Posted March 17, 2008 at 10:47 AM | Tagged as: Computing, Geekout, Robots, Technology | Comments Off
Via the Institute for Personal Robots in Education:
We’re pleased to let you know that the robot platform we developed for CS-1 instruction is now available for purchase.
The $149.95 platform includes a Parallax Scribbler robot, with an add on board developed at Georgia Tech. The complete diff-drive robot then includes: a color camera, bluetooth connectivity, a speaker, light sensors, and line sensors.
The robot can be controlled and programmed from a PC in Python using the Myro package developed at Bryn Mawr (included with the robot).
It is all part of our new curriculum for CS-1 centered on a robot context. The new textbook is also available online at our website.
Posted July 12, 2007 at 10:12 PM | Tagged as: Bryn Mawr, Computing, Robots | Comments Off
Over at the Institute for Personal Robots in Education Blog Natasha Eilbert summarizes the feedback from the intro CS class taught with robots at Bryn Mawr and Georgia Tech:
The class consisted, in large part, of non-science students, many choosing to take the class incidentally. However, students felt that, through the course, they learned important, basic computer science concepts, such as breaking down a problem and planning out a solution. They got the impression that computer science involves logical thinking, problem-solving, and patience, and they left feeling that computer science was fun (how great!). Most students enjoyed using the interactive, hands-on Scribbler robots, and a number of them even became attached to the life-like creatures. The students did get frustrated with the robots at times, especially over the imprecision of the robots and over hardware issues that were out of the students’ control; at the same time, they learned that it is reasonable that, like humans, robots are not completely perfect. … Happily, most of the students left the class with the feeling that computer programming was important and in some way relevant to their future life, whether in their field of study or in the every day world.
Awesome!
Posted December 16, 2006 at 1:50 AM | Tagged as: Books, Geekout, Robots, Technology, Things I Love, Westinghouse | Comments Off
Hey! I just noticed that the Mansfield Memorial Museum Web site is up and running. Remember, that’s where you can go see the original Elektro (until April 2007).
And, great news! Scott Schaut’s book, Robots of Westinghouse will also be out soon. You can get it direct from the museum or you can pre-order from Amazon.
I can’t wait to read it and learn all about my favorite robot!
Posted June 1, 2006 at 2:02 PM | Tagged as: Geekout, History, Robots, Technology, Things I Love, Westinghouse | Just 1 Comment
A while back, I made mentioned that Elektro was going to be on display at the Mansfield Memorial Museum in Mansfield, Ohio, as part of their Mechanical Men of Westinghouse 1924-1940 exhibit. I’m happy to report that I finally made the trip to see the exhibit and Elektro, and I’m so very thrilled to be able to share this photo!
I must thank and commend Scott Schaut, director of the museum, for putting together a world-class exhibit and for doing so much to preserve both Westinghouse history and robotic history. Scott, a palentologist, has done an excellent job of educating himself on these topics, and he’s now doing an incredible job educating the public and advocating for Elektro.
Why would Elektro need advocating, you ask? Apparently, there are robotics experts that dismiss Elektro and say he’s not a true robot. I can’t understand this. The word robot was coined long before digital computers existed, and the term was applied to Elektro at the time of his creation and popularity. Certainly, when you compare Elektro to modern robots, you’re looking at apples and oranges — however, that doesn’t dismiss the aim that Elektro’s creators had in mind when they constructed him. It also cannot dismiss the fact that hundreds of thousands of people saw a fully-functional robot in the 1930’s, and that it changed people’s perceptions of the future and of technology.
While he may have been touted as the “ultimate appliance” at the time of his creation, he was a true scientific (or engineering) marvel that inspired many notions in science fiction. (Or did science fiction inspire his creation? Does art imitate life or life imitate art? In any case…) My great aunt, at the age of 85, can recall seeing Elektro at the 1939 and 1940 World’s Fairs and thinking of what it would be like to have a robot in the house. Sixty-some years later, we have robots that can do specific tasks on command and autonomously, but none has ever reached the level of robotic maid or butler. (Take that Rosie the Robot and C3P0!)
Elektro, and his creators, deserve to be celebrated — not ignored. If you agree with me, please help! Nominate Elektro for the Robot Hall of Fame! And be sure to make the trip to Mansfield to see Elektro for yourself.
PS: Keep an eye out for his book on the Westinghouse mechanical men, due later this year — he tells me there’s a secret about Elektro in there, which currently only three people in the world are privy to!
