~ Robotics ~

Thanks to Rob Williamson, our class was recently involved in a learning program on "Robotics". Rob designed a series of lessons (using young Leith as 'guinea pig') that  involved and engaged the children, while giving them an understanding of robots, flow charts, programs and downloads. The culmination, much to the delight of the kids, was viewing "Spooky", Hamersley Iron's industrial robot, in its working environment.

But first, they needed to understand what a robot was and how and why they are used today, a far cry from the celluloid view of android servant or cyborg fiend.

Examining a model of Spooky

To help them understand the function of automatic devices, Rob had pairs of children act out what happens as they approach automatic doors.

Paige is the shopper and Hayden is the automatic robotic device. A robot's sensor is kind of like a person's senses. Automatic doors have a little box on the top that senses people coming and acts like an eye. It's a bit the same with traffic lights. KEVIN

Rob used Lego cars and Robolab software to explain simple programs and soon had the children downloading them on a Laptop and making changes e.g. in direction, time, speed or light.

Observing and operating Lego Robot cars

Working in their Science teams to change programs on the Laptop.

Leith built his own Lego Robot car and challenged the rest of the class to guess how many different movements were in his program.

The answer? Nine

The children got very clever at reading and interpreting Mr Williamson's flow charts and programs. As the time got closer to our visit to HI, they were introduced to Spooky's special language and key commands.

By then we were ready to meet Spooky.

Click me for the full report!