From films like I, Robot to the current BBC series on Intelligent machines, artificial intelligence is a topic which excites students and brings together science, technology, engineering, maths and computing in fascinating contexts. The development of artificial intelligence seems to be gaining pace now (see these fifteen key moments in the story of artificial intelligence) and there are plenty of examples in the news and on television that you could use in the classroom to capture students’ imagination.
So that you can make use of the current obsession with all things AI, we’ve picked out some great resources to provide inspiration for teaching about control systems, sensors, robotics and smart technology.
You could start with a lively discussion by asking your students to consider how far smart technology should go. This great film features Kevin Warwick, who is a well-known cyberneticist. He has appeared on radio and television regularly to talk about cybernetics, robots and future technology, and delivered the 2000 Royal Institution Christmas Lecture. He is so involved with his work that he has twice had an operation to implant electronics into his body!
The first chip demonstrated the possibilities of ‘smart’ technology. He was recognised in his workplace by the computer which welcomed him, opened doors and turned on lights. The second time he and his wife had connections made to their nervous systems so they could communicate electronically not only with each other but also with robots.
The resource includes another two videos which look at cyborgs and intelligent robots, and the accompanying activities help students consider implanted microchips and 'smart' technology; the use of robots in the modern world; the use of electronic and mechanical devices to aid disabled people (cyborg technology) and the possible future developments in cybernetics.
How do things behave in a way that appears to be intelligent?
This Catalyst article, ‘How smart is an ant?’ explains how scientists have discovered the mechanisms behind an individual ant's behaviour through a series of simple experiments and detailed observation. The seemingly complex behaviour of many animals is actually produced by the individual members following a very simple set of rules.
Scientists and engineers have realised that there could be many uses for small, simple robots that work together in swarms in a similar way. Individually, tiny robots may not be able to accomplish much, but get them working together and they could do a tremendous amount, such as supporting disaster relief.
The Robot swarms resource challenges students to design the control system for the SR4000 Swarmbot. This simple robot is designed to work in swarms and move like an insect to navigate rough terrain. Their task as engineers is to come up with a way of controlling the swarm, while allowing the swarmbots to operate with maximum efficiency.
Encourage students' imagination when designing how their robots might move
The video Sticky feet illustrates how biomimicry can be used to develop design and engineering solutions. Ants have incredibly sticky feet. With them they can hang onto ceilings, whilst carrying 100 times their body weight. But if they are stuck down so successfully - how do they ever get them unstuck? Chris Clemente, from Cambridge University, considers the application of this research to improve the movement of robots.
Why not team up with the computing department?
There is a huge cross-over with computing in robotics, and this resource shows how you can build and programme a robot that mimics the movements of a human head. Adrian Oldknow explains how the robot, called Ohbot, can even appear to speak and hear using speech recognition and output from Windows.
Finding out that building robots can lead to an exciting career could provide motivation for students to really get involved in a robotics project. On the iCould website Martin Garland explains how he entered an engineering competition when he was in year seven and decided to make a hovering car. It was ambitious but made him realise what he could accomplish if he put his mind to it and he hasn't looked back since. At university he attended a careers fair with a robot he had built, and his current employer approached him and offered him a fantastic job. The webpage page also gives valuable information on routes into engineering, the high employment rates and the (well-above) average salary – which makes playing with robots for a living an even more attractive prospect!
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