Recycled Robots (Robotics)

Recycled Robots
Design, build, and programme robots using recycled materials and the Hummingbird Robotics Kit.

Start the term by creating your own personal drawing robot to take home. Then work together as a team to creatively use motors, sensors, and LEDs as you make robot creations come to life!

We will use a visual programming language to tell our robots what to do.

We will finish off the term with a Robot Petting Zoo, where family members are invited to come interact with our creations.

Session 1: Robotic Art

Discover the science behind electricity by making simple circuits

Create a drawing robot to take home

Discuss ownership of robot created art

Recycled RobotsSession 2: Working with Output

Explore what criteria defines a robot

Learn how robots respond to programming

Work with LEDs, motors, and servos

Discover how to use loops and conditional statements to control output

Session 3: Adding Sensors

Spotlight On: Surrealism / Salvador Dali

Work together in teams to brainstorm ideas for a robot with “emotions”

Make an “emotional” robot respond to user input using sensors

Learn how to create and use variables to control sensors

Session 4: Emotional Circuits

Teams continue coding their robot

Troubleshoot unexpected results

Discover tips & tricks for building with cardboard

Recycled Robots

Session 5: Plan & Build Final Robot

Spotlight On: Michael Salter & Anthropomorphism

Teams work together to brainstorm & design a robot creature that can be “fed” using a motion or light sensor

Define objectives for robots to act out

Work distribution & task management

Session 6: Robot Creation

Continue building and begin programming final robot

Session 7: Robot Creation

Finish coding final robot

Teams will test one another’s robots & provide constructive feedback

Session 8: Robot Zoo

Finish perfecting robots

Record video journal demonstrating the final robots & how they work

Parents are invited to visit our Robot Zoo during the last 15 minutes of class

  • Start: Tuesday 24 October 2017
    Finish: Tuesday 12 December 2017
    Tuesdays, 4.00pm-5.30pm (8 weeks, 1.5 hours per week)
    Timing
  • Creative and Performing Arts Centre (CPAC), Graphics roomsLocation
  • Jess WeichlerTeacher
  • Girls and boys aged 8-12 yearsTarget Market
  • $165 for Term 4 (8 weeks)Price/Student (incl GST)
  • New Enrolment
    Returning Enrolment
    Enrolment

About Jess Weichler

Jess Weichler

Jess Weichler

Jess Weichler is a media arts educator at the MakerBox.

Ever since childhood she has been creating digital worlds through game design. Aside from a few lessons learnt from her 8-year old students, she is self-taught in the Scratch programming language, the Processing java subset, and a robotic Hummingbird micro-controller. She has taught these skills since 2012, and her courses are still in use both locally and abroad in the United States.

Our Location

Rātā Studios
Based at Scots College
1 Monorgan Road
Strathmore
Wellington 6022
Rātā Studios
Based at Scots College
PO Box 15064
Miramar
Wellington 6243
Enrolment Email
tess@ratastudios.co.nz