Transcript Robots: Fantasy and Reality A First Year

Lego Mindstorms Robotics in a
(Very) Small Liberal Arts
College
Ellen Walker
Computer Science Dept.
Hiram College
Hiram College Environment
Residential, undergraduate liberal arts
college
Around 875 students, More than 50%
women
Popular majors are education,
management and biology
4 CS faculty, about 35 traditional majors
Mindstorms Robots at Hiram
Alumni gift in 1999: 6 kits
First-year colloquium courses: 1999, 2003
Artificial Intelligence student project: 2000
Would like to use in other courses…
… but see “Constraints” later
First-year Colloquium (FRCL)
General education course, chosen by
topic (independent of major)
Maximum 15 students per section
Writing across the curriculum (also critical
reading, presentation)
Introduction to college life, liberal arts
Colloquium Assignments
Oral presentation: “Robot Article”
Paper: “Fantasy Robot”
Paper: “Research Proposal”
Journal: “Mindstorms Lab Notebook”
Group oral presentation: “Our Robot”
1999 - Recycling Challenge
2003 - Robot Pet Show
Mindstorms in the Colloquium
9-12 class hours for robot labs
Lab exercises
Structural integrity (weak box / strong box)
Drive train, programming (draw a square)
Programming with sensors (follow the road)
Team Design & Programming Challenge
1999
Robot Recycling Competition
2003
Robot Pet Show
Changes from 1999 to 2003
Science fiction theme -> “Robot friend”
Competition format to exhibition format
Inspired by Turbak & Berg Robot Design Studio
Hoped to attract more women (but did not)
Merge teams after first 3 labs for final project
2 kits for more creative projects
Earlier introduction of Mindstorms…
… but never enough time in lab!
What’s Next?
Would like to use robots more!
AI, CS 1, New robot course…
Hope to stay current with hardware,
software & curriculum
Very small liberal arts colleges must deal
with many constraints…
Constraints: Money
External donation bought first kits
No budget for maintenance
Upgrades
Replacement parts
Batteries (covered by Colloquium slush fund)
Cover with lab fees?
Constraints: Time
Small college faculty must be “generalists”
Never enough time to “perfect” a course
5-6 preparations per year
Most courses taught every 2-3 years
9-12 preparations over a 3 year period
Major revisions needed every 2-3 times
Constraints: Staffing
No graduate students (TA or RA)
Limited availability of undergraduate TA’s
All course alumni have graduated
Exception: first-year courses, including
Colloquium
No departmental laboratory staff
HW / SW too specialized for college
computer center staff
Constraints: Space
No dedicated labs, just general
purpose classrooms
Robots in locked closet when not in
use
Students keep kits at “home” during
project time
Lab use after hours requires faculty /
TA supervision
Questions?