Wanted: Beginning Robotics Class
jsidell
school. I don't have any experience in Robotics but since I teach
programming they thought I could handle it (*rolling eyes*). I'd like
to take a class or workshop for beginners. Any suggestions where to
get started.
I live in Northern California so west coast locations are preferred.
An online class for credit would be ideal, or a week-long workshop or
internship.
Thanks!
jsidell
Edit: After posting this message I found this link for any others who
are interested:
http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/content/lego/teacher_training/sub_pages/web_courses/index.htm
Androbot
Try one of these. I am sure your school has a TI Graphing calculaltor
and this uses the built in TI basic.
http://www.smallrobot.com/scimath.html
Not real complicated, but an easy successful starting spot.
Here is a free classroom book designed for middle school.
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/239512main_Calculator_Controlled_Robots.pdf
Rick
Norland Research
Gordon McComb
I don't know the specifics of the curriculum they have, but Parallax is
big in schools that don't do the FIRST thing (and many don't because of
the costs). Their BOE-Bot platform is fairly capable, and can be
assembled and disassembled many times, in order to help those interested
in the mechanics and not just the electronics or programming.
It's all self-study, of course, and Parallax's claim to fame is their
printed and online support materials.
They are in Northern California, not that it makes a difference.
On a similar note, I have proposed an online course in beginning
robotics to a well-known e-training site. Haven't heard anything back
yet. It may be too narrow of a market for them, but we'll see.
-- Gordon
prof...@gmail.com
wrote:
Just to second Gordon's previous point. When I got back into robotics
after a ~20 absence I started with a boebot kit and worked through the
accompanying manuals. These are very well written. I usually start
new members of the college robotics team with a boebot kit and have
them work though the manuals. For high school robotics, I recommend
starting with the vex components. These are robust and there is a
healthy competition group which provides lots of external motivation.
I would recommend Robot C as a programming environment with the VEX
parts. Once you get a vex group down, FIRST is a nice step up in
difficulty.
Of course from your message it sounds like this is more something that
you HAVE to do. In that case, you might want to just get the school
to invest in a bunch of parallax robots and curriculum. It is the
most "ready to run" and polished of the any of the curriculum that I
have worked with. I have taught a sumo robot school for the past
three winters, but I do it as a six week course, so this probably
wouldn't work for you!
have fun,
mmason