Robotics Research for Graduate School

[TheWildOtter]

Originally Posted by Coach Norm

Thanks for the idea but my research has to be action research with educational value in my classroom or with my students.

Coach Norm,
Here is an idea which I believe leverages most of your current activities:

Teaching Printer Robot

1). Use a vex (or other FIRST) mobile robot platform.
2). Attach an ink jet print head(fixed) to the platform pointing down.
3). Drive the print head with a serial print head driver (eg. Parallax,..)
4). Drive the serial print head driver electronics with Vex serial (Tx).
5). Attach a (Vex or other serial) camera to Vex serial (Rx). Point it down.
6). Print alignment marks with the print head to recognize with the camera.
7). Use the alignment marks to control/correct the robot movement.
8). Print very large format (posters, supergraphics,..) with academic themes.
9). Print stuff for your robotic team.
10). Print physics/chemistry topics. The robot uses itself for motion experiments.
11). Involve students with various talents/inclinations in robot creation/use.
12). Create a CAD curriculum for advanced HS students (robotic output device.)
13). Provide input to FIRST/etc. on future (high autonomy) robotic challenges.
14). Use the output of the printerbots to document/score most activities.
15). Demonstrate full scale Rapid Manufacturing(RM) concepts to students.

I had thought about doing all this myself but have similar projects which will
consume so much time that this will never get done unless I delegate, see my:
"http://createthefuturecontest.com/pages/view/entriesdetail.html?entryID=977"
NASA Tech Briefs: Create the Future Contest: about FC House Plotting
Since I attend Austin Robot Group meetings and you are in TRG, FIRST,
HS Physics teaching, graduate level research,... you are a very good candidate
for this quest.
What do you think ? I have a botload of additional detail and possible follow-on
projects if you have interest.