Materials required
- Autonomous exploration slides
- Otto Starter robot
- Computers with internet and/or Bluetooth connection
Optional materials
- Autonomous exploration worksheet
Learning Objectives
- Identify the key components of a robot and explain their functions.
- Describe the difference between sensors and actuators and how they interact in a robot.
- Recognize robotic systems in everyday life and be able to reason about how they help.
- Know that robots use algorithms to perform tasks.
- Write and upload programs that control the robot.
- Understand key concepts of programming (loops, conditionals, variables, and functions) and apply them to write effective programs for the Otto robot.
- Identify the problem to be solved and develop a plan to address it using the Otto robot components.
- Use an iterative design process to improve the robot’s performance.
- Create a project that combines robotics with another creative discipline.
Autonomous Exploration: What is it and how could Otto do it?
Start the lesson by asking students if they know what autonomous exploration is. Once the group gets the general idea about it, brainstorm ideas about how could Otto perform an autonomous exploration.
On slide 2, there’s a reference about how algorithms are useful to navigate a maze with a specific path. In the theoretical lesson: Algorithms, it explains how students can write algorithms to make Otto move around a maze.
Slide 3 answers the question about how Otto could perform autonomous exploration. It introduces the basic ideas of moving, reading the distance of an object in front with the ultrasonic sensor and then moving again. On slide 4 there is a basic algorithm (in text) that could help Otto to move autonomously around an area.
Activity: time to explore
Challenge students to build an algorithm into their Otto to move autonomously around the classroom without crashing into anything. On slide 5, there are block suggestions for students to use:
A possible way to combine these blocks for autonomous exploration is with a simple program that keeps moving forward and changes direction when it detects an obstacle.
Non-optimized version
This version simply connects the minimum number of blocks necessary for Otto to move without “crashing” into obstacles. Due to speed, short detection distance, and other factors, it may sometimes fail when trying to avoid them. But overall, it is the first functional algorithm for autonomous exploration.
15-1_basic-avoidance.otto
Activity expansion
Once students have their Otto moving autonomously around the classroom, a possible way to expand the activity could be through encouraging students to find out the limitans of their code. In which situations does the robot fail on its mission to explore autonomously?
Some possible failure scenarios are:
- When an object gets in front too fast and too close, the robot has no time to react. Is there any possible way to solve this?
- If every time the robot finds an obstacle in front of itself, it moves in the same direction (for example: always moving to the right), it could take the robot into an endless loop (moving back and forward all the time to the same spots). How could we solve that?
The basic program we saw in the activity can be slightly optimized by choosing a safer detection distance (which may vary depending on the environment we are exploring), using a slower speed, and introducing a randomness component to decide where the robot should move.
Optimized version
Additionally, we can include other components such as light and sound to add interactivity and decoration.
15-2_optimized-avoidance.otto
Lesson Evaluation
- Brainstormed ideas with students about how Otto could perform autonomous exploration based on their understanding.
- Students can write code to make Otto move autonomously around the classroom without collisions.
- Evaluated student-written codes for autonomous exploration to determine comprehension and effectiveness.
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The duration of this lesson is approximately one hour. You can find the definition of learning objectives at the bottom of this guide to align with your curriculum requirements.
Materials required
- Lesson slides
- Lesson worksheets
- TV, projector, or big screen to display the class videos
- Big paper or cardboard (white)
- Tape (black)
- Scissors
Computers, tablets or smartphones are optional, they can be used as digital tools for students to do further research and take additional notes.
Connect
The class begins by displaying the first slide and asking the students “What do you see here?’“
[Pause and wait for students to provide answers, which may include mentions of a robot arm and two wheeled robots moving boxes].
The teacher will then guide the class in a conversation about the nature of robots, exploring questions such as: ‘What is a robot?’ ‘When does something turn into a robot and when is it just a machine?’
Moving on to the second slide, the teacher will introduce the topic of the usefulness of robots to humans. Students should share their ideas about how robots can be useful.
[This conversation is expected to last approximately 4-5 minutes]
Afterwards, on the third slide, the students will watch a video that explains the concept of what a robot is. Following the video, they will have the opportunity to share their personal experiences with robots. The teacher can guide the conversation by asking specific questions, such as: ‘Have you ever played with a robot or built one?’ ‘Do you have any robotic devices at home, like a vacuum cleaner, that you consider to be a robot?’
[The video has a duration of 4 minutes, and the discussion about personal experiences is expected to take an additional 3-5 minutes]
On the next slide, the teacher will organize small groups consisting of 2-3 students. Each group will be assigned a specific robot to investigate. The students can conduct their investigation by using the internet or through provided materials, either digital or physical. Some popular real-life robots for the students to explore are:
As a teacher, feel free to research other robots to add to the list. By the time you teach this lesson, there could be some new and popular robots.
During this activity, students will gather information about their assigned robot and gain knowledge about how robots are being utilized in daily life. At the end of the investigation, each group will give a brief presentation about the robot they investigated.
Here the students will use the first worksheet
[This activity is expected to take approximately 10-15 minutes in total, allowing sufficient time for research and presentations]
Make
On the fifth slide, the teacher will introduce the HP Otto robot by showing a video about its features and capabilities. After watching the video, the teacher will demonstrate a built robot to the students, showcasing its physical components and explaining how they contribute to its functionality.
[To further engage the students, the teacher can connect the robot to the Otto web control app, demonstrating how to operate and control the robot using the app’s interface.]
On the next slide, a diagram displaying the internal connections of the robot will be shown. Using the web control app, the teacher will demonstrate how each component of the robot works.
To engage the students, the teacher can actively involve them in the activity. For example:
- Buzzer: The teacher can play various sounds available on the app and ask students to suggest or choose which sound they would like to hear.
- LED ring: The teacher can ask students (up to a maximum of 12) about their favorite colors and display them on the LED ring.
- Ultrasonic sensor: The teacher can activate the avoidance function and make the robot move around the classroom. Students can participate by intercepting the robot’s path with their hands, observing how the robot changes its direction in response.
- Line sensors: Although the line tracking activity will be conducted later, the teacher can explain how the infrared sensors work at this stage.
In the next activity, the entire group will work together to define a racing track circuit for the robot to navigate. The teacher will guide the students in this process, but it is important to allow the students to make the decisions in order to foster their creativity and engagement. The goal is to define a circuit that includes specific landmarks or areas within the classroom for the robot to move around.
For example, the students may decide to start the circuit in front of the teacher’s desk, then describe a square around James’ seat, move in a zigzag pattern between Eva and Raidy’s seats, and finally return to the teacher’s desk. [To maintain efficiency, the teacher should encourage the students to make quick decisions, aiming to complete the circuit definition within 1-2 minutes]
[Optional]: As an additional challenge, the teacher can allow students to take turns controlling the robot and measure their individual completion times. This can add an element of friendly competition among the students.
The next activity is similar to the previous one, but this time the students will create a line track using ‘tape’ on a large white piece of paper or cardboard.
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