Crazy Robots

Robotics comes step by step into our homes: small helpers driving around autonomously that pick up dirt, mow the lawn or clean the pool. Until recently, most applications were industrial, now more personal applications become available, e.g. therapeutic robots or exoskeletons. Most of these robots are not known to the public, whose opinion is unfortunately influenced more by science fiction than by technical facts. Scientific Robot Construction for Pupils and Teachers, which we renamed into Crazy Robots the Creative Lab likes to go to one semester of extension, for two reasons: 1. For three very interested classes who could not participate in the winter semester 2. To expand the concept to senior high school and implement it with two classes of BRG Rahlgasse Our concept is complementary to all other educational robotics activities for children and schools because of our holistic perspective from the product development view. Thus, we address more children, and we show them real robots and what they can do. At the same time, we offer different access platforms to robotics based on the interests and talents of the children. These platforms cover product design, engineering, sociology, psychology, law, medicine, and more. A special focus is our research area: computer vision (we make robots see). The main focus areas remain: 1. Showing robotics as a science of integration with the development process of a personal robot from the idea to the product 2. Showing the complexity of one subdomain of robotics with the example of computer vision 3. Showing the necessity of creative people in robotics who come from different areas (STEM, social sciences, humanities and arts) The concept consists of a mixture of lectures, discussions, creative modelling and mutual solving of technical and scientific problems in teams. Three workshops of two hours each are combined with three analyses in class under the supervision of the teachers. The senior high school classes will have two project days each.

Crazy Robots is a science communication project of the ACIN Institute of the University of Technology Vienna. It aims to teach school students robotics from the product development perspective and addresses all students (not only the ones interested in Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics STEM). The concept is based on the 5-step plan and the project assignment with Mattie robot. Both were developed by TU Wien for children, following two main goals: 1. The project introduces students, teachers (and interested parents) to robotics by offering different perspectives, e.g. not only the technical, but also social and economical perspectives. Furthermore, students are encouraged to find ways to apply their interests and talents in robotics fields. 2. Along the way, the project evaluates the effectiveness of the concept and, if given, the applicability of the ideas to real products or services in robotic fields. Four high schools from Vienna (as in WP12) took part in the project with other second or third classes (handiwork). Each class learned about the product development process of robots in three workshops during one semester. Each of these workshops symbolized an incisive phase of product development. In the first workshop concept each student developed a first robot idea and built a clay model. For the second workshop experts, the class visited the Vision for Robotics Lab and met robotics experts who talked about their work computer vision during a demo. After this, the students received a project assignment from the CEO of the Crazy Robots Inc. to build a first prototype of a robot for kids. Each student could decide to be in one of the following teams: engineering, humanrobot interaction, research&development, design or sales&marketing. In the third workshop evaluation, the different teams reunited and integrated the robot parts to a whole. Then, the prototype was evaluated from two perspectives: technical and user. Finally, the product idea was presented to the CEO and the prototype was demonstrated. One high school participated with three groups (from two 6th classes) on one project day each. The concept described above was adapted to the age group and the time frame.