Robotics in the modern day world

Introduction

Welcome: Robots in Society
Description: Robots in Society WebQuest explores the history of robots and their technological advancement over the decades. This WebQuest also involves the weekly use of Lego Mindstorms NXT Robots, culminating in a Robotics Symposium to the theme: Mission Impossible, where students are set specific challenges to complete.
Grade Level: 9-10
Curriculum: Technology
Keywords: lego,robots,robotics,science, technology
Author(s): Luke Fordyce

Task

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Before you can complete your chosen mission you will need to research and present answers for the focus question below. In order to adequately answer the focus question you will need to answer the seven (7) contributing questions underneath. Use the website links and book list provided below:

How are robots used to benefit our society?
(a) What is a robot?
(b) When were robots first used?
(c) What do some robots look like? Provide images or videos with brief descriptions.
(d) Why are robots important?
(e) What different industries use robots today (e.g. automotive, aviation, entertainment, education)? Provide some examples.
(f) Choose an industry area, select a type of robot and research its specifications and uses as part of your presentation.
(g) How might robots be used in the future - why should we continue to invest in them?

Once you have fully answered your main focus and contributing questions, your team will be assigned a robot to do a specific task.

You may choose one of the following design and make missions:
1) Retrieve a person (toy) unconscious near the edge of a cliff.
2) Transport an injured person (toy) away from a bush fire (heat lamps).
3) Dispose of a suspicious container into safe box (bucket of water).
4) Transport injured person (toy) out from a dark underground cave and into the light at the surface.
5) Use two robots (in relay fashion) to send and deliver a message over difficult terrain (two teams must choose this mission).
6) Transport an egg, crack it over a hot fry pan, retrieve it when cooked and serve it on a plate (two teams must choose this mission).

Websites (see Book List underneath)

Definition and History:
Use these links to define what is a robot as well as learn the culture and history of robots and how they have progressed over time.

Educational Purposes:
Use these links for advice and ideas on how to design and build various robots for different purposes.

Business Purposes:
Use these links to learn about the ways in which working Australians use robots in their daily lives.

Leisure and Entertainment:
Use these links to learn about a range of affordable and expensive robots for entertainment and pleasure.

Competitions:
Use these links to learn about how students can use robots to assist their learning in a variety of contexts.

Other Community Purposes:

Book List

General knowledge

"Robots" by Kate Perry (Franklin Watts)
"The World of the Future Robots" (Usborne Publishing Ltd)
"Modern Technology Robots" by Robin McKie (Franklin Watts)
"Robots" by Clive Gifford (Kingfisher Publications)

How they work

"Robots and Robotics: How Robots Work" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)
"Robotics" by Leonbattista Donati (Franklin Watts)
"Robotics: What robots can do and how they work" by Tony Potter and Ivor Guild (Usborne Publishing)

Practical and business purposes

"Robots and Robotics: Space Robots" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)
"Robots and Robotics: Robots at Work and Play" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)
"Robots and Robotics: Scientific and Medical Robots" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)
"Robots and Robotics: High-Risk Robots" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)

Entertainment purposes

"Robots and Robotics: Film and Fiction Robots" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)

How to make a robot

"How to Make Computer-Controlled Robots" by Tony Potter (Usborne Publishing)

Process

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The Robots in Society WebQuest involves the use of eight (8) Lego Mindstorms NXT Robots for one class of approximately 30 students. At least two introductory lessons are required for students to learn the basics of its software and hardware.

Mindstorms Common and Complete Palettes are mini challenges and tutorials for building skills and understanding in using Lego NXT robots. The more challenges you can complete, the more skills and experience you can bring to your mission.

Pacing Guide

Weeks 1-6 (two lessons per week)
Lesson 1 (in pairs)
Lesson 2 (in small groups)

Week 1
Research and begin to answer main focus question;
Lego Mindstorms Education NXT Programming:
Common Palette Challenges 10-20.

Week 2
Continue work on main focus question;
Lego Mindstorms Education NXT Programming:
Complete Palette Challenges 21-26.

Week 3
Finalise presentation of main focus question, complete with answers to contributing questions;
Lego Mindstorms Education NXT Programming:
Complete Palette Challenges 27- 33.

Week 4
Multimedia presentation of focus question;
Lego Mindstorms Education NXT Programming:
Complete Palette Challenges 34-39.

Week 5
Team mission (D&M) 1 of 3;
Team mission (D&M) 2 of 3.

Week 6
Team mission (D&M) 3 of 3;
Robotics Symposium (Theme: Mission Impossible) .

Evaluation

Below is an assessment rubric for the multimedia presentation and robotics symposium, to inform you of the task expectations.

Evaluation Rubric

	Emerging	Consolidating	Established	Working Beyond	Score

Multimedia Presentation of focus question	Few images and little evidence of the source of material (referencing). Less than 5 slides, brief notes or lack of paraphrasing. Disjointed and incoherent at times. Spelling errors.	Several images and attempts to provide the source of all material (referencing). 5-6 slides, some paraphrasing with few spelling and grammatical errors. Evidence of logic and flow in parts.	A good range of still and multimedia images. References most material. 7-9 slides, strong paraphrasing with no spelling and grammatical errors. Information is presented logically and creatively.	An excellent range of still and multimedia images and references for all material. 10+ slides, strong paraphrasing with no spelling and grammatical errors. Information is comprehensively presented in a logical and creative way.	50%

Robotics Symposium and Missions	Little evidence of creative programming to complete mission. Poor design and construction of robot. Failure to complete mission.	Some evidence of creative programming to complete mission. Fair design and construction of robot. Good attempt at completing mission, though not successful.	Good evidence of creative programming to complete mission. Well-thought out design and construction of robot. Mission successful or close to completion with minor glitch.	Excellent evidence of creative programming to complete mission. Rugged and durable design and construction of robot. Mission successful!	50%





Total Score:

Conclusion

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Now that you have discovered the technological advancement of robots over the past fifty years, you might be thinking about what robots could look like in another fifty years! Here are some questions to think about, to keep your creative juices flowing ...

How intelligent do you propose robots might become in the future?

Do you think movies like Terminator, iRobot or West World could be a reality within fifty years?

How might current robots help you in your daily routine?

If you could invent a robot to improve you quality of life what kind of robot would it be, and what would you program it to do?

Teacher Page

Teaching tool to help with the assessment of:

Option 7: Robotics and Automated Systems

Outcomes

A student:

5.2.1 describes and applies problem-solving processes when creating solutions

5.2.2 designs, produces and evaluates appropriate solutions to a range of challenging problems

5.2.3 critically analyses decision-making processes in a range of information and software solutions.

Created by Luke Fordyce

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