Kevin J. Gucwa
ABSTRACT
This paper presents a methodology for creating challenge problems using a simulation environment for a hardware robot-based programming competition. Hosted each spring for K-14 students, the competition is based on hardware robots and lessons which have been used by students within their math, science, and engineering classes throughout the school year. RoboSim is a simulator which complements the control scheme for the hardware robots and is used regularly by the students to supplement running the hardware robots. For the first time RoboSim was used to design the challenges which have been given to students for the 2016 RoboPlay Challenge Competition. Using virtual robots for designing the competition allows more efficient design and testing of the new challenges with new features compared to using only hardware robots. The code which is used to control the robots is unchanged between the hardware and virtual robots making the transition to hardware robots trivial. All challenges from previous RoboPlay competitions are also available to students within RoboSim for testing within the classroom.
- I. Awaad and B. León. XPERSim: A Simulator for Robot Learning by Experimentation. In S. Carpin, I. Noda, E. Pagello, M. Reggiani, and O. Stryk, editors, Simulation, Modeling, and Programming for Autonomous Robots, volume 5325 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 5--16. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2008. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- Barobo, Inc. http://www.barobo.com, 2016.Google Scholar
- H. H. Cheng. Learning Robot Programming with Linkbot for the Absolute Beginner. UC Davis Center for Integrated Computing and STEM Education, 2014.Google Scholar
- FIRST Robotics Competition. http://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc, 2016.Google Scholar
- Gazebo. http://gazebosim.org, 2016.Google Scholar
- J. Gonçales, J. Lima, P. Malheiros, and P. Costa. Realistic simulation of a Lego Mindstorms NXT based robot. In CCA/ISIC, pages 1242--1247. IEEE, 2009. Google ScholarCross Ref
- C. Goodin, P. J. Durst, B. Gates, C. Cummins, and J. Priddy. High fidelity sensor simulations for the virtual autonomous navigation environment. In Proceedings of the Second international conference on Simulation, modeling, and programming for autonomous robots, SIMPAR'10, pages 75--86, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2010. Springer-Verlag. Google ScholarDigital Library
- K. Gucwa and H. H. Cheng. RoboSim for Integrated Computing and STEM Education. In 2014 ASEE Annual Conference, 2014.Google Scholar
- K. J. Gucwa and H. H. Cheng. Programming modular robots in a simulated environment for hardware control validation. In 2013 ASME/IEEE International Conference on Mechatronic and Embedded Systems and Applications (MESA), 2013. Google ScholarCross Ref
- K. J. Gucwa and H. H. Cheng. RoboSim: A Simulated Environment for Programming Modular Robots. In 2014 IEEE/ASME 10th International Conference on Mechatronic and Embedded Systems and Applications (MESA), 2014. Google ScholarCross Ref
- K. J. Gucwa and H. H. Cheng. An interactive virtual environment for programming modular robots. In 2015 ASME/IEEE International Conference on Mechatronic and Embedded Systems and Applications (MESA), 2015. Google ScholarCross Ref
- D. Ko, H. H. Cheng, and G. G. Ryland. Reconfigurable Software for Reconfigurable Modular Robots. In Workshop on Modular Robotics: State of the Art, 2010 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2010.Google Scholar
- Lego Mindstorms NXT. http://mindstorms.lego.com, 2014.Google Scholar
- A. Liu, J. Newsom, C. Schunn, and R. Shoop. Students Learn Programming Faster through Robotic Simulation. Tech Directions, pages 16--19, March 2013.Google Scholar
- A. S. Liu, C. D. Schunn, J. Flot, and R. Shoop. The role of physicality in rich programming environments. Computer Science Education, 23(4):315--331, October 2013. Google ScholarCross Ref
- C. Liu and Q. Chen. Walking control strategy for biped robots based on central pattern generator. In IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2012, 14--18 May, 2012, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, pages 57--62. IEEE, 2012. Google ScholarCross Ref
- Marilou. http://www.anykode.com/marilou.php, 2014.Google Scholar
- RoboSim. http://c-stem.ucdavis.edu/robosim, 2016.Google Scholar
- Robot Virtual Worlds. http://www.robotvirtualworlds.com, 2016.Google Scholar
- UC Davis Center for Integrated Computing and STEM Education (C-STEM). http://c-stem.ucdavis.edu, 2016.Google Scholar
Index Terms
- Making Robot Challenges with Virtual Robots
Recommendations
A Novel Concept of Human-Robot Competition for Evaluating a Robot's Reasoning Capabilities in HRI
HRI '16: The Eleventh ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human Robot InteractionFor intelligent Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), a robot should be equipped with some core reasoning capabilities such as perspective taking, effort analysis, and affordance analysis. This paper starts to explore how a robot equipped with such reasoning ...
Competition Driven Practical Innovation Teaching Method for Robot Education
ICDEL '20: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Distance Education and LearningWith the development of modern science and technology, robots have been more and more integrated into our daily life. In addition, there are great demand of robot related talents in the field of machinery. However, currently, mechanical design, ...
Humanoid robots go to school
AbstractHumanoid robots are being used in some schools, however, research on the use of these robots is relatively new. In this three-year study, humanoid robots were deployed in 10 schools, involving 29 teachers across early childhood to Year 10. This ...
Comments