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Robots have motherboards that we have a lot of control over, in fact, pure control. This course will give young people a handy and fun way to see hundreds of ways in which we can use these robots and the things they’re made from.
For years, we’ve closely monitored the British Curriculum on Computing, we’ve crafted a course to genuinely engage young people in the UK in using the biggest robotics ecosystem in the world, generally making them smarter and teaching them key skills. Hundreds of modules can be attached to robots. A ‘project’ can be designed after picking a couple of these modules that work together, even something simple like a temperature measuring roof, for example. Using just the Arduino Uno board and our resources, all of this is made easy, and the learners will leave the course able to craft many robotic systems.
This course will be heavily based on our solid robo-box. The robo-box features the Arduino board, wires, and all relevant components to the course. It also contains a guide (for home-learning) with extra on-demand help. The same box is used for in-centre learning too, which is a slightly different course but only in delivery (the course breakdown is similar). The box features compartments for the different components, and more compartments for the cables and the motherboard, all labelled. This will allow the box to be re-usable, forming a zero-waste product.
Introductory lessons will introduce the learner to champion powering on an electronic circuit with multiple methods, and connecting components to a power source. We will then get to know answers to many fundamental questions.
How can a battery be used to select the property of the circuit?
Which methods, and which sensors, can we use to switch on power, and control components?
Now, a focus on outputs is encouraged in robotics. We choose to have our output power boosted quite often in the course, and this cannot be done without increasing voltage. So as this section comes with potential hazards, we learn how to use resistance checks to control these hazards.
Now, there are methods to control power in the circuit automatically that affects our outputs. Our learners will discover these methods and they will get to know how to easily adjust their output to their needs.
Naturally, the next station is to use the knowledge gathered to produce a full working system. Our intended system will emulate a real car with many accessories!
Questions like the following will be answered:
How can we add an automatic dipping beam like modern cars have when they drive through tunnels?
How can the car set preventative measures towards hitting a lamp-post without the driver having to be aware at all of their approach to it?
We end on a high point where the learners will finalise their car designs of their choice. More importantly, they will have robots with full autonomy that they will
hopefully treasure for years to come.
For the cars to be upgraded, we will repeatedly ask ourselves, is every motion autonomous and automatic?
Does our robot copy human behaviour, for example like the i-Vac does?
How does applying a programming language like Arduino allow us more flexibility?