Robotic+Prototyping

Robotic Prototyping media type="custom" key="25788706" align="right" Objectives By the end of this unit, learners will be able:
 * To define and describe a robot, its functions, and what it can and cannot do.
 * To design a robot prototype that can serve humankind.
 * To express new insights and learning about robots through oral communication.

Warm-Ups
 * Learners build an online robot:
 * @http://www.abcya.com/make_a_robot.htm
 * @http://www.freeonlinegames.com/game/build-a-robot
 * @http://www.addictinggames.com/funny-games/buildarobot3.jsp


 * Learners build a 3D paper toy robot
 * @http://www.mediafire.com/download/3qtxsofv1gvl3a3/dancingrobot.pdf
 * @http://toysrevil.blogspot.com/2007/07/nicebunnys-free-downloadable-hedkase_25.html

Initial Design Activity //Materials //
 * marshmallows
 * toothpicks

//Procedures //
 * Learners, in their small groups, build a robot in human form out of toothpicks and marshmallows.



Design a Robot Prototype //Materials Needed //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">drawing supplies
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">building construction sets or household junk -- boxes, rods, tongue depressors, pipe cleaners, hot glue kit, etc.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Arts and Bots Student Handbook [[file:Arts-Bots Design Workbook.pdf]]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a wikipage (either wikispaces or PBWorks) for each learner/learner group.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a writing website such as [|Storyjumper]or Classtools

//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Procedures //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Encourage groups to work on their challenge but give learners the choice of doing this alone or with a partner.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Give the students the following directions:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Decide on a task for a robot to do to help a person who has no or limited used of his or her arms - catching a ball, digging a hole or washing the dishes.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Be creative in your solutions -- think about how various animals and machines perform different tasks.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Draw a robot to do your task.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Scan your drawings and put the details in the wikipage given to you by the instructor. Address the Gathering Information questions below.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Use household junk or construction materials.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Distribute the Arts and Bots Student Handbook which contains the steps to the process to guide them.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Write a story about your robot using StoryJumper and put it in your wikipage.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Read story to the rest of the learners.

Appendix: Gathering Information - for Ask, Imagine, and Plan steps. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Surface texture, finish and color can be appropriate to a design's:aesthetic qualities, mechanical, optical and thermal properties, durability, etc. || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The materials cost and availability are also important factors. || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A particular material can only be worked in a limited number of ways. The method of construction therefore will be determined by the chosen material, the availability of manufacturing facilities, the skills of the work force and the production costs. || @http://www.galileo.org/robotics/design.html
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gathering Information ** ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. What is the practical function of the design? (What must my robot do?) || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A design's practical functions can include:
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//movement// How will the robot move within its environment? If it were put in a different environment, would it still be able to move within this new space?
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//manipulation// How will the robot move or manipulate other objects within its environment? Can a single robot move or manipulate more than one kind of object?
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//energy// How is the robot powered? Can it have more than one energy source?
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//intelligence// How does the robot "think?" What does it mean to say that a robot "thinks?"
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//sensing// How will my robot "know" or figure out what's in its environment? If it were put in a different environment, would it be able to figure out this new environment ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. What part does appearance (shape and form, surface texture, color, etc.) play in the design's function? What does the robot look like? Is there a reason for it to look as it does? || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Shape and form are important to a design's aesthetic qualities, ergonomics, strength, stability, rigidity, safety
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. What materials are suitable for the design? || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">The properties of a material will determine its suitability for a design. There are many different types of materials that can be and are used in the construction of robots. * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">strength, hardness, toughness, density
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">durability
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and the aesthetic qualities determined by colour, surface texture, pattern, etc.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. What construction methods are appropriate to the design? || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Construction techniques fall into the categories of:
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">cutting and shaping
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">fabrication - the assembly of the parts using screws, bolts, glues, solder, etc
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">molding - by the application of a force on the material
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">casting - using a mold to form the shape of a solidifying material
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. What are the likely social and environmental effects of the design? || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The manufacture, use and disposal of any product will have both beneficial and detrimental effects upon people, wildlife and the environment. The designer therefore, has an enormous responsibility to consider very carefully the potential effects of any new design. This will include: health and safety factors, noise, smell, pollution, etc. ||

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Accommodations
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">The Challenge || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">Accommodation || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">Description ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">Gifted Student || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mentoring

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Competitions || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If a gifted student becomes interested in any topics researched during their Internet searches, then he or she could visit with one of the experts from Los Alamos Labs or Intel corporation.

Gifted students in this area can make plans for participation in the New Mexico Science Olympiad - [] || <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Assessment Each working group is provided with a copy of the reflection questions:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Non-readers & Reading Dyslexia || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Assistive Technology || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A screen-reader can be used so students can listen to the written information being presented in the website searches. ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Learning Disabilities || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Use of Color-Coded File Folders || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A file folder is created for EACH project/Internet research project. The project description and the journal question is attached to the inside covers of the file folders. ||

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