This week I'm going to bring to modlab the one of the six simple robots I use in my ABC class to teach kids (10-14 years) about robot building. The basic robots have an Arduinio board, two drive motors, a motor control H-bridge. During the 6, 1.5h sessions I have the kids add some LEDs, photosensors and bump sensors to 'discover' the world. My current approach is ordered around 5 goals<div>
1. Getting the Arduino working & basic programming</div><div> Goal: flash the built in LED</div><div> Result: LED flashing at different rates, some flash morse code</div><div>2. Getting the robot moving by understanding the H-bridge and the 2 motor drive</div>
<div> Goal: Drive the robot forward, backward and make turns.</div><div> Result: Robot drives in set patterns on the floor.</div><div>3. Getting the robot to sense obstacles</div><div> Goal: take the feedback from the bump sensors and change the robot's movement</div>
<div> Result: Robot detects obstacles and works its way around them</div><div>4. Getting the robot to sense light</div><div> Goal: have the robot change movement when light is sensed (or not sensed)</div><div> Result: Robot can be steered by a flashlight (while still avoiding obstacles using bump sensors)</div>
<div>5. Getting the robot to follow a line</div><div> Goal: Use the photocell to sense dark/light on the ground to allow a robot to follow a line</div><div> Result: Robot will follow a line in a jerky manner</div>
Naturally, by the 3rd goal many kids realize all futher goals can be inservice to a robot combat.<div><br></div><div>The programs been run for a number of years, but during the first couple sessions the kids are hard to enagage because they can't really see where we are going. I show them the final robot on the first session, but they are understandably impatient to get to the end.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I thought it might help if I were to <span class="Apple-style-span" style>knit the steps into a better narrative (maybe tie it into the super exciting Curiosity Rover) and am looking for ideas. I'd like to spark their imaginations a little more.</span></div>
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style>Any ideas on improving my approach are appreciated.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style><br></span></div>
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style>Looking forward to this week's modlab.<span></span><br></span></div><div><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style><br></span></div></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style>-Michael Sepa</span></div>