Our challenge was to build a robot that could blend into its surroundings. Most robots stick out in most situations, but this robot could easily blend into its background and hide. We decided to model the robot after a chameleon, because chameleons are known for changing color to blend into their backgrounds. We decided to use LED's controlled by an Arduino and a color sensor to get the robot to change color. The color sensor would sense what color was beneath it, and it would tell the LED's what color to turn. After deciding how it would blend in, we had to figure out what it would look like. Our first idea was a frame on which the breadboards with the LED's could rest, with two tiers of platforms inside for the electronics and battery to rest on. However, upon consulting with a coach, we decided to scrap that idea in favor of a simpler flat platform with walls. Another challenge was figuring how the robot would walk. At first we were going to make simple wheel legs, but in the end we decided to make legs modeled after Theo Jansen's Strandbeest. That way all four legs could work with only two motors, and it would conserve space on the robot. It was a challenge to get the complicated, many jointed legs to work, but once they did all we had to do was put them together with the base and the LED's. 

It’s hard to believe that a warm, cuddly puppy could ever be replaced by a cold, mechanical one; but all around the world, robotic pets are becoming people’s next best friend! Researchers are predicting that in the next ten years, the market is going to be filled with cute, affectionate, and responsive robotic pets. Just as digital technologies are changing how we interact with each other, they could do the same for how we interact with our animals; and robotic pets are showing that they can do wonders, not only in our personal homes, but also in the health industry through animal-assisted therapy. Paro, the sensor-studded interactive seal, became a close companion to nursing-home residents, improving their mood, alleviating loneliness and increasing their social engagement - all with his cute and calming mannerisms!

In this Studio, we’ll look at transforming our furry flesh-and-blood animal companions into affectionate electric-powered pets! We’ll explore how artificial intelligence, machine learning, and visual-object-space recognition are changing the way robots interact with people, express emotion, and engage with their environment. Students will learn how to engineer and program these little machines so that they work on social intelligence and address what people need from their pets: love, companionship, obedience, and dependence. Beyond these basics, the robotic pets might even be programmed to keep tabs on their owners or alert emergency workers of a sudden fall. But can a robotic kitten give its owners the same benefits as a real one? We will see!

Register here!

Focus Skills/Subjects/Technologies:

   Industrial Design

     Interaction Design

  Digital Fabrication (Laser-cutting, 3d Printing)

  Electronics

  Programming

  Robotics (Arduino)

  Sketching

  3d Modeling

Prerequisites:

• Enrolling students must be between the ages of 11 to 18 (middle and high school students)

In the two weeks that they were here, Arlo and Matthew designed and built a working drawing robot. They went through many different iterations and prototypes until arriving on a final product; the technology that the team used included four motors and an Arduino micro controller.

Our world is mountainous with difficult terrain to traverse. The ‘Segmented Mountain Climber’ is able to deftly maneuver up and down the steep mountainsides, and over their sharp peaks. Its Whegs, half wheel half legs, are able to climb over both small rocks and large boulders. It can also quickly reverse, turn and is able to continue movement even if flipped upside down.

Our project is called the Desert Snake. It is used to transport goods and messages from colonies of humans to colonies of humans across the dangerous desert. Without the desert snakes all humans would be lonely and would be unable to communicate with each other. That would be a very sad world!