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A Global, Collaborative, Robotics
Pilot Course
PROJECTS
The course was divided into three
projects. Project One was a technical drawing exercise.
Each participant designed a robot and created a
technical building guide that was shared through the
Blackboard file exchange using common digital formats
(i.e., Word, PowerPoint, PDF, HTML). By following the
technical building guides, participants were able to
build robots designed by their partners. This allowed
participants to replicate and hold a
physical model, just as they would if they were in the
same classroom. The physical divide of being located
around the globe forced participants to break down their
robot building steps and descriptions to be very
specific and precise in their communication. Several
participants decided that using pictures only, with no
text, helped to communicate across multiple languages. A
picture is worth a thousand words.
In Projects Two and Three, participants
wrote computer programs for their robots to complete
specified tasks and shared their programs with others in
the group for testing, revision, and peer review. In
Project Two, participants worked in small groups. In
Project Three, participants worked as a whole class.
Programs were written and exchanged through Blackboard’s
file exchange. This allowed participants to download
each other’s programs
into their robot and run the program using the robot
that they had physically built. Global participants were
able to use the online communication and file exchange
tools within Blackboard to replicate the collaborative
hands-on activities that are typically done in the
robotics laboratory classroom.
PROJECT 1
| PROJECT 2
| PROJECT 3
Project I Directions
Using a standard LEGO
Mindstorms set, build a LEGO creation
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Use a digital camera to
take several photos of your finished creation from
different angles. If you do not have a digital camera,
take photos and scan them so that you will have a
digital copy. Keep your photos so that you can share
them later.
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Write and illustrate a
"Technical Building Guide" that will allow your
partner to duplicate your creation.
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Exchange "technical
Building Guides".
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Following your partners
instructions, build your partners creation.
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Take digital photos of
your finished model built from your partners
"Technical Building Guide."
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Your Technical Building
Guide can be created and exchanged in any of the
following ways.
Handmade drawings and
instructions. Drawings could be created with colored
pencil, marker, of crayon on graph paper. Drawings
should be accompanied by typed or hand written
instructions. Both drawings and instructions must be
scanned.
Digital photos of the
building process along with typed instructions. These
could be placed in a Word document, a PowerPoint
presentation, or other software, that can be easily
exchanged and opened by participants.
Computer-generated
drawings and typed instructions. Possible creation
software includes MLCAD of other LEGO CAD software, or
any computer drawing program.
Example Technical Building Guides
Click on the links below to view the
Technical Building Guides form various participants in
the project.
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Project 2 Directions
Challenge
Brief:
Program the pathfinder to travel a
square and provide the program and run instructions for
the group so that group members can replicate your
program. Start with the basic Pathfinder model. If
necessary, modify the Pathfinder so that it includes a
touch or light sensor and any other modifications for
better control and sturdiness. Create a Technical
Building Guide for any modifications.
Task:
to be successful you will need to:
- Create a program
- Write a set of Run
instructions
- Complete a
Technical Building Guide of any modifications you made
so that you instructions can be followed and executed
by the group members.
Goal:
Our goal in this activity is to
make something easily replaceable by our group members.
This is a simple robot and a simple task. The important
lesson is the communication process required to share a
robot design and program with a distance partner.
Example Solutions
Technical Building Guide
of Pathfinder robot before modifications -
Pathfinder
University of Kent,
England - David Barns
Santa Maria, California
- Tino Aleman
Sussex Middle School -
Sussex, NB
Hadley Middle School
- Wichita, Kansas
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Project
3 Directions
Challenge Brief:
Program the
pathfinder to travel a figure 8 and provide the program
and run instructions for the group so that group members
can replicate your program. Start with the basic
Pathfinder model. If necessary, modify the Pathfinder so
that it includes a touch or light sensor and any other
modifications for better control and sturdiness. Create
a Technical Building Guide for any modifications.
Task:
to be successful
you will need to:
- Create a program
- Write a set of Run
instructions
- Complete a
Technical Building Guide of any modifications you made
so that you instructions can be followed and executed
by the group members.
Goal:
Our goal in
this activity is to make something easily replacaple by
our group members. This is a simple robot and a simple
task. The important lesson is the communication process
required to share a robot design and program with a
distance partner.
Instructions
1. Follow the
instructions in Pathfinder Technical building Guide to
build a basic Pathfinder.
2. Modify the
Pathfinder to be sturdier, or add a light or touch
sensor to allow for more accurate programming. Keep
any modifications simple. Please don't change the
wheels just because you like another set. Make sure
that any modifications you make are necessary to
complete the task.
3. Create a
Technical Building Guide that includes you
modifications to share with your group.
4. program the
Pathfinder to travel a figure 8. The Pathfinder will
end in the same place and direction it starts. See
figure below for the path. "Make sure that the type of
program you write (e.g. RIS, ROBOLAB, NQC) can be
shared with your group. Please provide the program and
a screen shot so that others can read your logic.
5. Write a set of
"Run Instructions". Run instructions should be
everything the group needs to know in order to execute
and replicate your program. For example:
a. how large is the
figure 8 the Pathfinder will travel?
b. What are the
lighting conditions in your room?
c. Can the
Pathfinder be run on carpet or floor tile?
d. Is your
Pathfinder designed to follow a certain path, for
instance, one made of colored tape?
e. Are there
obstacles or guides that your Pathfinder will need
to touch in order to complete the figure 8.
6. When you are
finished, share your program/screen shot, Run
Instructions, and Technical Building Guide (if
modified) with the group.
7. Download and run
others programs. Do their programs complete the figure
8?
8. give members
feedback on their programming logic. One way to give
feedback is to use the commenting feature within the
program to document your feedback.
9. Give members
feedback on their Run Instructions. Are there any
details about the environment the robot is working in
(such as battery power, surface, friction, lighting,
etc.) that are important to share before you run the
program?
10. Give members
feedback on their Technical Building Guide if they
made modifications.
11. Revise and
refine your program, Run Instructions, and Technical
Building Guide until you are satisfied that they can
be replicated.
12. Upload your
final Program, Run Instructions, and Technical
Building Guide in the main Discussion Board Form
"Project 3 Pathfinder Figure 8 "Final Solutions"
Example Solutions
Hadley Middle School -
Wichita, Kansas
Santa Maria,
California - Tino Aleman
University of Kent, England - David Barns
Michigan USA - Bonnie
Middledorf
Sussex Middle School -
Sussex, NB
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Questions or comments, please contact:
Tonya.Witherspoon@wichita.edu
Karen.Reynolds@wichita.edu
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