Robotics/Electronics Class - How Would You Do It?

MainerDood asks: "I have been teaching programming and networking at the high school and collegiate levels for several years, and now I am branching out into electronics and robotics for my high school students. I am keen on Linux and Open Source solutions where feasible, and would like to avoid using pre-packaged robotics/electronic 'kits' (ie: Lego Mindstorm). I have a minimal budget, like to tinker and have access to tons of old PCs... I would like to use them in these projects and buy the 'parts' where needed. I am envisioning an order of breadboards, diodes, resistors, etc. but not sure from where I should order, what a good basic startup setup should contain and resources I should refer too. I have found a bunch of links online and various resources, but I am curious to know how you would go about this... seasoned veterans and electronics/robotics enthusiasts - I am all ears!"

Comments

American Science & Surplus

[stefanlasiewski]

The submitter says he has a bunch of links, but this is for the rest of you :)

American Science & Surplus has a ton of cheap electronic components for sale. No breadboards, but they do sell LEDs, some resistors, motors, etc. They even have a whole "Robot Parts" selection, with items such as Windshield Wiper motors, etc. They also have a great (and entertaining) paper catalog, and their inventory changes very often. Lasers, high quality optics, weather balloons-- all sorts of fun, geeky stuff.

I haven't built any robots myself, but I have been ordering random bits and pieces for various projects for more then 5 years.

Re:Bad Idea?

[stefanlasiewski]

Most high school students are perfectly capable of learning how electronics work and how to build robots. The courses won't necessarly prevent a well-rounded education.

Building a robot is a great way to stimulate interest in math, science & mechanics, which applies to a wide variety of careers-- from high-level software architects to an auto mechanic.

In addition, if you limit this sort of education to the 400-level college courses, you exclude the majority of students who will never go to college, enroll in a EE program, or make it the 400-level college courses.

First FIRST robotics post

[BigT]

You may want to look into theFIRST robotics competition. It is a tele-robotics competion for high school students held annually. This would give you something to teach towards. There may be FIRST-specific curriculums out there already, also.

Other than that, I wouldn't try to be too ambitous. Teach basic DC/AC circuits, maybe the basics of transistors, and program some PICs or similar in BASIC.

Parts

[rir]

Sounds like a good course... I wish I had something like that when i was in highschool :). Anyways, for parts, http://digikey.com/ is probably the best. You might also want to check out http://jameco.com/. If you're teaching robotics, you'll probably want some simple MCUs to teach basic microcontroller concepts with. I would suggest a simple PIC micro from http://microchip.com/ or better yet a BASIC stamp from http://www.parallax.com/

Zach's Cool Stuff

[linuxwrangler]

Check out Zach's Cool Stuff. You might even be able to contact him for ideas. He is doing very similar stuff. Rather than building from a kit he chooses raw materials so people get hands on experience with fabrication.

Your first stop...

[WasteOfAmmo]

Two great magazines to get subscriptions to.... even for the school library:

http://www.servomagazine.com/ - mainly robotics

and their sister (parent?) magazine:

http://www.nutsvolts.com/ - mainly electronics but covers robotic stuff quite often.

These magazines also have Lego Mindstorms articles in them quite often.

Server has advertising for several companies carrying various kits. In my opinion the kits would be the way to go...even if you can only purchase a few and run you class in groups. As one poster mentioned, the problem with building from the ground up is that you spend most of your time building the hardware and very little of your time programming and running.

Once you have the class going with kits then add some simple "build from scratch" projects like BEAM robotics. Even with these various PIC or ATOM kits will come in handy.

Disclaimer: I am not associated with the Servo or Nuts&Volts but I am a long time satified customer (Servo: since its first issue two years ago or so; Nuts&Volts: several years since when another electronics magazine died and switched the remainder of my subscription to N&V).

Merlin.

Pseudo-Prepackaged, but...

[chicken_moo]

Take a look at the Handyboard line of projects. My college actually uses one of them as the basis for a class called car in a box. The one we use is a little price - about $100 for the whole kit, but that includes the PC board, components, servos for wheels, and the M68HC11 processor. Its a decent kit, and is a good intro to embedded systems as well: http://www.handyboard.com/

YAAARC JanBot

[Doug Dante]

For about $70.00, a student can assemble a YAAARC JanBot, which is a small mobile robot with touch sensors and simple vision sensors (for line following), from raw components (breadboard, wires, PIC, motors, and sensors) without any power tools (soldering irons). (OK, you may end up using a glue gun for one or two parts).
We did this as a group, and high school students actively participated.
Also, one of our members is developing a mobile robotics kit using the AVR Butterfly, which has a similar components cost, but has an LCD and LED screen. (See our web site).