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This work is sponsored in part by
NSF,
U.S. Army,
DARPA,
Microsoft,
INEEL, and
U.S. Air Force.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Robots in Education
Goals of Robots in EducationOne of the goals for the Center for Distributed Robotics is to foster the understanding of computer science through the application of robots in the classroom. While the initial trials are being done in robotics related classes, it is the goal of the Center for Distributed Robotics to introduce Computer Science students of all levels to robotics. In many ways the "hands-on" approach associated with robots and the robots interaction with the world can illustrate concepts that may otherwise be hard to understand. The sense of accomplishment when a student completes a task with the robot may also encourage them to stick with an engineering program. Another goal in terms of education is the development of a reference library of tips and tricks to help beginners and advanced users expand their skills. Robotics in the ClassroomThe initial applications of robotics in the classroom started in Fall of 2002 with the introduction of the PPRK robot to a class of 31 students. In the spring of 2003, the PPRK robot kits were again be used to illustrate concepts related to computer vision, while Pioneer 1 robots were outfitted with webcams and SICK LMS systems for the "Sensing and Estimation" course. These robots have continued to play a role in the courses as described below: Spring 2007 Spring 2005
Plans are being developed for future application of the robot kits in courses such as data structures or algorithms where they may be useful in enhancing understanding of as an illustrative lecture or a hands-on assignment. TopRobotics Outreach ProjectsThe Center for Distributed Robotics is involved in a variety of outreach projects in order to promote science and technology education to youth in the surrounding areas. Summer 2005 TopDemosTopClass ProjectsMany of the classes that make use of the robots require students to do class projects. Here is a sample of the projects that have been developed. TopReference LinksTop |