Summer SAVY, Session 5 Day 4, “Programming and Robotics” (5th-6th)
Day 4 of Programming and Robotics led us straight into discussions about autonomous vehicles and exploring ways to build and program them. We began the day learning about autonomous taxis, how many variables engineers have to account for, and how important sensors are to the process.
We then took a little in-building field trip to observe a class of VSA students who have been working for the past two weeks on building and programming their own autonomous vehicles. The students were exploring and using circuits and sensors, and programming using Python. Our students were able to meet with a VSA student who explained their vehicle and code, and then allowed the students to collaborate with them on the issue they were working on. Some of our students even helped find the correct values to troubleshoot code or help hardwire the vehicle. We got to watch the students race their autonomous vehicles and then reprogram when necessary.
We next built our own autonomous vehicles using our LEGO Spike Prime kits. Students were tasked with using sensors and programming to start and stop the vehicle before it hits an object. The base build was to program for a certain distance. After completing the task with the base build, groups were able to develop their own code and use sensors to program their vehicles.
After lunch, students explored the purpose of using robotics in manufacturing. We looked at six different types of robots that are used in warehouses and their purposes. Students connected that these jobs are dull jobs that people would not want to do. However, it elicited some discussion about humans losing jobs to robots. Tomorrow, we will discuss the ethics of using robots.
We finished up our day with Coding Stations, and students enjoyed the games and free building times. Tomorrow, we will continue our ethics discussion, explore rules for robots, and then work on our final project build. Students will choose an area of focus (healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or entertainment) and develop a robot that carries out a task in that area. Students will program their robots to carry out the task.
Some questions to ask your student tonight include:
- What are some variables you might consider if you were an engineer developing an autonomous vehicle?
- What types of sensors are used for robots in healthcare and manufacturing?
- How do robots influence the supply and demand of products?
Mrs. Lewis and Ms. Snader