It is a good time to play with little robots

In the previous two posts, mentioned the low-cost small devices are opening up new opportunities for robotics (http://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/it-is-good-time-part-one-introduction.html) and the rise of social robots in the home (http://robotsandphysicalcomputing.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/it-is-good-time-2-social-robots.html) was considered.

In this post and the next, 'small' robots (my phrase), relatively low cost robots, are considered. A few examples are discussed.

Picobot

One of the most interesting small robots on the market is the PicoBot from 4Tronix (http://4tronix.co.uk/blog/?p=708). 

These are small, relatively low-cost robots with a good range of basic sensors based around Arduino. A nice feature is they are quick to put together (5-10 minutes each for the two above).  The size, time to build and the radio modules make them an interesting option for playing with swarm robotics - if only I had the money.

Don't let the swarm robot idea put you off, as small robots to play with programming they are excellent in their own right. Being small with the ultrasonic sensors gives them an non-threatening/cute look; add in they have some build it programs to play with (select by buttons on the bot) to get you going without any programming.

Crumblebot
CrumbleBot (http://4tronix.co.uk/store/index.php?rt=product/product&product_id=493) is based around the Crumble Controller (http://redfernelectronics.co.uk/crumble/) providing i think an intuitive graphical interface (similar to Scratch) to control two motors and four inputs/outputs. The CrumbleBot comes with line-detecting sensors and Light-Dependent Resistors for light detection, with a few other features that I have yet to play with. So is nice little framework for simple robotics. Make sure you order the Crumble Controller at the same time as CrumbleBot.

So I wanted to experiment with making a edge following robot - where the robot goes around a line by following the edge of the line. The idea is while make small movements,

• Check that one of the sensors is on the line (in my case the right sensor);
• If that sensor detects the line, then pull the robot to the left slightly and then forward a small step;
• If the sensor does not detect the line, the pull the robot to the right slightly.

mBots
Makeblock (http://mblock.cc/mbot/) developed mBot Educational Robot with the subtitle "$49 educational robot for each kid". What they came up with is a interesting system that uses their mBlock software, which resembles Scratch but produces code for Arduino. 

My impression so far it is really quite intuitive to work with, in the example below I fairly quickly got the robot:

• moves forward;
• displays 'f' on the LED matrix; 
• turns right;
• displays 'r' on the LED matrix;
• repeats until the on-board is pressed to stop the motors. 

 What I like most though is seeing the graphical code turned into Arduino code - the potential to see the same thing done into two ways adds extra educational value. 



Dash and Dot

Wonder Workshop (https://www.makewonder.com/) produce the Dash & Dot robots (see picture above). It is hard not to be charmed by these robots, they are cute, easy to use, download the Apps and you are ready to go almost out of the box - and add to this an easy to use but fairly powerful tool for developing programming.

 Blockly, available as one of apps, can be used to program the robots. It is a simple looking graphical language (simpler looking but similar to Scratch). A simple example (shown opposite) where Dash (the bigger of the two) does things such as  moves forward,  going left, lights change to orange, , left ear changes colour, head moves forward and it roars like a dinosaur. It relatively easy to then add loops and test (such as checking if it's 'friend' Dot is in view). Below is a very short video of Dash moving around until it 'sees' Dot.





It is difficult not to anthropomorphise these, especially when they are left alone they try and attract your attention with noises. They are just fun as well.

Recently, other developers have been producing alternative programming approaches. The Tickle App (https://tickleapp.com/en-us/) has added these robots to their supported devices.

Now what?
There are new robots coming out all the time at the moment.

As an example an exciting project by Robotix called Phiro (http://www.robotixedu.com/phiro.aspx) with two versions aimed 4-8 years using swipe cards to program it or one aimed at 9-18 years (and probably a lot older) programmed with a variety of programming languages. The robot can be linked with LEGO bricks, a definite plus. Being able to program it on PC or smartphones is a great feature.
  



Two others Ringo and Wink developed by Plum Geek http://www.plumgeek.com are interesting. Ringo, which is out now, is a simple looking and relative inexpensive, arduino-based robot that is actually has quite a few sensors (accelerometers, gyros, line-following, light) and has some predefined routines installed. As it is arduino-based, it is programmable as well. Wink is a new robot that is, at the time of writing, a kickstarter project (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/plumgeek/wink-learn-to-code-with-a-bug-robots-for-everyone) aimed a teaching programming and based on many of the parts from Ringo.




The next post will consider some of the interesting software that is providing some fun opportunities.




All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with.

It is good time to play with Social Robots

Social robotics has a research area in Universities for a while, looking into interface with robots that are based around our social cues, or modelling social cues to understand neurodiversity such as Autism. Some great work by companies such Aldebaran Robotics (https://www.aldebaran.com/en) with their Nao and Pepper robots have raised the profile of social robotics.



People like Cynthia Breazeal leading on this:



What I find most exciting is these robots are now they are coming into the home.




OhBot
At the entry level in terms of price, and very well featured, is the OhBot (http://ohbot.weebly.com/). This is a  is a kit for a robot head with a Scratch-like interface having face-detection, some speech recognition in the current version; controlling several servos to get facial movement. It has provided hours of fun so far (see the video below). This is a great bit of kit for its price.




Jibo
Jibo has been developed by a company headed by Cynthia Breazeal. It is not yet released (end of 2015/beginning of 2016) but the videos make it look very interesting. A stationary robot that seems to be about providing a social interface to many of things we do.







Buddy
A robot soon to be released by Bullfrog Robotics (http://www.bluefrogrobotics.com/buddy-your-companion-robot/) . This is an incredible cute robot. 




Related links
It is a good time: 1 Introduction


All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with.

It is good time 1: Introduction

I have want to write this for a while, a short series of blog posts on why I think this is in an incredible time to be interest in robots and physical computing.

Three posts in the series:
- Introduction
- Small robots
- Social robots

It only takes a quick look on line to see a vibrant and growing network of people who are sharing and supporting each other to use physical computing to do imaginative things. They might go under different names PiJams, Makerspaces, etc but essentially it is about bring people with similar interests (and those are wide) in physical computing together. That is just, physically, but now adding a on-line community that also shares and supports each other you have something that is worth being involved in. If you are unsure  what I mean by this have a look at some of the following people's twitter timelines:
@whaleygeek (https://twitter.com/whaleygeek)
@ martinohanlon (https://twitter.com/martinohanlon)
@simonmonk2 (https://twitter.com/simonmonk2)
+Carrie Anne Philbin @MissPhilbin (https://twitter.com/MissPhilbin)
@Makerspaces_com 
@TheMagP1

From a very long potential list



Powering all this (apart from drive, enthusiasm, creativity, inventiveness, ....of the people involved) is a number of small devices. Two examples include:

• Arduino (see more on these at https://www.arduino.cc/) which are a range of open-source hardware and software components designed for wide use as the basis of physical digital projects (robots anyone?). These are generally low-cost boards and if you go to Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/) it doesn't take long to find projects and projects that have +Arduino at their core. 

• Raspberry Pi (https://www.raspberrypi.org/) is one of the other drivers of this. Essentially a low-cost single board computer developed (and well supported) with the intention of being used to teach basic Computing and potential used in the developing countries. I think it took most people with an interest in physical computing probably less than a second start imagining potential things that can be done with it - and so they went on to prove.

Ok, so what? Why does this matter? My opinion this area is fun to start with, but if you look at the creativity that is going on; new products (that are a mixture of genuinely new ideas, radical refinements or lower costs takes) are being created rapidly. This is exciting.

The next two posts will be about small and social robots emerging at the moment.


All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with.

Sphero Droid BB-8 on patrol

Sorry not programming this time, but this is a great little toy. An App-control robot from Sphero based on the Star Wars new Sphero BB-8 Droid . The video shows it in patrol mode, which in the case of my one is either rolling under the chair or rolling around the room.



One of the other parts of the app include an augmented reality option where on the tablet it appears to be projecting messages and videos (included ones you create).



It is difficult to resist playing with this one.

OhBot and Detecting Faces

With a bit of time off, I had a chance to play with the Ohbot (see Previous related links below) a little more. My son and I played with trying to find could we get it to say hello if there is a face on camera but otherwise make it move randomly as if it was looking.

We based the code on the examples codes that can be found at the OhBot website (http://ohbot.weebly.com/).

The video below shows it in action.



Previous related posts

• OhBot Experiment
• OhBot a social robot

All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with.

When is a bug not buggy - CodeBug

When it is a Codebug - a board with 5x5 LED matrix and 4 connectors that can be either inputs or outputs. 

Programming is through a Blockly interface (as above). Code can be tested using the simulator on the left, before downloading to the CodeBug. The site contains a excellent video showing all the steps (see http://www.codebug.co.uk/gettingstarted/ ).





Codebug, Experimenter Kit CODEBUG-EXPKIT at the moment is usually programmed on-line. There is though a Scratch version in development by  Cymplecy (SimpleSi) http://simplesi.net/scratchcodebug-beta-testing/ that is an potential option for off-line programming. It is currently at the Beta testing stage but is good fun to play with.


What is nice about Codebug and, in fact, most of the Physical Computing device coming out that the moment is the developing community. There is a lot of sharing of projects, ideas and solutions to problems being provide to others through the site (and via Twitter)

I like the Codebug it is a small, relatively inexpensive device (or will be when it comes on the market- most of the ones out there at the moment are in the hands of those who contributed to the Kickstarter funding). The site (http://www.codebug.co.uk/) is full of useful links, examples and ideas.


All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with.

Problems First, Second and Third DOI: 10.4018/ijqaete.2014070104

A paper has recently been published in International Journal of Quality Assurance in Engineering and Technology Education on problem-solving and programming by two members of the Department of Computing and Immersive Technologies, University of Northampton.

Problems First, Second and Third. 

Gary Hill and Scott Turner
DOI:  10.4018/ijqaete.2014070104

Abstract
This paper considers the need to focus initial programming education on problem-solving, prior to the teaching of programming syntax and software design methodology. The main vehicle for this approach is simple Lego based robots programmed in Java, followed by the programming of a graphical representation/simulation to develop programming skills. Problem solving is not trivial (Beaumont & Fox, 2003) and is an important skill, central to computing and engineering. The paper extends the authors earlier research on problems first and problem solving (Hill & Turner, 2011) to further emphasise the importance of problem-solving, problem based learning and the benefits of both physical and visual solutions. An approach will be considered, illustrated with a series of problem-solving tasks that increase in complexity at each stage and give the students practice in attempting problem-solving approaches, as well as assisting them to learn from their mistakes. Some of the problems include ambiguities or are purposely ill-defined, to enable the student to resolve these as part of the process. The benefits to students will be discussed including students' statements that this approach, using robots, provides a method to visually and physically see the outcome of a problem. In addition, students report that the method improves their satisfaction with the course. The importance of linking the problem-solving robot activity and the programming assignment, whilst maintaining the visual nature of the problem, will be discussed, together with the comparison of this work with similar work reported by other authors relating to teaching programming using robots (Williams, 2003). In addition, limitations will be discussed relating to the access to the physical robots and the alternative attempts to simulate the robots using three options of, Microsoft Robotics Studio (MSRS), Lego Mindstorms and Greenfoot simulators.

• Hill, G. and Turner, S. J. (2014) Problems First, Second and Third. International Journal of Quality Assurance in Engineering and Technology Education (IJQAETE). 3(3), pp. 88-109. ISSN: 2155-496 DOI: 10.4018/ijqaete.2014070104

To read a preview of the paper go to: http://www.igi-global.com/viewtitlesample.aspx?id=117560&ptid=91662&t=Problems%20First,%20Second%20and%20Third



All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with.