MISSION ROBOTICS ; An Ultimate Beginner's Guide For Young Minds

                                                  EXPLORING ROBOTICS: 

The FUTURE is here. The world is becoming technology-driven at a very rapid pace. Machines called robots are no longer just science fiction characters or something seen only in movies. They are becoming an integral part of human life. Terms such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are set to become the norm of the future, driven by an interesting branch of technology that deals with the conceptual design, construction, operation, and application of machines, commonly referred to as robots. In simple words, a machine capable of sensing its environment, carrying out some computing calculations to make decisions, and performing actions in the real world. The term "robot" originates from the Czech word "robota," meaning forced labor.

WHY ROBOTICS???-Life lessons imparted  by Robotics:

Several lessons are learnt by students at an early age, such as:

1) Troubleshooting and Critical thinking: It equips students with the most essential attribute in life: questioning, analysing, evaluating, and decision-making. It teaches students to overcome challenges and find innovative solutions to complex problems.

2) Hands-on approach to STEM skills development: Complex theoretical concepts based on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) can become enjoyable and easy to understand through hands-on activities.

3) Thinking out of the box: It inspires students to think differently and stand out from the crowd. It motivates students to devise creative solutions to overcome specific challenges.

4) Teamwork: The most crucial character it builds in students is the ability to work as a team. This helps in better brainstorming and sharing each other's skill sets, as well as accepting different viewpoints.

5) Getting ready for future careers and jobs: Robotics can prepare students for future careers in Engineering, Programming, and other technology-driven fields.

Kick Start with Robotics:

A step-by-step approach can help students become engaged with Robotics and dive into the world. They can gradually rise from the budding stage and become professionals.

1)Books and Videos:

Age 3-5: a) Boy and Bot -By Ame Dyckman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpRE9NkwH4o

               b) Robots, Robots Everywhere -By Sue Fliess https://youtu.be/wu9AHYjnrsk

               c) Robo Sauce -By Adam Rubin  https://youtu.be/-8iDk1KEbEQ

Age 6-11: a) STEM Starters For Kids Robotics Activity Book, Packed with activities and Robotic facts. By Jenny Jacoby

b) Making Simple Robots: Exploring Cutting-Edge Robotics with Everyday Stuff by Kathy Ceceri

Age 12 and Above: 

a)Robots Kinematics: Robotics for Kids by Dr. S.S.S.R. Anjaneyulu

b) Introduction to Robotics By Oghuvive Blessing Edirin.

https://youtu.be/NRj6gzah7JA

2) Join your school Robotics Club or a Community Robotics club.

It helps students to come under the wings of experts. Mentors will expose them to beginner-friendly projects such as 

•  Line following Robots https://youtu.be/5jh-5HGvC-I
• 

•   Robo Race https://youtu.be/s2bIeA-lM8s
•  Obstacle avoidance Robots https://youtu.be/1n_KjpMfVT0
•  Basic Robotic Arms https://youtu.be/cWuJPlkmxCE

The students will have numerous opportunities to explore various kits available, and will be motivated to participate in competitions.

3) Beginner-Friendly Robotic Kits:

Students should have access to robotic kits that are age and skill-appropriate.

A few kits are mentioned below.

• MBOT- Ages 8 and above - Compatible with Scratch.
• Lego Mindstorms - Middle schoolers
• Arduino Startup Kit- Older children interested in Electronics and Programming.

4) Exposure to Programming Concepts:

      Students should become familiar with the following languages to gain a greater understanding of robotics.

  

•    Scratch - A visual Programming language for young students 
•    Python - Beginner-friendly text-based language used in Robotics
•    C/C++ - Useful for Arduino for more advanced projects

By following the steps as mentioned above, young minds willing to explore the futuristic world of Robots can embark on an incredible journey of discovering their inner robot enthusiast and pursuing a promising career path.

See you in the next blog. Until then, stay curious and keep Roboting!!!

A WALK THROUGH THE EXCITING WORLD OF ROBOTICS---THE JOURNEY OF A PASSIONATE TEENAGER

 

            LONELINESS TO LIVELINESS-THE JOURNEY BEGINS…

Revisiting one of the toughest phases of humankind-Covid 19 lockdown when active and enthusiastic teenagers like me were going through the most challenging times ever of staying at home the whole day. The entire world had resorted to gadgets for online mode of everyday tasks be it education, job, shopping and many more. As a high schooler I was exposed to a novel experience of online classes but along with it came a bunch a distractions like gaming with friends, chatting and social media.  My parents and I could sense the wastage of time and hence decided to explore constructive activities. We came across interesting flyers on robotic kits that caught my attention. As a child I too got to lay my hands on Lego blocks which I am sure is not something unusual because manykids do that. What fascinated me was the idea of constructing and programming those blocks to do some action. My parents gifted me a LEGO Mindstorms Kit . Little did I realize that this decision would open up a whole new world of Robotics and ignite my passion for going deep into the field.

BABY STEPS TOWARDS ROBOTICS….

           The LEGO Mindstorms is a great way to dive into the world of Robotics. It introduced me to    various components such as motors, bricks, sensor and coding. What better way to start than to build my favorite animal in a machine form a “ROBODOG” that could sit, wag its tail , bark and even lift it’s leg to pee. Next came the ROBOARM and the COLOR SORTER Robot. Thus I entered into the world of BLOCK coding.

INDUCTION INTO MY SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAM

Progressing steadily with my passion saw me getting inducted into my school robotics team. My school threw ample opportuinities at me  and I was always quick enough to grasp them .I took part in various competitions ,First being the Interhouse ROBORACE.  I went on to represent my school in many interschool competitions like the Monarch Tech Fest where I along with me team designed and programmed  LINE FOLLOWING ROBOT and clinched the Bronze medal.

BUILDING THE DREAM TEAM

OurRobotics team was built with enthusiastic and passionate students who shared the same frequency with me. Each one of the team member was unique in their own way. Some excelled in strategic planning ,some in coding while the mechanical design was handled by me. We as a strong team embarked on a journey of challenges in designing ,building and coding robots for the FIRST TECH CHALLENGE ( FTC )-INTO THE DEEP. This journey was not easy ,we had to overcome many hurdles such as limitations in time, deadlines to be met, design flaws, technical gliches which led to depression ,frustration and desperation. Every single hurdle gave us life’s most valuable lessons like teamwork, Resilience, consistency, trouble shooting and perseverance .

EMERGENCE OF A VICTORIOUS TEAM

           On the competition day our team entered the Big Arena with a never give up attitude and a high soaring spirit .We competed with 14 best school teams from the country and emerged victorious as bronze Medalists.

BIG TAKEAWAYS FROM ROBOTICS

1)       Critical thinking and trouble shooting;  Robotics requires a step by step approach to solve a problem. It teaches us to come up with a innovative concept and analyze critically its feasibility and design . We also learn how to brainstorm and trouble shoot to come up with solutions.

2)       Teamwork: The most important aspect is that it exposes you to the humane side of yourself that is to work together as a team by overcoming ego and accepting each other’s strengths and weaknesses . We learn to develop interpersonal skills and create a conducive environment to work.

3)       Perseverance: Every failure makes students mentally strong and take it positively as a stepping stone and accept every challenge as a growth opportunity.

4)       Creativity and Innovation: It helps you to explore and come up with new ideas, troubleshoot designs and find unique ways of problem solving.

REALISING MY FUTURE ASPIRATIONS:

Active participation in Robotic competitions has sparked my passion for STEM to such an extent that I strongly believe I can become a good engineer. I am confident that my experience so far in this field will definitely guide me down the right path and lead me to the next chapter in my academic and professional journey.

 See you all in the next blog... until then, stay curious and keep Roboting!!!