Summary of an open lesson on the course “Educational Robotics. Think with your hands. What are the benefits of practicing robotics? Organizational stage. Setting the goal and objectives of the lesson

I suggest you summary of children's educational activities 10-12 years old (middle group students) on the topic “In the jungle of robotics.” This work will be useful for both school teachers and additional education workers (club leaders). We bring to your attention, which is aimed at developing curiosity among schoolchildren, as well as nurturing their interest in technical fields, the work of engineers and programmers. More details here: https://repetitor.ru/repetitors/informatika, you will find a lot of interesting things

Goal: to develop children’s ideas about what it is robotics, what is its history, purpose and place in the modern world.

Demo material:

• Presentation on the topic “History of robotics and Lego constructors”,
• video "Jungle".

Handout: Lego Education 9580 construction sets

Methodological techniques: conversation-dialogue, game situation, viewing a presentation, conversation, thematic physical education, experiment, productive activity of schoolchildren, analysis, summing up.

Lesson summary “In the jungle of robotics”

Teacher: “Hello, guys!

In all past classes, we got acquainted with the Lego constructor and the Lego Education program. You learned how to assemble robots using ready-made instructions and program their actions yourself. Today we will summarize all our knowledge in the “Funny Animals” section, namely, we will construct four models. 1st department:

• "Roaring Lion"
• "Hungry Alligator"
• "Drummer Monkey"
• "Dancing Birds"

To do this, today we will take a trip to the jungle, but not an ordinary one, but a robotics jungle. Travelers will be divided into 4 groups. Each department must assemble a robot in a short time, create a program in the Lego Education environment and “bring the model to life.” We find out which group is the most energetic, the friendliest, and the fastest in scientific experiments by observing the speed and correctness of the assembly, as well as the behavior of the robot.

Students begin to assemble.

Teacher: “While the constructors are busy at work, we invite experts in the field of Lego robots to talk about the history of modern constructors and robots.”

Students: “Robotics (from robots and technology; English robotics) is an applied science that deals with the development of automated technical systems and is the most important technical basis for the intensification of production.

The most important classes of general-purpose robots are manipulative and mobile robots.

Manipulation robot- an automatic machine (stationary or mobile), consisting of an actuator in the form of a manipulator with several degrees of mobility, and a program control device, which serves to perform motor and control functions in the production process. Such robots are produced in floor-mounted, suspended and gantry versions. They are most widespread in the machine-building and instrument-making industries.

Mobile robot- an automatic machine that has a moving chassis with automatically controlled drives. Such robots can be wheeled, walking and tracked (there are also crawling, swimming and flying mobile robotic systems.

Robotic systems are also popular in the field of education as modern high-tech research tools in the field of automatic control theory and mechatronics. Their use in various educational institutions of secondary and higher vocational education makes it possible to implement the concept of “project-based learning”, which forms the basis of such a large joint educational program of the United States and the European Union as ILERT.

The use of the capabilities of robotic systems in engineering education makes it possible to simultaneously develop professional skills in several related disciplines: mechanics, control theory, circuit design, programming, information theory. The demand for complex knowledge contributes to the development of connections between research teams. In addition, already in the process of specialized training, students are faced with the need to solve real practical problems.

Existing robotic systems for educational laboratories:

• Mechatronics Control Kit
• Festo Didactic
• LEGO Mindstorms
• fischertechnik.

Robotics draws on disciplines such as electronics, mechanics, computer science, as well as radio and electrical engineering. There are construction, industrial, household, aviation and extreme (military, space, underwater) robotics. The Lego series has become an important construction kit for studying robots in school.

LEGO(translated from Danish as “play well”) - a series of toys, which are sets of parts for assembling and modeling various objects. LEGO sets are produced by the LEGO Group, which is headquartered in Denmark. Here, in Denmark, on the Jutland peninsula, in the small town of Billund, there is the largest Legoland in the world - a city built entirely from LEGO constructors.

The main product of the LEGO company are colorful plastic bricks, small figures, etc. LEGO can be used to build objects such as vehicles, buildings, and moving robots. Everything that is built can then be disassembled and the parts used to create other objects. The LEGO company began producing plastic bricks in 1949. Since then, LEGO has expanded its reach to include films, games, competitions, and seven theme parks. However, there are many clones and fakes of the designer.

Presentation “The History of Robots and Lego” is underway

Teacher: “And now young researchers will share their knowledge about the jungle. They will tell you about the jungle."

Students: “Ju?ngli are trees and shrubs combined with tall grasses. The English who lived in India borrowed this word from the Hindi language.

The largest jungles exist in the Amazon basin in most of Central America (where they are called “selvas”), in equatorial Africa, in many areas of Southeast Asia, and in Australia. Jungle trees have several common characteristics that are not seen in plants in less humid climates: The base of the trunk in many species has broad, woody projections.

The treetops are often very well connected with each other by vines. Other characteristics of the jungle include the unusually thin (1-2 mm) bark of the trees. In the jungle there are broad-nosed monkeys, a number of families of rodents, bats, llamas, marsupials, several orders of birds, as well as some reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates.

Many animals with prehensile tails live in trees. There are a lot of insects, especially butterflies, and a lot of fish. Two-thirds of all animal and plant species on the planet live in the jungle. It is estimated that millions of animal and plant species remain undescribed."

The Jungle video is playing.

Students use Lego WeDo to create models of a roaring lion, a drummer monkey, a hungry alligator and dancing birds. Students assemble robots, program and demonstrate models. Those in charge announce the results of filling out the analysis table of the goals and objectives set in an open lesson.

Robot models

Group No. 1.

Student No. 1.1: “We assembled a “monkey-drummer” model and programmed it. The energy is transferred from the laptop to the motor, and from the motor, first the small gear rotates, then the ring gear. This in turn rotates the axis. The fists raise and lower the paws of our drummer. We were faced with the task of building a monkey that would beat out different rhythms, and we succeeded. We tried to create different movements of the monkey by changing the position of the cams. Changing the position changes the sound and timing of the monkey’s paw strikes.”

Student No. 1.2: “Despite its terrifying appearance, this large monkey, more than two meters tall, is very friendly; males from the same flock usually do not compete with each other, and in order for the leader to be obeyed, it is enough to widen his eyes and utter an appropriate cry, hitting himself on the chest with his fingers. This behavior is just an act and is never followed by an attack.

Before a real attack, he looks into the eyes of the enemy for a long time and silently. Staring directly into the eyes is a challenge not only in gorillas, but in almost all mammals, including dogs, cats and even humans. Baby gorillas stay with their mother for almost four years. When the next one is born, the mother begins to alienate the older one, but never does it rudely; she seems to invite him to try his hand at adulthood himself.

Having woken up, gorillas go in search of food. They devote the remaining time to rest and games. After the evening meal, they arrange a kind of bedding on the ground, on which they fall asleep.”

Group No. 2.

Student No. 2.1: We assembled a “roaring lion” model. The energy is transferred to the motor, which receives energy from the computer. This drives the gear, which turns the crown wheel. The crown wheel is connected to the same axle on which the lion's front paws are fixed; when the axle rotates, the lion sits down or lies down. Let's demonstrate how the model works.

Student #2.2:. “The lion is a species of predatory mammal, one of the four representatives of the panther genus. It is the second largest living cat after the tiger - the weight of some males can reach 250 kg. A characteristic feature of a lion is a thick mane in males, which is not found in other representatives of the cat family.

Prefers open spaces, where it finds coolness in the shade of rare trees. For hunting, it is better to have a wide view in order to notice herds of grazing herbivores from afar and develop a strategy on how best to approach them unnoticed. Outwardly, it is a lazy beast that dozes and sits around for a long time.

Only when the lion is hungry and forced to pursue herds of herbivores or when he must defend his territory does he emerge from his stupor. Lions were popular in culture in ancient times and the Middle Ages, they were reflected in sculpture, painting, on national flags, coats of arms, in myths, literature and films.”

Group No. 3.

Student No. 3.1: We assembled a “hungry alligator” model. The energy is transferred from the computer to the motor, which rotates the ring gear. This gear is mounted on one axis with a pulley. A belt is placed on a small pulley, which transmits movement to a large pulley. He opens and closes the alligator's mouth. Let's demonstrate how the model works: put a fish in - the mouth closes, take out a fish - the mouth opens.

Student No. 3.2: “Alligator is a genus that includes only two modern species: the American (or Mississippi) alligator and the Chinese alligator. Large alligators have red eyes, while smaller ones have green eyes. Based on this feature, an alligator can be detected at night. The largest alligator ever recorded in history was discovered on an island in the US state of Louisiana - its length was . Several giant specimens were weighed, the largest of which weighed more than a ton.

There are only two countries in the world where representatives of this genus live - the United States of America and China. The Chinese alligator is endangered. The American alligator lives on the east coast of the United States. In Florida alone, their number exceeds 1 million individuals. The only place on Earth where alligators and crocodiles coexist is Florida.

Large males lead a solitary lifestyle, adhering to their territory. Smaller males can be seen in large groups in close proximity to each other. Large individuals (both males and females) defend their territory; small alligators are more tolerant of individuals of the same size.

Difference between crocodile and alligator: The biggest difference is in their teeth. When the crocodile's jaws are closed, the large fourth tooth of the lower jaw is visible. In an alligator, the upper jaw covers these teeth. They can also be distinguished by the shape of their muzzle: a real crocodile has a sharp, V-shaped muzzle, while an alligator has a blunt, U-shaped muzzle.”

Alligator

Group No. 4.

Student No. 4.1: “We constructed a “dancing birds” model. The energy is transferred to the motor, and the gear rotates from the computer. It is mounted on the same axis with a pulley, which also rotates. A bird is attached to the top of the pulley and a belt is put on the pulley. When a pulley rotates, the belt moves and rotates another pulley. Our goal was to create a structure in which the birds would spin first in one direction and then in different directions. Let’s demonstrate how the model works: by changing gears, you can rotate the birds in different directions.”

Gradually, high technologies are becoming part of everyday life: “smart home”, interactive art exhibitions, conversational bots. It is not surprising that they begin to teach the basics of programming and robotics even before school. Robotics centers and engineering clubs are opening more and more often. According to various sources, there are about 400 circles related to robotics and IT in Russia; there are no official statistics yet. And this number will only grow.

From the circle of young engineers and radio amateurs to the Robotics section

Robotics has integrated into the educational process organically and almost silently. In 2016, robots are flashing LEDs at all levels of educational institutions: from kindergartens to universities, but most of all in schools. Robotics is considered a tool for in-depth study of disciplines such as computer science, physics and technology. Therefore, schoolchildren can learn the beginnings of robotics not only in clubs, but also in schools and universities, where robots are increasingly being introduced into the educational process.

The circle system of additional education is especially well known to people of the older generation from the countries of the former union republics of the USSR. Free Soviet education was generously supplemented by extracurricular activities based in palaces and houses of pioneers (according to Wikipedia, there were 4,400 “palaces” in operation in 1971).

Spatial thinking was developed in future engineers by technical modeling and design clubs and radio workshops. Schoolchildren created models of cars and airplanes from scratch, learned to work with equipment (lathes, burning machines, jigsaws and files), and became familiar with the principles of electricity.

The Soviet education system for engineering and technical specialties, of which “circles” were a part, was considered one of the best in the world. Today, it is customary to talk more about the disadvantages of education in Russia, and American and Asian educational institutions occupy leading positions in the field of technology.

Along with the collapse of the USSR, the culture of additional education and clubs also declined. Activities have become paid, and the topics have lost variety: sports sections, dance and art schools have become popular. The impact of such a change in the educational menu of an entire generation of children can already be judged now. University graduates with diplomas in the humanities do not find work, and enterprises are desperately looking for engineering personnel during the day.

In the 2000s, interest in robotics in education became increasingly noticeable. Since 2002, domestic and international robot competitions have been held in Russia. At the same time, the Russian Association of Educational Robotics (RAER) was formed. Since 2008, the All-Russian Educational and Methodological Center for Educational Robotics (VUMTSOR) has been operating on the basis of RAOR - the organization supplies manuals and provides everyone with legal information and recommendations for opening a robotics club.

Also, since 2008, Oleg Deripaska’s Volnoye Delo Foundation launched the Robotics program, which supports educational and competitive projects.

In 2014, people started talking about robots at the state level. The ASI (Agency for Strategic Initiatives, founder – the Government of the Russian Federation) announced the National Technical Initiative. The global idea of ​​NTI is to bring Russia to a competitive level in the high-tech market by 2035. One of the areas of the program was the support and popularization of technical education.

Along with the popularization of robotics in the educational environment, the concept of STEM (or STEAM) appeared. This direction in the global educational process is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Key disciplines are encoded in abbreviations: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art (not always), Math. The system is designed to develop future engineers and roboticists.

With government support, not just clubs are opened, but also entire technology parks - children's centers that unite clubs in various technical areas. There are not many technology parks yet. In May, the first children's center at Mosgormash opened in Moscow, and the Quantorium technology park opened at the end of September. There are also plans to open technology parks in the regions. They should appear in 17 regions: Mordovia, Tatarstan, Chuvashia, Altai Territory and others.

From designer to microcircuit

Despite the fact that robots are included in classes for children from preschool age, the main role in the development of the youngest future engineers is played not by electronics, but by creativity. In the STEM education system, freedom to think and create is at the forefront in preschool classes. Therefore, in circles for children under 6 years old, simple construction sets and cubes are actively used.

The bulk of robotics clubs are aimed at children of primary and secondary school age.

“As a rule, the program of such children's courses includes an introduction to circuit design, the basics of programming and robotics. The difference between clubs is their task: the child either has fun or learns. Based on this, teaching methods and technologies are selected. The global goal of the ROBBO Club is to raise a generation of young innovators who would be competitive not only in the Russian market, but also in the world. Therefore, our course is designed to work with children of different ages: with preschoolers we create animation programs and classic computer games (Pac-man, Arkanoid), program robots to perform various tasks, with schoolchildren we engage in programming in “adult” languages, 3D modeling, 3D design and 3D printing. So, a child comes to us only with reading skills, and leaves with a robot printed on a 3D printer, assembled and programmed independently,” explains Pavel Frolov, producer of the children’s robotics project for education “ROBBO”

Robotics complements the material covered in technology, physics and mathematics lessons. Dmitry Spivak, director of the St. Petersburg robotics club for children Robx, believes that it is in club classes that a child can apply knowledge of mechanics and electrodynamics, and delve into text-based programming languages ​​(for example, C). “In middle school, our students begin to get acquainted with Arduino, more complex programs for 3D modeling - OpenSCAD, parametric modeling, where children describe shapes with code,” says Dmitry.

Educational robotics typically starts with Legos. The kits maintain a balance between design and programming. After the child has mastered the basics, he can go deeper into one of the areas and study programming and design more deeply. In classes with an emphasis on programming, students work with different languages ​​and programming programs, and engage in 3D modeling. Design clubs prepare future engineers: here children independently develop the shape and “filling” of the robot.

Lego and Co.

The market for STEM and robotic construction kits is quite diverse. Most manufacturers cover all age categories, from preschool kits to quad-core modules for middle and high school students.

The world and Russian leader in the field of educational robotics is a subsidiary of the LEGO Group holding company - LEGO Education. The Danish brand owns not only kits and methodological developments, but also a network of specialized children's centers, as well as the LEGO Academy, where teachers can undergo training. At the moment, 16 additional education centers are official partners of Lego Education Afterschool Programs in Russia.

Lego Education has been in business since 1980. The brand's line includes construction sets without an electronic component (Lego Simple Mechanisms, First Designs), sets with a microprocessor and sensors for studying robotics in elementary school (Lego WeDo) and sets for demonstrating scientific principles in high school (Lego Technology and Physics) and sets the legendary MINDSTORMS series.

Similar to Lego, but much less known, the American company Pitsco was founded in 1971 by three teachers. The Elementary STEM sets for younger children are presented with more creative general educational toys - flying kites, rockets. Robots are included in the Tetrix direction - robotic metal construction sets, widely known in Russia. Metal parts make these sets universal, Tetrix is ​​compatible with the Lego MINDSTORMS controller. Tetrix-based robots often participate in competitions, including in student categories.

The open platform Arduino, unlike others, is a unique board with a software shell. This makes Arduino a universal basis for robotic designs at any level in children's education. Several brands of robotic construction kits have been created based on Arduino. The platform can be purchased separately. The disadvantage of the platform is that the design is quite complex and requires a child to work with a soldering iron.

Domestic kits are represented by two prominent brands on the market - TECHNOLAB and Amperka. Manuals have been developed for TECHNOLAB with the support of specialists from the Faculty of Robotics and Complex Automation of the N.E. Bauman Moscow State Technical University. TECHNOLAB products are thematic and age-specific modules. Each module contains several robotic kits. This “wholesale” approach implies a high price for construction kits: from 93 thousand rubles per module for children 5-8 years old and up to 400 thousand rubles for a module of aerial robots.

Amperka is a 2010 startup based on the Arduino platform. Amperka products are sets under game names: “Matryoshka”, “Raspberry”, “Electronics for Dummies”, etc. You can also buy individual components on the Amperka website - Arduino boards, sensors, switches.

Korean brand Robotis offers robotics kits for every level. These are plastic robots for elementary school (Robotis Play, Robotis Dream) and humanoid robots based on Robotis Bioloid servomotors.

Korean manufacturers HunaRobo and RoboRobo focus on construction toys for young and middle-aged children. Kits from Korean brands include basic elements: motherboard, motor and gearbox, RC receiver and control panel.

VEX Robotics is a private company with a focus on mobile robotics, based in the USA. The brand is owned by Innovation First, Inc., which develops electronics for autonomous ground robots. The brand is divided into two directions - the VEX IQ series for entry-level and VEX EDR - a platform for advanced students. VEX mobile programmable remote control robots are focused on competition and programming skills.

Instead of a conclusion

A wide range of robotic learning platforms, government support and fashion for robots are only integrating robotics into education. Engineering and robotics clubs and classes are rather an exception, especially in the regions. However, today hundreds of thousands of children have the opportunity to study additionally in engineering and IT fields. And this number will only grow in the near future - the media are reporting about new technology parks and circles, and the authorities are reporting their readiness to support such initiatives.

I would like to believe that the increased integration of additional technical education will ultimately give impetus to the formation of more high-level technical specialists in the future. The circle movement strives for wide coverage - robotics activity programs are designed to interest any child. Basic technical laws and concepts are becoming more accessible. Robotics classes, at a minimum, broaden one’s horizons, and at a maximum, they will provide the future with engineering and technical personnel. We believe in the maximum!

Vocals, foreign languages, cross stitch or robots? To help doubting parents, Smartbabr experts give arguments in favor of robotics.

Robotics classes help develop logical and systematic thinking, as well as creative abilities. Even if your child does not become an engineer and he does not need the ability to control a robot, then an understanding of how an automatic device works and design experience will definitely be useful in other activities, no matter what profession the child chooses in the future.

Nowadays schooling is mostly formal. It does not allow a person to successfully build his life in a complex technical world. Thanks to robotics, a child gets acquainted with drawing, 3D modeling, construction, comprehends three-dimensional perception of space, and much more. In a word, he learns to think not only with his “head”, but also with his “hands”. And also at the same time: both with the head and with the hands.

In robotics clubs, high school students see physical laws in action. Students in grades 5-7 solve interesting geometric and mathematical problems. Kindergarten and elementary school kids doing robotics develop motor skills, attention, and the ability to work in a group.

If robotics is added to the core curriculum, even as a technology subject, its meaning will begin to be lost. Today, schools spend time and resources selectively. For example, many educational institutions do not support gifted children, although there are corresponding government programs and their implementation is the responsibility of the school. And technology lessons are not taught everywhere. There is a possibility that something similar will happen with robotics classes: formally they will exist, but whether they will be useful is a moot point. Of course, exceptions are possible and great and good things will flash somewhere.

But in any case, mugs are more suitable for gifted children interested in studying robotics, as they help them go deeper. Therefore, even if robotics is introduced into the main school curriculum, circle movement cannot be abandoned.

I believe that doing robotics greatly develops logic, increases systematic thinking, and all this also affects the degree of awareness in decisions made. Just assembling robots can help develop fine motor skills. Children also gain knowledge not only about how robots work, but also how existing systems function. This skill will help them in the future when designing their own systems in any industry, because there is a set of rules and restrictions in any type of activity.

I am sure that you can start studying robotics, at least in some simple and illustrative examples, from the age of 5-6. A child at this age is already quite fully aware of his actions, and also has a thinking that has not yet become “overgrown” with patterns. At this age, children are very open and are simply bursting with ideas and creativity. Just take a look at their drawings. All this can contribute in the future to the development of qualitatively new systems, these children will be unique in their kind.

Should this discipline be included in the school curriculum? Not sure. After all, there is a state standard, and without the proper participation of the state, it is quite difficult to adapt to it with something innovative. But as an elective, yes. However, now there is a large shortage of such specialists who would agree to teach these subjects in schools. I think this is up to technical higher education institutions, which will take on this burden as part of their career guidance work.

Robotics classes help develop logical and systematic thinking, as well as creative abilities. These are very useful qualities that will definitely be useful to a child in the future, even if his career is not related to technical sciences. If you delve deeper into the process of practicing robotics, you can understand that success in this area is impossible without knowledge of physics, mathematics, computer science and the ability to apply them when solving non-standard problems. That is, robotics is a meta-subject, and those teachers who are already organizing clubs for their children to develop robotic skills will definitely receive dividends in the future in the form of developing and nurturing an erudite and interested personality in their students, who will be able to analyze and reason logically using knowledge from various fields, and work at the intersection of sciences, which will definitely be in demand in the future.

In addition, not only adult schoolchildren, but also preschool children can engage in robotics. The robot control element for preschoolers is entertaining. For elementary school students, robotics classes develop logical thinking, and at this stage they also have a need to create new things. High school students are interested in creating robot models to solve real problems and problems. As a rule, at this stage, students already understand why they are engaged in robotics, and thus they develop a need to study technical disciplines, conduct project activities, and study related sciences aimed at solving a specific problem.

Of course, there should be an opportunity to engage in robotics, at least as part of a group activity. To a greater extent, robotics as a school subject can be aimed at explaining and applying theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom as an interdisciplinary applied project activity. If we talk about the “technology” discipline, it is usually aimed at gaining the practical skill of creating something, so robotics can also be an element of it.

I would divide robotics into two large components: programming and electronics.

Possession of these components separately already turns young people into sought-after specialists, and simultaneous possession of both the first and second makes one specialist equivalent to two.

I believe that robotics will benefit children of all ages, as it develops a general understanding of how any technology works.

What benefits does learning the structure and control of robots give to children? A very correct question. Its relevance will become especially acute in 50 years, when the computing power of computers will exceed the capabilities of the human brain. We are already surrounded by technology. Understanding the human-machine interface means controlling the machines. Our children need to lay the foundations of human-computer-robot interaction now, in order to avoid the scenarios of the Terminator movie.

If we talk about school education, I believe that it is necessary to include classes in robotics as an elective in classes with in-depth study of mathematics and physics in order to link fundamental sciences to practice. You need to start from 5th grade and exclusively for those interested.

The task that now faces the Russian education system is the preparation of creative engineers who could invent and implement new technologies that have no analogues in the world. Now we can say that in the next five years the most in-demand professions will be engineering. Accordingly, those children who will be interested in robotics and design now are future innovative engineers who will be in demand not only in the Russian but also in the international market.

First of all, the basics of robotics and programming teach a child to think logically, build correct cause-and-effect relationships, carry out analytical operations and draw conclusions correctly. Secondly, modern children who are familiar with various mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets with a touch interface) do not know how to write and draw by hand; the parts of their brain responsible for creativity are simply not activated. Such children are not capable of creating, they can only recombine something or simply consume.

Passion for robotics, programming, and design encourages children of any age to think creatively and produce a unique product. This is the key to a successful future not only for an individual child, but also for the country as a whole.

Children need to start teaching robotics as early as possible, since interest in engineering professions manifests itself literally from the age of 5. This interest needs to be developed and promoted everywhere, not only in schools, but also in kindergartens, private clubs and circles.

Photo: russianrobotics.ru, from the personal archives of experts

One of the most promising areas in the field of IT technologies is robotics. Why? Yes, because over the next fifteen years, a dozen new professions will appear in the world, which will be based on knowledge from the robotics field.

We are talking about such specialties as:
industrial robotics designer;
ergonomist designer;
composite engineer;
operator of multifunctional robotic systems;
children's robotics designer;
medical robot designer;
home robot designer;
designer of neural interfaces for robot control.

Self-controlling devices began to be used in the second half of the last century. Initially, robots worked in the areas of production and research, but then successfully migrated to the service sector. Of course, robots are not a mass phenomenon at the moment, but the vector has been chosen and it is almost impossible to change it. That is why we can say that in the near future the role of a person as a worker will change dramatically. But how to approach robotics? Where to start your exciting journey? Let's try to answer these questions.

Robotics for children

It is best to start learning the basics of robotics at an early age, but this does not mean that the path is closed for an adult. The fact is that the child learns new skills faster, he has no worries that could interfere with his favorite hobby. In addition, robotics for children is aimed at studying a specific subject, while professional robotics deals with solving complex problems. For example, children and hobbyists can disassemble simple mechanisms to understand how they work, but more mature specialists create complex industrial manipulators.

To understand whether a child has a penchant for robotics, it is enough to buy a construction set (fortunately, children’s robots are not in short supply today) and see if he shows interest in the process of assembling it. If yes, then you can find a robotics club in which the child can develop imagination, logic, fine motor skills, spatial perception, patience and concentration.

It is worth noting that there are different areas in robotics: programming, electronics, design. If your child enjoys building construction sets, construction is likely a good fit for them. Those who are interested in learning how this or that thing works should study electronics. Programming will interest any young mathematician.

At what age do you start learning?

The ideal age to start in robotics is 8-12 years old. Earlier, a child may have difficulties understanding the principles of operation of certain mechanisms, and it is better not to mention the desire to learn mathematics (which is extremely necessary for drawing up algorithms, designing circuits and mechanisms) at an early age. Well, which of us wanted to study formulas and theorems when the weather was great outside and there was a Sony PlayStation under the TV? The question is rhetorical.

But at 8-9 years old, children without any problems can understand and remember what a capacitor, LED, and resistor are. At this age, they can already master concepts from school physics, significantly ahead of the curriculum of our educational institutions.

If a child does not lose interest in his hobby by the age of 14-15, he should continue to study mathematics and start learning programming. Outside the circles, a lot of interesting things await him: a mathematical basis, the theory of mechanisms and machines, the implementation of automatic navigation algorithms, the design of electromechanical equipment for a robotic device, machine learning and computer vision algorithms (something carried me away).

A little about choosing designers

Each age group has its own educational platforms and constructors, differing in the degree of complexity. Today, both foreign and domestic sets are presented on the market, the cost of which varies from 400 to 15,000 hryvnia.
For an 8-11 year old child, construction sets from BitKit, Fischertechnik or (of course, these manufacturers also have sets for adult children in their assortment). For example, BitKit products are aimed at studying electronics (I tested their Omka constructor personally and wrote about it in the winter of 2016 -); Fischertechnik - brings closer to the real development of robots, their kits have plugs, wires, and a visual programming environment; Lego offers very famous construction sets with interesting and colorful details, detailed instructions and great possibilities.

The standard in educational robotics are Arduino modules as well as the single board computer. To work with them, you will need basic programming skills, but ultimately you can learn how to create all kinds of “smart” devices with your own hands - from an automatic watering system to an alarm system.


Where to practice robotics?

Robotics courses for children in Ukraine are offered by the following organizations:
“Stem Fll” course from First Lego League;
“Robo-3D Junior” course from RoboUa;
“Robo-3D” course from Lego Mindstorms;
courses based on Arduino, Lego and Fischertechnik from Robot School;
courses for children from 4 years old from the MAN studio;
curriculum from Boteon;
“Preparing for Flight” course from Singularity Studio;
courses from the Smart IT school.

Self-paced learning: is it possible?

For self-study, there are many free online courses on the Internet. But this format is unlikely to be suitable for a child, so distance education may be attractive only for an adult.

As for the child, in addition to exciting and useful kits, books on robotics will be useful to him, namely:

Braga Newton, “Creating robots at home”;
Douglas Williams, “Programmable Robot Controlled from a PDA”;
Owen Bishop, “The Robot Developer's Handbook”;
Vadim Mitskevich, “Entertaining anatomy of robots”;
Vladimir Gololobov, “Where robots begin.”

There are a lot of similar works. Unfortunately, robotics is developing rapidly and the relevance of the information in books is becoming outdated. Therefore, you should always have thematic forums and specialized sites at hand.

What's the result?

As a result, we get a very promising direction that should not be ignored under any circumstances. If you have children, think about their future and perhaps my article on Keddre will become a catalyst for finding suitable clubs.

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