Robotic Assistance

Essential Questions

1. What is a robot?
2. How do robots “think”?
3. Can a robot’s manipulation of objects or locomotion meet the needs of a person?

Students will be able to answer the following questions:

1. How can a computer program cause a robot lift, turn, move forward or backward?
2. How does a robot interpret data from sensors?

Students should be able to:

• Explain the embodiment, sensing, and action of a robot
• Design and build robot models which demonstrate how robots can provide assistance to people

Students will know:

• Movement and motion of a robot is typically controlled using combinations of basic software commands.
• The correspondence of degrees of freedom to movement
• The design and construction of a complex machine requires planning and communication

Projects

2015

1. Build and program a VEX Robot with Easy C. The robot will be autonomous with an arm to clear debris from entrance. Arm must have
   • Sensors to locate debris
   • One hand that grasps

Two fingers each with 2 joints. The fingers do not need to move independently, but they must move forward and backward

One thumb with 1 joint and must move forward and backward

1. • One wrist which allows the hand to rotate
   • One forearm to lift and lower hand
   • One upper arm to move the hand forward and back

1. Use a LEGO robotics kit to design and construct a robot that can follow a predetermined path to escape a building after a disaster. The robot will have to navigate a path on a student designed-course that contains:

1. • Stationary obstacle (cinder block)
   • Movable obstacle (plastic container)
   • Left and right turns

1. Use the C programming language to program an iRobot to create a robot that searches a simulated room (borders of room virtual wall units) containing obstacles (cinder blocks) for survivors after a disaster. The robot will identify survivors when survivor presses button. After interacting with survivor, the robot will return to home base.

1. Use robots to return with supplies to aid survivors:

Use S2 GUI program to program a Scribbler Robot to follow iRobot (which will carry the Scribbler to the survivor) after survivor is located and draw a path back from survivor to command center

Use VEX IQ robot programmed in RobotC to follow line from Scribbler Robot to deliver relief supplies to trapped survivors in simulated room

--OR—

Use VEX IQ robot programmed in RobotC to follow iRobot (which will carry the VEX IQ to the survivor) after survivor is located and draw a path back from survivor to command center

Use S2 GUI program to program a Scribbler Robot to follow line from VEX IQ Robot to deliver relief supplies to trapped survivors in simulated room