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Weekend Spotlight: Robotics

Robot for A Day

Do you have what it takes to be a robot? Try this to find out!

Are you a robot? Here's how Webster's Dictionary describes a robot: A machine that looks like a human being and has the capacity to perform human tasks.

Does this describe you? Maybe you are a robot after all! 

What You'll Need for this Activity

• Alphabet letters (see below)
• Three bowls or other objects that can hold the letters
• A blindfold (a handkerchief works fine)
• These instructions printed out or on a computer nearby

The Set-up
First, you'll have to do some set-up. Find some capital letters that are at least an inch high. You can use refrigerator magnets, or you can cut the letters out of cardboard. You'll need the letters A, B, C, H, O, R, and T. The more of each letter, the better. You'll need at least two O's, and at least one of each of the other letters.

You'll also need three bowls, or other types of containers that you can use as bins. Position the three bowls horizontally in front of the robot. Put the As in the leftmost bowl, the Rs, Cs and Ts in the middle bowl, and the Bs, Os and Hs in the rightmost bowl.

Your Task

1. Grab a partner – one of you will be the programmer and one will be the robot.

2. We're going to take away the robot's visual sensors (that is, eyes) by putting on the blindfold. The sensors that the robot will be using for this activity are the fingertips for touch.

3. The programmer "programs" the robot by reading the instructions below. Don't add any extra instructions, even if you think the robot is doing something that it's not supposed to!

The Program (the programmer reads this to the blindfolded robot)

1. Reach into the middle bin and use your sensors to find an object that has both straight edges and curved edges.
2. Pull the object out and put it on the table or floor in front of you.
3. Reach into the right-most bin and use your sensors to find an object with only round edges.
4. Pull it out and place it to the right of the last object in front of you.
5. Reach into the right-most bin and use your sensors to find an object with both straight edges and curved edges.
6. Pull it out and place it to the right of the last object in front of you.
7. Reach into the right-most bin and use your sensors to find an object with only round edges.
8. Pull it out and place it to the right of the last object in front of you.
9. Reach into the middle bin and use your sensors to find an object with no curved edges.
10. Pull it out and place it to the right of the last object in front of you.

What did you end up with? 

Another program to try:

1. Reach into the middle bin and use your sensors to find an object with no straight edges.
2. Place the object on the table or floor in front of you.
3. Reach into the right-most bin and use your sensors to find an object with no curved edges.
4. Pull it out and place it to the right of the last object in front of you.
5. Reach into the left-most bin and use your sensors to find any object.
6. Pull it out and place it to the right of the last object in front of you.
7. Reach into the right-most bin and use your sensors to find an object with both straight edges and curved edges.
8. Pull it out and place it to the right of the last object in front of you.
9. Reach into the right-most bin and use your sensors to find an object with no straight edges.
10. Pull it out and place it to the right of the last object in front of you.
11. Reach into the middle bin and use your sensors to find an object with no curved edges.
12. Pull it out and place it to the right of the last object in front of you.

What did you end up with? 

Write your own program!
Think of a word that uses the letters in the bins. Try to program your robot to spell out that word.

Are you better than a robot?
How would this task have been more difficult if you were actually a robot who couldn't think on your own, only follow instructions? How would it have been easier for a machine?

How do your parts compare with a robot's parts?

"Weekend Spotlight: Robotics" at CSSC is sponsored by Mondo-Tronics' Robot Store.