talking about robots

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K–12 Engineering Outreach Program University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Engineering Mary Baldwin, Coordinator 608/262-6945 [email protected]

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K–12 Engineering Outreach Program University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Engineering

Mary Baldwin, Coordinator

608/262-6945

[email protected]

The key to doing effective Outreach presentations is finding the right level for your audience. Children hate being talked down to. No one likes being lectured to. You must interact with your audience; find out how much they already know and build on that.

This manual is meant only as a guide and will not completely prepare you to give this presentation. In order to deliver this presentation effectively you must practice and have a strategy. Think about the purpose of this presentation and understand your audience.

To use this guide, read the first section, which gives some basic goals and theory behind the K-12 Outreach program. This information will be useful and might help you determine what things you should prepare for. The next section in the guide contains a basic outline that explains the content of each portion of the presentation. The third section explains the presentation in detail and describes what each section should try to accomplish. The final section contains the kit inventory and an appendix with reference materials for you and for your audience members.

L ine Tracker Robot can fo l low a b lack l ine. The “eyes” o f the robot are a pa i r o f photo-in ter rupters , which pro ject and rece ive in f ra- red l ight . A b lack l ine wi l l absorb the l ight , whi le a pa le-co lored f loor wi l l re f lec t i t . The robot a lso demonst ra tes the use of gears to create torque, how e lect ron ic cont ro l c i rcu i t ry works, and how robots can see by means of sensors .

Talking About Robots This presentation includes a discussion of the mechanics of robotics and hands-on demonstrations of small, programmable, sensing, and manipulative robots. Presenters will help children understand: What is a robot? How do robots work? How do we use robots? Talking About Robots is more suitable for younger audiences. Learning Keys: machines, senses

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 2

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THE K-12 OUTREACH PROGRAM sends undergraduate students to area schools to talk about careers and training in technology and science while demonstrating some of the ways in which engineers are changing our world. The mission of the K-12 outreach program is to improve science and engineering literacy, to engage and interest school children and their teachers, to expose undergraduate students to outreach and to its rewards, and to make science and technology fun.

We want to turn kids on to science, math, engineering, and technology! �

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Different age kids have different interests, values, and attention spans: consider your audience before you start to talk.

Younger children: Keep it simple, short, and very interactive. Let them explore the items in the kit and ask you questions about them. Use simple analogies to everyday items and observable phenomena. Ask them to watch and listen, then see what conclusions they reach. Be friendly and give them every opportunity to figure things out themselves before you jump in with the answers.

Middle School children: are still learning abstract thinking and theory, they are often shy, easily embarrassed, self-centered, and their interactions with you and their classmates may be awkward. Be encouraging and positive. If a child starts to dominate the presentation, you can say, “Let’s give someone we haven’t heard from a chance to answer.” But, be very careful about calling on a child who may be self-conscious.

High School students: may be more interested in hearing about your college experiences than in learning about your topic. They are often very concerned about such issues as money, social life, and what it will be like to be in a big university. It is OK to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly. Tell them why you went into engineering and what you have to do to become a professional engineer. Don’t talk down to them or try to downplay how much time and energy it takes. Be straight about the progress women and minority group members have made in engineering and the obstacles they still face. These presentations depend heavily on your enthusiasm and energy to be successful. If you can communicate your enthusiasm for your chosen field, you may be a real help to a younger person who is trying to decide what to do with his or her life.

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 3

One Madison 4th grade teacher offered these tips on talking to her students 1) They don’t like to be lectured at, so try to make sure you involve them. 2) Set the ground rules right away so that they know our expectations for acceptable

behavior. For example, if it is okay to just shout out answers let them know that. However, if we prefer that they raise their hand and wait to be called on before talking, let them know that.

3) Let them know you will give them a signal and what that signal is, if certain times are more important for them to be listening than others.

4) Involve them in the presentation as much as possible. Asking for volunteers to help out or something like that can be good.

5) She said they have studied electricity this semester so they know the basics of that. Anything we can do to involve what they have already learned in an interesting way would be good. The things they studied about electricity include open and closed circuits and other fairly basic concepts.

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Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 4

K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 5

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1. Do not read this manual like a script; use it as an outline. Be creative and add your own personality.

2. Interact with the kids: Ask lots of questions to get your audience to think about your topic. Turn statements into questions. Make every effort to make this a dialogue, not a monologue. Talk about your own experiences. It is important for kids to meet you and to hear what you have to say. When you introduce yourselves, tell them why you went into a technical field and what it is like being at a school like the U. W. Encourage them to ask questions about college life and answer them as honestly and completely as you can.

3. Before you start talking, put the props on a table in the general order in which you would like to present them (left to right). This will help you remember what and how you want to present.

4. You can't cover all this material during your presentation. If you do, you are: going too fast, using terminology without explaining it, not adapting your presentation to your young audience and/or not asking enough questions. Be creative.

5. Define technical terms: let the kids try to guess, but make sure you give them a clear definition before you move on.

6. Use visual aids: write on the chalkboard and hold props up high. Use you laptop and PowerPoint slide show. Start by printing your names on the chalkboard. Write out any terms that are unfamiliar or technical. Draw diagrams and sketches to illustrate your points. Comments such as, “write on board” are suggestions; do what seems appropriate.

7. Have fun. If you are having fun, the kids pick up on this and they will have fun too.

8. Use the teacher as a resource: find out how much the kids have already covered in school, ask for help if you have trouble explaining something or answering a question, turn to them for assistance if there is a behavior problem.

9. Keep track of all the items from the kit and collect them all before you leave. Give teachers this number where they can call the Coordinator if you left something behind: 608-262-6945.

10. Use the website as a resource: http://ysa.engr.wisc.edu

Talking About Robots:

Practice before you present: run through the entire presentation with your teammates. Divide up the work so that you each have a role to play. Keep track of the time. �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

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Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 6

K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 7

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I. Set Up

IV. How do robots work? Robots respond to their environments Robots can follow commands

III. What is a Robot? Machines Automatic. Programmable Responsive

II. Introduction Engineering University of Wisconsin

Conclusion What have we learned? Uses for Robots Sensors and computer-chip

“brains” Engineering: College and career options

The Robots in the Kit Children Predict and Observe what they do

Talking About Robots:

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I Set Up A. Set out the robots, corral, cones, etc. B. Give teacher the evaluation forms C. Write presenters’ names on the board D. Ask the teacher to introduce presenters to the class

II. Introduction (<5 minutes) A Names and majors of presenters

K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual

C. Ask them if they know why you have come to talk to them B. Screen your audience to find out how much they know

III. What is a robot? Machines (not alive) Automatic (follows commands) Programmable (and their programs can be altered) Responsive to stimuli in their environment

IV. How do robots work? (~10 minutes) A. How Robots respond to their environments B Robots follow commands C. What can robots do? How would you use a robot if you had one?

V. The Robots in the Kit (25-30 minutes) Traffic Cones and Robot Corral Line Tracker Robot: uses IR sensors to follow black line WAO II: can be programmed to follow pattern Hyper Peppy: senses sound and changes direction Soccer Playing Robots: are not really robots Navius Programmable Robot: has IR sensors that can “see” disk R/C Car: shows how humans communicate with robots Robot Dog, Cat, or Puppy: responds to touch, sound, light

VI. Conclusion (~5 minutes) What have we learned? Uses for Robots Sensors and computer-chip “brains” Engineering: College and career options

Talking About Robots: 8

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Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 9

K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 10

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A. Set out the robots, corral, cones, etc. B. Give teacher the evaluation forms C. Write presenters’ names on the board D. Ask the teacher to introduce presenters to the class

II. Introduction (<5 minutes) A Tell the children the names and majors of presenters B. Screen your audience to find out how much they know

Have any of you ever been to the University of Wisconsin in Madison? Maybe you have seen Bucky Badger or attended a football game in the stadium.

Ask younger children if they have ever been to Madison or to the University (where Bucky Badger comes from). Talk about going to college after high school and what you are studying in college.

Who knows what an engineer is? What do engineers do? Ask if they know what engineers are and what they do. They

may have a parent or relative who is an engineer. Some may even know the difference between electrical, mechanical, industrial, etc. Explain how many kinds of engineers are needed to work on robots.

Ask older children if they have been thinking about careers and, if so, have they thought about using math and science as a basis for a career in engineering.

Do you know why we have come to your class today? C. Ask them if they know why you have come to talk to them.

The teacher may have told them what your presentation is about. If not, explain purpose of presentation: to discuss what engineers do, to show them how different kinds of robots work, to talk about how they might get involved in working robots someday.

Talking About Robots:

III. What is a robot? (~10 minutes)

A. Where do we find robots?

Have you ever seen a robot? Where?

In movies: Star Wars C3PO and R2D2, Lost in Space, and other science fiction films.

On TV: on The Jetsons or in other cartoons.

In the News: They may have read or seen pictures of the Sojourner robot that landed on Mars with the Pathfinder mission in 1997-98.

They may have seen robots exploring the wreck of the Titanic or the Bismarck on the ocean floor.

Depending on the age and level of sophistication, you may wish to spend more or less time discussing what a robot is.

B. Robot definitions

Robots are not alive and they are not wicked or bad. (Some younger children may have seen evil robots in cartoons or in movies)

Use the robots in the kit to illustrate this discussion

Robots are Machines

They are not alive. They are made up of parts made out of metal, plastic, rubber, and other materials. They run on electric power, either from batteries or from a wall outlet. They can never die, but their batteries can run down and parts can wear out. All of the robots in the kit have electric motors and run on batteries. The motors turn the gears and the wheels. A computer chip turns the wheels on and off, causing the robots to turn left or right.

They are Automatic

Robots are given commands to perform a task by a human programmer. If the robot’s computer brain is big enough, the programmer may include instructions telling the robot what it should do if its sensors get certain messages. For example, the robot may be commanded to turn right if its sensors detect an object in front of it.

The information the robots receive from their sensors is processed by a computer microchip. The chip makes decisions based on the sensor input. For example, if the wire sensors on the WAO II hit a wall, the sensor sends an electronic signal to the WAO’s chip, which directs the WAO to turn away from the wall.

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 11

A human brain can process many more signals much more quickly than any robot computer can.

They are Programmable

Robots do what people want them to do. How do people talk to robots to “tell them what to do?” Robots can be sent commands by: • light (including UV light that humans can’t see) • sound • radio signals • electric signals through a wire • touch • pre-set computer commands

When NASA sends robots into space to explore planets or comets, commands are sent via radio waves. Even though these travel at the speed of light, it can take minutes or hours for a message to reach a distant robot. It is crucial that space robots have commands for responding to different situations, so scientists at NASA try hard to do all their programming before the robots are launched.

Robots are Responsive

The robots in the kit have different ways of responding to their environments. They must also respond to commands given to them by humans.

The WAO II robot can be programmed to move in a certain way by using the keys to send commands to the robot’s computer. The antennas on the robot will flip a switch if they bump into an object and the robot can be programmed to back up or to turn left or right before it continues.

The R/C cars get commands from their drivers via radio waves. The cars are tuned to different channels so they can not get each other’s commands. When they bump into an object, they stop moving.

The Line Tracker goes straight as long as it gets a light signal reflected from the tape on the floor. When it misses the tape, it stops getting the signal and it is programmed to turn until it gets it again.

The Soccer Robots can only receive commands through an electric wire. They can not respond to their environment. They can’t be programmed to perform a task. They are not automatic.

The Tekno Puppy and Kitty are programmed to respond to touch, light, and sound.

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 12

IV. How do robots work?

A. Robots can sense their surroundings Robots have sensors that permit them to respond to their environments. Robots can use their sensors to detect the same things humans do.

Robots respond to their environments

Ask the children if they know how people can tell where they are and what’s going on. Get them to give you the word “senses”.

Can you name the five senses? . Write them on the board:

Touch Sight Sound Smell Taste

Robots have electronic sensors that can do some of the same things people’s senses can do.

Touch: switches and buttons can be activated when they are pressed. They can be sensitive to different pressures—used in the automobile airbag system so bag doesn’t inflate when car goes over a bump. Robots can have sensors that detect

temperature (thermometer)

air pressure (=barometer)

humidity or wetness

These sensors are used in airplanes, spacecraft, and high-tech building Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning systems.

Sight: a video camera can be a robots’ eye and images can be recognized by its computer brain—used in optical recognition software that can read text

Sound: a microphone acts as an ear and sounds can be recognized by the computer—used in voice recognition software

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 13

Smell: smoke detectors can register particles in the air; more sophisticated systems can differentiate different kinds of particles—used to detect toxic fumes and poisonous gasses. A robotic “nose” is being developed for use in detecting spoiled or stale foods, especially meat and poultry. Scientists are also developing a robot nose that will sniff out explosives and warn us if there is a bomb nearby.

Taste: there are computerized food processing systems that can now analyze food and adjust ingredients to meet certain standards.

Experiment Who wants to be a robot?

1. Ask a child to stand about 5 feet from and facing the wall. 2. Tell the child to start walking. He or she will stop at the wall. 3. Ask the child why he or she stopped. Talk about how they SAW

the WALL, so they knew to stop. The brain took the message from the eyes and figured out that there was no point in continuing.

How do people respond to the environment? Ask if they know how people are able to respond to their environments

• What do you do when you see a car coming at you?

• What do you do when you taste something sour?

• What do you do when you hear a good song on the radio?

• What do you do when you touch something hot?

• What do you do when you smell smoke?

Environment means surroundings, including sounds, sights, the way things feel, tastes, smells, temperature, wet/dry, etc.

Get them to tell you that the brain helps people figure out what messages from the senses mean.

Experiment How smart is a robot?

1. Ask a child to stand about ten feet away and facing you. 2. Tell him or her that you are going to toss the student an eraser.

Swing your arm a few times so the child can see the speed and arc your arm will follow.

3. Toss the eraser and let the kid catch it. 4. Talk about how the child’s eyes saw the eraser moving, how the

child’s brain calculated where the eraser was going and how long it would take to get there, and how the brain then told the

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 14

arms and hands what to do to catch the eraser once they felt it. The ability to catch a moving object is very complex: most robots today are not smart enough to do this. Someday, they will be smart enough to do this.

Ask the kids to help you decide if the items in the kit are really robots or not.

The Line-Tracker robot, for example, has light sensors that respond to reflected Infra-red light. The WAO II robot has antennas that send a signal to the robot’s microprocessor when they come into contact with an object.

The Tekno Puppy and Kitty use sensors to detect touch, sound, and light.

The WAO II has “feelers” that help it avoid objects.

The Hyper-Peppy has a microphone that can pick up sounds.

How do robots think? Robots use computers to help them respond to their environments. See if you can find the integrated circuits in the robots that act as “brains”. The computer in one of the little robots is called an integrated circuit and it looks a bit like a plastic-and-metal caterpillar. It is digital, meaning that it gets all its information in a series of 1s and Øs. It has to convert those into commands that it can follow.

B. Robots can follow commands given to them by humans Humans decide what the robots will do. They can send commands to the robot through a wire or by using a radio signal. The remote-control (R/C) cars demonstrate how we send commands to robots through radio signals. This is how we are able to tell a robot under the ocean or on Mars what to do. When humans give a robot one command at a time, it is called direct control. When the robot is given a whole set of commands to follow, it is called programming. The robot can also be programmed so that it knows what to do if it can’t do what it was told to do! Robots are used for

jobs that are too. . .

Dumb

Dirty

Dangerous

. . . for people

Commands are given to robots in computer code. It can take a long time to write a long set of commands for a robot to follow. Some robots are learning how to follow commands on their own, using artificial intelligence. These robots are able to remember what they have done and to repeat it later on.

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 15

C What do robots do? Robots can be used instead of humans for a variety of tasks. Today, robots are used whenever there are jobs to be done that are repetitive, and that can be broken down into a series of simple, clearly defined steps.

Ask the children if they have seen a robot in action and what it was doing. They may tell you that they have seen androids at work.

Androids: a lot of the robots on TV or in movies are made to act and look like people—with legs, arms, and a head. These robots are called androids. There are no real androids...yet. The reason is that no one has yet made a computer that can do what a human brain can do. Someday, there may be a robot that can think and do like a person, but not now.

What would you use a robot for if you had one? Ask the kids what they would use a robot for if they had one. They will tell you “Do my homework”, “Clean up my room”, Cook me supper”. Explain that it will be many years before we have a robot that is as smart as they are and that can do what they do.

Do any of you have robots at home? They may not be aware of how some appliances are increasingly robotic.

Alarm Clock: knows when to wake you up, will let you sleep 10 more minutes if you hit the Snooze button, knows if you want to get up to a beep or to the radio.

VCR: knows what speed to play your tape at, will automatically tape a show for you if you tell it to, and rewinds tape when it gets to the end.

New Washing Machine: senses load and adjust water temperature, amount of soap, time of cycles to clean clothes.

New Microwave Oven: senses type of food and adjusts power and time to cook it exactly right.

New Video Games: senses players’ skill and can adjust speed and action to suit individual ability ALSO: educational computers and software that helps students learn at their own pace.

Future Automobiles and Highways: automatic cars that can drive themselves where you want as fast as possible

The majority of robots in the world today are used in industry to paint, weld, and assemble parts in factories.

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 16

Where do we use robots?

In Space: For example, most of the satellites used for space exploration have been “unmanned” robots because they are a lot cheaper and a lot less risky then sending people up into space. Controllers on the ground program these robots ahead of time to perform a mission, such as photographing a planet or actually landing and collecting samples.

Oceans: Robots are used for exploring the depths of the oceans and they have been sent into volcanoes.

In Danger: Robots can be sent to work in places that would be dangerous for people, such as into a nuclear reactor or to a location where police have found a bomb.

Entertainment: How many of you have been to Disneyworld? Robots can be entertaining. Mechanical “people” have been performing for audiences for hundreds of years. In the past 50 years, the Disney Company has built amusement parks featuring electronically animated characters.

In the Kitchen McDonalds uses a robotic french fry machine!

Some of the things robots do:

industrial ..................................... welding, painting, materials handling

medical ....................................... assist in surgery

dangerous environment............... bomb disposal, chemical spills, fire fighting

domestic/personal ...................... future tasks include cleaning and security

social welfare .............................. assisting nurses and the disabled

entertainment .............................. used for advertising, in television, films and fairs

educational ................................. to teach the major concepts of robotics

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 17

V. Exploring the Robots (25-30 minutes)

NOTE: While all kits have at least 4 robots, the different kits do not contain all the robots. Check the contents of your kit before you do your presentation. Make sure all the kids take turns playing with the robots. Ask the teacher to help you keep track of who has had a turn and who has not.

K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 18

Traffic Cones and Robot Corral Use the cones to set up a course for the robots to follow. The black plastic strips can be joined together to form a corral on the classroom floor. This can keep the cars or robots from wandering all over the classroom and can help you demonstrate how they respond when they touch an object.

L i n e T r a c k e r R o b o t …is an “obedient” robot that can follow line of black tape on the ground … uses an Infra-red (IR) sensor as an “eye”—called a photo interrupter—to detect black line on the floor

BATTERIES: 1 - 9-volt + 2 – AA Demonstration

Use the black electrical tape or black marker to create a figure 8 on the floor or other light-colored surface. Line Tracker will follow the line. Show the kids that the “snout” of the robot contains IR light sources and sensors. When the IR light hits the black tape, it is absorbed and the sensors detect nothing. If the IR hits a pale surface, it is reflected back and the sensors detect it. The sensors send a signal to a computer chip, which starts and stops the motors, causing the robot to turn until the sensors no longer pick up an infra-red light signal. Robots like the line tracker are used today in big warehouses to move inventory around, in businesses to deliver the mail, and in some modern airports to move passenger luggage to and from airplanes.

8 How does this robot “see”?

What if the line and the floor were the same (or similar) colors?

Talking About Robots:

K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 19

W i s e A g e n t O r b WA O I I R o b o t WAO is responsive to its environment. It can run in DIRECT or PROGRAM modes; …contains computer and electronic memory; …antenna-like sensors detect objects and send information to microcomputer; …user enters commands using 26 keys; …runs on 2 DC motors

BATTERIES: 1 - 9volt + 3 - AA

WAO II Demonstration

DIRECT MODE 1> Push RESET 2> Push RUN/SLEEP

a> Random movement = press ROULETTE

b> Random number generation = insert pen refill into penholder on bottom of robot, set robot down on paper, press DICE

c> Timer = press TIMER and then press any number from 1 to 9. The robot will start to move after as many minutes as the number pressed and will rotate the corresponding number of turns.

d> Direct Commands = Push �and then push 1. The robot will move forward one unit.

PROGRAM MODE 1> Push RESET

a> Draw a square Enter these commands and push RUN/SLEEP

b> Use FOR and NEXT To get the robot to repeat an action FOR 4 2

STOP 1 4 STOP 1 NEXT

2

STOP 1 �

4 STOP

1

Also makes a square

Talking About Robots:

R / C C a r s

K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 20

…respond to radio signals from hand-held controllers …can only move forward/back and left/right: can’t avoid obstacles These are not really robots, but they do illustrate one important concept—remote control via radio wave. This is the same method used for communicating with robots in space and on the ocean floor. Use the demo to show how hard it is to send remote commands.

BATTERIES: 1 - 9volt + rechargeable 4.8v Ni-Cd (blue Intimidator) + rechargeable 7.2v Ni-Cd (yellow Fire Rod)

Demonstration

Set up the r/c car in the robot corral and let the kids see how it works. Also you can set up the traffic cones and let the kids see if they can maneuver around them.

H y p e r P e p p y s o u n d s e n s o r …robot responds to sounds caught by condenser microphone Demonstrates how a robot can respond to sound.

BATTERIES: 2 - N

Demonstration

Set up the robot in the corral. Turn it on. When you clap, a microphone in the robot sends a signal to an IC which starts and stops the motors, so the robot will turn.

Talking About Robots:

S o c c e r P l a y i n g R o b o t s …robot responds to commands sent over electric wire …can only move back and forth: these are not really robots …legs demonstrates how robots don’t have to have wheels to move

BATTERIES: 4 - AA

Demonstration

Set up the robots in the corral. Turn them on. Show kids how to move back and forth. Toss ping-pong soccer ball into corral and see if they can move it around with robots.

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 21

N a v i u s P r o g r a m m a b l e R o b o t

…controlled by black-and-white patterns on a disk, which are read by an IR sensor …can move back and forth and side-to-side in pre-determined pattern

BATTERIES: 2 – AA + 1-9v

Demonstration

Open the Navius to show the kids the paper disk. Explain that the disk spins and an infrared sensor detects the black and white pattern.

The outer ring controls the left motor. If the segment is blacked in, the left motor will turn and the robot will turn right.

If an inside ring segment is colored in, the right motor will turn and the robot will go left.

If both inside and outside segments are black, both motors will turn and the robot will go straight.

If neither segment is black, the robot will not move. You may cut out a disk from the cardboard and have the kids color in some segments to see what happens.

aper Disk – 2” diameter Two rings, each 3/16” Each ring has 36 segments

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 22

K I T T Y t h e Te k n o K i t t y

K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 23

���������������� � ��� ��� ������� Kitty the Tekno Kitty is a true robot. She can think for herself and will act differently depending on what is happening to her or how she is played with. She “meows” in many expressive ways, cries when unhappy, wiggles her tail and purrs when she’s petted, and can even do amazing tricks! Thanks to her sophisticated artificial intelligence software and state-of-the-art sensor technology, Kitty will let you know how she is feeling and provides feedback for the care you provide. She knows how long it’s been since she’s been fed and how often you have petted and played with her. She’s quick to let you know she needs more! Kitty has a mind of her own! There are no “remote controls” to “command” her. She will do what she wants to do when she wants to do it - just like a real kitty cat. It all depends on her emotional state based on the situation around her and what’s happened to her in the past. In short, Kitty is a real robot pet with all the intelligence and reasoning of an 8 week old kitten. With your care and understanding, she will be your friend for life! Just like all animals kittyrobot has her own personality that is like no other kitty. Besides meowing, crying, talking or moving her tail she also has other ways of telling you how she is feeling. For example, kittyrobot is very sensitive to bright lights so once programmed she can make sounds and act startled to let you know when she is frightened by the room being too bright. She can laugh when she hears noises and like any polite kitty she always excuses herself when she coughs or burps. Like her

Talking About Robots:

friend Tekno, kittyrobot is very smart and has an advanced intelligence programmed into her brain. This allows her to perform a variety of amazing tricks. Some of the tricks kittyrobot can do on command are: Talk- speaking English saying kitty, thank you, yummy and pet me. Pounce- kitty will stalk her prey, look around, move around slowly and quietly and then pounce on an object. Sing & Dance- kitty will play her music and move in-sync with her music which consists of three different songs. Wake Up Songs- kitty will play one of three different songs when she wakes up.

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The Hardware engineering has to complete its initial study before the software team can begin to write its code. Of course, they must work together so establish the overall requirements of the system. One of the most difficult things for the team to create was a realistic sense of “touch” for Kitty. The team created a new sensor that measures very small changes in electrical capacitance when the sensor is touched a human being. The diagram here shows any early design study of the problem.

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Eventually, both the software (programming) and hardware (electronic and mechanical components) must come together and be tested. The photograph shows an early mechanical version of Kitty hooked up to a computer breadboard. All the sensors, circuits, motors, LED’s and other electronic devices are tested and revised to make the best use of Kitty’s artificial intelligence software. The breadboard will eventually be miniaturized into a small IC (Integrated Circuit or Computer Chip) and placed on Kitty’s PCB (Printed Circuit Board).

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 24

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Are all Kitty’s alike? No. The software is designed comes in different variations. The basic artificial intelligence program remains the same but the actions, emotions, and movements may be different. Cherish each Kitty as your own!

Can Kitty communicate with other Robot Pets? Yes. Kitty is designed to interact with other Kitty’s, Tekno the Robotic Puppy, and all other future robots coming from the Institute of Robotic Technology. When you place them near one another, you will see that they become more active than normal and will generally like one another. This is a normal part of their programming.

Real Cats hate a bath. How about Kitty? Not only does Kitty hate a bath, it will do permanent damage to her electronics. Please DON’T GET KITTY WET!

How does Kitty’s petting sensor work? Kitty has three electronic sensors running down her back. Each will measure extremely small changes in electrical capacitance. Capacitance is a small amount of stored electrical energy. When someone touches Kitty, the capacitance will be altered. Simply put, Kitty’s computer can tell when, where, and how you are touching her. Her software then understands your intentions and begins to make her “purr”.

Are there going to be more Robot pets? Yes. Keep checking back for the latest information on the new robots from that the Institute of Robotic Technology is planning on introducing in the near future. To help the Institute to decide which new pets you would like to see, enter the Kitty Fan Club and drop them a line. It’s how they got the idea for Kitty!

Can I use Rechargeable Batteries? NO. This would permanently damage Kitty’s sensitive electrical circuits. Rechargeable batteries will allow too much current to flow into Kitty than normal Alkaline batteries. Kitty is not designed to handle this additional stress. Please use only new Alkaline batteries.

How to program Kitty! http://www.kitty-robot.com/topsecret_program.html Visit the website or read the manual for some Step by Step instructions on how to program Kitty to do her amazing tricks!

Alarm Clock Meowin’ Wakin’ up songs Coughin’ Dancin’ and Singin’ Teasin’ Scared of the lights Laughin’ Talkin’ Pouncin’ Countin’ Pettin’ Sniffin’ Snore’n’ Wigglin’ Sleepin’

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 25

Te k n o R o b o t i c P u p p y http://www.tekno-robot.com/

Tekno is an authentic robot friend who does everything a puppy can do… and more! He walks, barks, talks and even cries. With your help, he can also learn to perform amazing tricks!

Thanks to his artificial intelligence program (and a few barks, whines and pants), Tekno will let you know how he’s feeling and provide feedback on the care you provide. Tekno knows how long it has been since you’ve fed him and he’s quick to remind you when he’s in need of some playtime. Tekno is programmed to respond just like any 8-week-old puppy. His state-of-the-art sensors allow him to see and hear everything around him, including you and your own voice. Tekno’s sensors also enable his powerful computer brain to know when it’s getting dark, if your house lights suddenly turn on or if a friend is knocking on your door.

Tekno’s Brain Tekno’s Head

Tekno’s Motor

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 26

T

Teckno the Robotic Puppy - main circuit diagram Before the software (programming) can be started, the hardware (electronic components) must be engineered. All the electronic elements must be decided upon to match the original specification of what Tekno was expected to do. These include the IC (Integrated Circuit or Computer Chip), light level sensors, sound sensors,and the motor drives needed to make Tekno work The picture presented here is an early version of Tekno’s

Frequently Asked Questions Are all Tekno’s alike?

No, not all Tekno’s are exactly the same. Just like real puppies from the same litter, there are some small differences in their personalities. Tekno is the same—only it has been simulated in its programming. Different Tekno’s may have different responses to the same stimulation. Cherish your Tekno as your own!

Can I get Tekno another Tekno to play with? Yes. Tekno is designed to work with other Tekno’s. They can sense each other if they are not too far apart. Its fun to watch them play with each other!

Can I give my Tekno a bath? NO! Tekno is a true robot. He does not respond well to any liquids. If you need to clean him up for any reason, turn him OFF and then use a lightly moisten rag. Work gently to not damage Tekno’s metallic paint.

Will Tekno ever die? No. Tekno’s programming memory is permanently in his brain. If his batteries run down or are replaced, he will go back to the first day he came out of the box. As long as Tekno can get battery power, he will live forever—even if you do not feed him or take care of him.

alking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 27

Can I take Tekno outside? Yes, BUT be careful that dirt or water does not get into his body or

system. Also, you may find that bright sunlight may affect Tekno’s light sensor. It will not damage it but may not work as effectively outdoors as indoors.

Is Tekno a boy or a girl? This is difficult to answer. His programming is set up to be like an

eight week old puppy. At that age, most puppies (whether they are male or female) act pretty much the same. You can decide if you think your Tekno is a boy or a girl as you understand how he works and thinks.

What does Tekno eat? Tekno comes with his bone but he will respond to any object that

touches his mouth sensor. Tekno’s systems work on electricity only. Technically, he “eats” electricity from the batteries. When the batteries get discharged, he will stop working. It’s time for a new set of Alkaline batteries to make him happy again.

Will there be more Tekno robot-type products? Keep looking at the Tekno-robot.com website for upcoming

announcements.

Is Tekno ever a “Bad dog”? No. Tekno is programmed to always be kind. He will never “bite” or

do bad things. He may growl occasionally if he is unhappy or is he is not cared for well. But, like all good puppies, he will be SO happy to see you when you return to play with him. All will be forgiven.

Programming Tekno http://www.tekno-robot.com/tricks_program.html You can get instructions on how to program Teckno by reading the Manual or visiting the website. Tekno’s tricks include:

Alarm Clock Barkin’, Pantin’ and Whine’n Beggin’ Card Trick Dance’n Eat’n Howl’n Laugh Rude Noises Sniff’n Snore’n’ Talkin’ Waggin’ Walkin’ and Fetch’n

NOTE: TURN OFF ROBOTS WHEN YOU ARE DONE

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 28

V. Conclusion:

What have we learned? (~5 minutes) A. Robots are

Machines, they are not people or alive Automatic, and once people tell them what to do they will keep doing it Programmable (and their programs can be altered) Responsive to stimuli in their environment

B. Uses for Robots in industry to paint, weld, and assemble parts in factories for exploring distant places: space, the ocean to go where it is too dangerous for people to go to do repetitive, precise work for entertainment and education

C. Sensors and computer-chip “brains” As these get better, robots will be able to do more

Did you have fun with these robots here today? Do you think maybe someday you’d like to have a job that involves designing and building robots?

D. Consider going into Engineering: College and career options

All kinds of engineers build robots: Electrical Computer Mechanical Industrial

Stick with MATH and SCIENCE work in school College courses in engineering lead to BS degree

Thank the teacher and students, pack up the kit and say goodbye! ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 29

K-12 Outreach Presenters’ Manual 30

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There are two kits. They are not identical. Check the contents before your presentation. Your kit should include some of the following robots: Programmable Robot WAO II

Light Sensor Line Tracker

Programmable Robot Navius

Infra-Red Sensor Robot Spider

Robotic Arm Movit Y01

R/C Cars: “Excavator”, or “Intimidator”, or “Fire Rod”

Soccer-playing Robots

Hyper Peppy sound-sensing robot

Tekno the Robot Dog or Kitty the Robot Cat

• A copy of this Presenter’s Manual and Curriculum sheets for the WAO II, Line Tracker, and Robotic Arm

• Handouts for teachers: Robot Resources (books, articles, tapes, etc.)

Additional Presentation Resources:

Set of orange traffic cones

Extra batteries

Battery chargers for R/C Cars

Robot Corrals (black plastic landscaping strips 4”x20’)

Talking About Robots:

Talking About Robots: K-12 Outreac

K-12 Engineering Outreach Program College of Engineering University of Wisconsin–Madison

Mary Baldwin, CoordinatorM1080A Engineering Centers Building

1550 Engineering DriveMadison, Wisconsin 53706

(608) 262-6945 [email protected]

http://ysa.engr.wisc.edu/

h Presenters’ Manual 31