Short, Hands-On Outreach Ideas?
 

Hi, CD-

Our team is looking to put together a quick, hands on robotics outreach that we can finish in an hour. By hands-on, we don't mean driving our robot or something else that we've built, but instead having the attendees build something of their own. Ordinarily, we teach how to build a small robot using Arduinos, small motors, and scrap, but that usually takes us around 6 hours. We couldn't think of any good ideas that would fit in an hour and involve work in mechanical, controls and programming. Any ideas?

Re: Short, Hands-On Outreach Ideas?
 

Programming, controls and mechanical; all covered in an hour? That sounds like very little time to work through all those subjects. Perhaps you could focus on just one of those this time round. Have a purely mechanical or purely programming session.

If you've got your hearts set on doing it all though, you may need to do a lot of prep before hand to ensure you have time for it all.

Take making a mini arduino robot for instance. You could have your team assemble the main components ahead of time. Then when the class starts, have the participants assemble those prebuilt assemblies. From there you could have a basic code already made ready for upload, and then have a small portion of it needed to be programmed by the participants. Perhaps have the drive code already there and have them program some LED sequences or something.

Re: Short, Hands-On Outreach Ideas?
 

If you want all 3 covered in the span of an hour, you'll probably have to abandon the literal concepts. What's the age group you're expecting?

Re: Short, Hands-On Outreach Ideas?
 

I think you need to make the activity much more structured. The fact that you're using "scrap" means that you're trying to make each build too unique. You could probably make an arduino build work, but LEGO / Vex IQ robots would be even better because of the standardized parts, ability to build without any tools, and easier reuse of parts.

Build a very simple drivebase from step-by-step picture instructions, hook up sensors, program using graphical language.

Have a simple game where they have to ferry balls back and forth between two points - one ball per trip. Whoever transfers the most balls without touching the robot (autonomous) or whoever can transfer the most balls in 60 seconds (teleop) wins. Keep a leaderboard going throughout the day.

Re: Short, Hands-On Outreach Ideas?
 

I would suggest the Marshmallow Challenge
there is a great video that goes along with it https://youtu.be/H0_yKBitO8M

Re: Short, Hands-On Outreach Ideas?
 

Probably something middle-school level. We're also trying to make it more STEM-oriented fun than a seminar type thing just for learning.

Re: Short, Hands-On Outreach Ideas?
 

"Squishy circuits" is one of our favorites. Takes a bit of prep work, but is cheap and great for all ages!

Re: Short, Hands-On Outreach Ideas?
 

Legos and a movie - aimed at younger middle-schoolers, they see an age-appropriate movie and get to build a lego creation.

For older students, an egg drop. They get 8' of twine, 3 napkins, 2 sheets of paper, 6 soda straws and a roll of scotch tape. And an egg. Whose contraption can drop furthest without breaking? (Modify the materials and quantities as desired. Have a place you can drop 30 feet, it can come to that).

Soda-bottle rockets. 2 soda bottles, scissors and tape. Put water in the bottle, add compressed air*, whose goes furthest? *You will need to build a bicycle-pump-powered inflator with release mechanism. Google it.

Re: Short, Hands-On Outreach Ideas?
 

1398 used to do a demo called the Half-Hour of Power with two R/C cars, paper, tape, (I think some popsicle sticks?), balloons, and a couple copy-paper boxes lined with pins. They'd divide the group up and they'd modify the cars to push the balloons into the boxes. Most pops wins.