise interact with a couple of real robots. We then distributed flyers to the second graders for an after-school robotics class. This time we had enough response to form two classes, and about 40 percent of the registrants were girls.

Four years later when this group became sixth graders, we again offered a fifth/sixth-grade class. This time half the students who signed up were female. None of this resembles an actual scientific study (why we are developing); however, there was a fairly strong indication that when students had a fun experience with robots at an early age, they were much more likely to pursue that topic at a later point in their life. Presumably, the same effect would occur later in life, in that students would be more likely to choose college courses and/or career paths further down the line after having been exposed to fun experiences with robotics in middle and high school” [1 pp. 232-33].

Along with the proposed findings that more students will choose a technical career later in life, I believe that local robotics clubs will also begin forming in the community. This will lead to in depth community involvement of older more experienced people volunteering for robotics help in the local schools. Hence, this cycle will lead to better teachings and of course better projects. Also, I believe this will help perpetuate a more enjoyable school experience for children. This can be proven just by a jump in attendance. Another way to validate the statement is to look at the children’s Christmas/birthday lists. I believe they will include more robotic related materials than before.

All of these reasons encapsulate why math scores will improve. More specifically, I believe scores will improve by at least 10 points on the TIMMS scores as compared to non-robotic years. I say this because,

“In regular classes many teachers try to use grades to motivate students, and sometimes they miss the mark. It is best for students to push themselves to excel, so teachers give exams to test student achievement and attach a grade to motivate students to do their best. But one of the real problems of…education is that grading standards vary widely and continually slip downward. At the same time, students would seem to be foolishly wasting their time if they did anything more than the minimum required to get an ‘A’ in a class” [1 pp. 289].

Also, I foresee a higher enrollment in advanced math and science classes. This is, of course, a result of more students having their eyes opened to technical careers and taking proactive educational steps to achieve these dreams. If more students enroll in advanced math classes, then more students will score better on nationwide math based exams. In addition, lets not forget that students have been unknowingly working on problem solving skills and math based robotic inspired formulas for the duration of the year. The best part is that these processes were probably utilized in a majority of the student’s free time as projects were being created and completed. If portions of students are inspired to focus on robotics every spare hour they are free, increased math use is unavoidable. Hence, with this practice, so is improvement upon these skills. A 12-year long study of the continued robotic intervention of the 1st graders to their 12th grade testing would be interesting. The implications of perpetuated involvement in the robotics field would be fascinating.

People under the legal age of 18, or dare I categorize them as children, possess all the tenacity, creativity, and capacity to learn, as do adults. Channeling these incredible energies into something as positive and productive as robotics will have effects that ripple on beyond our comprehension. As best stated by a high school participant in FIRST, Daniel Lehrbaum shares his insight on people.

“…I think if students are put in a position where their opinions are valued and their designs are valued and people listen to them, suddenly they can rise to that new level. I think the one thing is that people fill the shoes that you put them in. If the engineers and advisors (that assist the team with FIRST) put them in really big shoes, they are going to fill them. They will do the things they need to do to get the job done. Especially if they are, you know, dedicated to the cause. People can do incredible things” [1 p. 271].

References

1. Druin, Allison, and Hendler, James, eds., Robots for Kids: Exploring New Technologies for Learning, San Diego, Academic Press, 2000, pp.159-62, 232-233, 248-249, 271, 297-288.

2. US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics: Overview and Key Findings Across Grade Levels, March 1999, , accessed May, 12 2004.

3. National Center for Education Statistics, Mathematics: The Nation’s Report Card (home), 17 June 2003, , accessed May, 12 2004.

4. Honda, ASIMO: North American Educational Tour, 2004, , accessed May, 12 2004.

5. Sony, Enhanced Motion Control and Communication Capabilities in Small Biped Entertainment Robot (SDR-RX II) to be Exhibited at RBOBDEX2003, 24 March 2003, , accessed May, 12 2004.

6. Sony Electrons e-Solutions Company, ERS-7: AIBO Entertainment Robot, 2002, , accessed May, 12 2004.

7. TechTV, Robot Wars (Home>TV Shows>Robot Wars), 2004, , accessed May, 12 2004.

8. Karagiannis, Konstantinos, “Exploring Robotics Online,” Popular Electronic, April 1999, pp. 9-12.

9. Cook, David, Robot Building for Beginners, Berkeley, Apress, 2002.

10. Hrynkiw, Dave, and Tilden, Mark W, Junkbots, Bugbots & Bots on Wheels: Building Simple Robots with BEAM Technology, Berkeley, McGraw, 2002.

11. Lego, Lego Mindstorms, 2004, , accessed May, 12 2004.

12. Sato, Jim, trans., Jim Sato’s Lego Mindstorms: The Master’s Technique, Berkeley, No Starch Press, 2002.

13. McComb, Gordon, “Cyberk’nex—Part Robot, Part Fun,” Poptronics, March 2001, pp. 55-56.

14. Williams, Marifrances, “New Legos Let Kids Become Droid Designers,” Electronic Design, 8 March 1999, p. 68.

15. Erwin, Benjamin, and Paperet, Seymour, Creative Projects With Lego Mindstorms, Second ed., Boston, Addison, 2003.

16. Cole, Lisa, and O’Connor, Jane, “The Nuts and Bolts of Robot Building with Kids,” Tech Directions, February 2003, pp. 19-22.

17. Mauch, Elizabeth, “Using Technological Innovation to Improve the Problem-Solving Skills of Middle School Students,” Clearing House, March/April, 2001, pp. 211-13.

18. “Using and Hacking Robots with Lego Mindstorms,” Poptronics, January, 2000, pp. 61-64.

19. FIRST, “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” , accessed May, 12 2004.

20. Miles, Pete, Robot Sumo: The Official Guide, Berkeley, McGraw, 2002.

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