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Challenge:
Design a Robot Helper |
A Collaborative Activity
Teachers’ Page
Overview
The goal of this challenge is to engage students in a collaborative experience
that parallels some of the research and design activities conducted by
engineers at NASA. This challenge will:
- Engage students in critical thinking, research
and problem solving.
- Arouse students’ interest in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics.
- Facilitate cooperative learning in the classroom.
Teams
Since this is a collaborative challenge, students should work as a team
on the activity. We suggest that teams consist of three to five students.
The entire class can investigate one question, or each team can investigate
a different question and combine their findings in a final group design.
Team work is very important for success in any endeavour
and is used extensively on all levels of NASA projects. Here are some
suggested tasks that can be assigned to teams depending on the scope of
your project:
Research
Write
Design
Draw
Outline specifications
Build models
Test
Key Questions
Students should research the questions that are appropriate for their
grade level. Check the concepts associated with each question and the
standards that align with
these concepts.
In this challenge students investigate some key questions
associated with designing robots for use in space.
- What should your robot buddy look like?
Should the robot look like a person? What should
be the robot’s size and shape?
Tell students that recent estimates show that it costs approximately
$30,000 to launch 1 kg into orbit. Consider the limitations
of space inside the ISS modules.
- How will it get around?
How is motion in a microgravity environment
different from motion on the surface of the earth? How will the robot
propel itself and avoid things that get in its way? How will the robot
stop? How will the robot change direction? How will the robot "see"
where it’s going? Don't
forget the safety of fellow astronauts.
- How will you talk to it?
Astronauts will want to give voice commands to the robot as it floats
by or waits patiently beside the astronaut. How easy is it for a machine
to understand and obey spoken commands? What technology needs to be
used for this to happen? What are the challenges with this technology?
(Ask a team-mate to be the robot and literally obey your every command.
Is it easy for your team-mate to understand precisely what you want?)
How should the robot communicate with the astronauts?
- What could it do for you? What
could it do for astronauts on the ISS?
The Space Station is like a giant, sealed, soda can. For the astronauts
to be safe, the temperature must be just right. There are different
gases in the air we breathe. A small mistake in the air composition
could be dangerous. Could a robot be used to measure air temperature?
How will the robot know that the air composition is just right for the
astronauts? What should the robot do if there is a problem with the
temperature or air composition?
- How will you know your robot
from the others?
If there is more than one robot on the ISS, how will the astronauts
know which one is their robot?
Submissions
Submissions will be done in two phases. Student who wish to have their
preliminary designs reviewed may submit
them by March 24. Final design should be submitted
in time to be received between April 7 and 25. We may not be able to include
any designs received after April 25. Submissions should include:
- Drawing or picture of a model of the robot
- Specifications that are grade-appropriate
- Design explanations (how does the design answer the questions
above)
We can accept only TWO submissions from each class. This
is to allow the NASA experts sufficient time to review the designs that
are submitted. We know that students work very hard on these projects, and
we don’t want anyone’s project to be left out because we ran
out of time.
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