Robotics: Making Computer Science and Engineering Come Alive! ISTE 2010: TP426L Christopher Michaud Paulding County Public Schools Dallas, Georgia Lego Education Booth #632

Overview Build Program Experiment Apply

Objectives Build Basic Vehicle Robot from directions Using NXT-G software Distance, Direction, Duration Sensors Missions Application to Math and Science Standards

Why Programming and Robotics? Programming allows students to encode and reflect on sequential and logical thought in a dynamic system. Real applications of math concepts Distance, Direction, Duration Boolean Concepts Develops Technological Fluency

What is a Robot? A Robot is a machine that can be programmed to do a task without being directly controlled by a human being. There are two parts to a robotic system. 1. Hardware: This is the mechanical robot. The motors, gears, wheels, parts, computers that make up the machine. This is the part you build. 2. Software: This is the instructions for the tasks and actions the robot will do. This is the part you write.MINDSTORMS NXT is used to create the software that controls the actions of the robot hardware. NXT MINDSTORMS software is a visual/icon system of assembling instructions. The flow of direction usually moves from left to right. This software is an example of a compiled program. Programs you write in NXT must be compiled and downloaded to the NXT Brick before the Robot will perform the program. (Scratch and Python are "Interpreted Languages.")

Why Robotics? Humans are creators and builders We like to “Give Life” to objects Robotics embody logical thought in action through time in the real world “See” our thoughts in action and reaction Robotics will continue to play bigger roles in human society They are cool!

Hierarchy of Technology Skills 1. Passive Reception: From creator to receiver with no action on receiver to alter flow of content. (watching a video) 2. Active Research: From creator to receiver with receiver selecting path and specific points of content. (Surfing the web) 3. Interactive 1 way: From creator to receiver through game model. Receiver must master a skill to progress through activity. (Skill and Drill) 4. Communication / Expression: User creates content and art with technology. Verbal / Text Images Plot Web 5. Interactive 2 way: creator and users interact. ( , Blogs, Multi-User Virtual Environments) 6. Data manipulation and Analysis: User uses computer to interact and manipulate the content and data. 7. Software creation / programming: Users encodes logical thought and algorithms into computer. User tells computer what to do. Provides platforms and engines for above skill sets. 8. Hardware creation: User designs and assembles hardware to run, input, display software.

“The Big Trends” Transportation Sailing Ships, Railroads, Automobiles, Airplanes Encoding and Moving Human Thought Written Language, Printing Press, Internet, Web Browser Web 2.0, Small Handheld Computing- Automation of Moving Human Thought Next Innovation - Automation of Transportation - Robotics

Robot Base Easy to Build Stable, Symmetrical, and Strong Flexible for different projects

Sources for Robot Plans us/history/default.aspx us/history/default.aspx us/community/NXTLog/default.aspx us/community/NXTLog/default.aspx

NXT-G Programming Tutorials

NXT-G Programming Input (Sensors) Touch Sound Light Ultrasonic Many others Output Motors Lights Sound Screen Processing Logic Math Conditionals

Basic NXT-G Programming Movement/Motor Blocks (Output) Movement Blocks direct motors A, B, or C to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise. The motors have sensors inside them that can measure how much they rotate. Motors C and B usually are used for the drive wheels on a vehicle Robot. You may change the following variables on a motor on the details window. This icon creates a new movement block. This icon represents the block within the program. Detail window for the selected block. You may change the following parameters: Drive Motors (A, B, C) Direction Steering (C and B working together) Power (Speed) Duration(How Long - How Far) Next Action (Brake or Coast)

Programming Challenges! Drive a Rectangle Activity: Maze #2 Distance and Turns Worksheets Maze #1 Basic Line Following “Cap the Well” Activity

NXT-G Programming Sensors (Input) Touch Light Ultrasonic Many Others: Sound Color IR Magnetic Gyroscope

NXT-G Programming 3 Types of Conditionals (Logic) Wait Block

NXT-G Programming 3 Types of Conditionals (Logic) Switch Block

NXT-G Programming 3 Types of Conditionals (Logic) Loop Block

Basic Line Following

Intermediate Line Following

Missions Basic Types: Follow a Course Go and Get Go and Do Go and Put Go and Stay Try to Relate Missions to real world problems. (Example: First Lego League themes like transportation, energy, biology)

Curriculum Integration Examples: Algebra Worksheets with Distance and Turns Simple Machines Lego Renewable Energy Add On Set Vernier Sensons (

Robot Missions and Activities Robot Dancing Soccer Rescue Missions (Go and Get) Avoid Obstacles Climb over Obstacles Animal Simulations Machines Factory Simulations

First Lego League Part of FIRST program created by Dean Kamen Inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology. Local, Regional, State, World Tournaments Research Project, Technical Design, Robot Game, Teamwork Website:

OK - I am starting a Robotics Program! Now What Do I need? Area for Robot Missions Storage for Robots Plans for what you want students to accomplish Robots and Software Computers

Area for Robot Missions First Lego League Table Plans: x# Poster board and tape Commercial Robot Mats (from Lego)

Storage for Robots Sterolite 64 Quart Plastic Tub with Lid Holds Lego Kit Box and finished robots See into box Stackable Transport Robots Available at Wal-Mart

Plans for Students Carnegie Mellon Robotics Curriculum Robot-C: C&by=20&ID=1763&c=0&t=0&l=0 C&by=20&ID=1763&c=0&t=0&l=0 Classroom Activities for the Busy Teacher: NXT Ortop Video Curriculum Make up your own!

Types of Robots in Education Myro (Parallax Scribbler): Advantages: Open source (free) IDE kit. Python (text) based programming Disadvantages: Not a flexible Hardware Platform, Difficult to keep bluetooth connections consistent. Hard to find to purchase website:

Types of Robots in Education Pico-Crickets: Advantages: Appeal to younger children and girls. More Arts and Crafts/ Creativity. More sensors. Software (Pico Blocks) is free. Disadvantages: Not as high ceiling Not as open projects. website:

Lego Robots in Education Lego We-Do Robotics System Advantages: Widely used in Education. Suitable for Younger Children Simple building plans Can work with Free Software (Scratch) Disadvantages: Not a stand alone Robotics System (must stay plugged into USB Port on Computer) Limited Building possibilities Limited Sensors Only one motor website:

Lego Robots in Education Lego Minstorms NXT: Advantages: Widely used in Education. Many available parts and building combinations. FLL tournament. Wide variety of books and websites with plans and programs. Can be programmed in Robot C, Labview, or NXT-G. Disadvantages: Must pay for software (not open source). Robotics kits and software more expensive. Graphic based NXT-G can be difficult to learn. Windows only for Robot C website:

Lego Robots in Education Tetrix Building System: Suitable for advanced High School Robotics in Lab setting. Required detailed building. Integrates with Lego Mindstorms Robot Kit. Used in First Tech Competition. Website:

Computers and Software Computers (NXT-G) Windows XP Windows Vista Mac OS X Open Source (Linux) Python/Myro NXC Scratch (We-Do) Software (Lego NXT) NXT-G Labview Robot C Other Software (Non Lego Robots) Python/Myro Lejos (Java) Scratch (We Do)

Special Thanks To: ISTE 2010 for providing the computer lab. Lego Education US for providing the robots for the workshop and software for the lab.

Parting Links -> me questions any time! ISTE Post Workshop Survey