Build A Robot out of Humans

Background/Rationale

Robots are very powerful tools: they don't get cold and tired, they can perform boring and repetitive tasks for long periods of time without complaining, and they can venture into areas where humans can't. In McMurdo Sound, it would be dangerous for a human to dive below 130 feet to depths where the TROV can easily go. However, robots aren't human: they are severely limited in adaptability and flexibility. They can only carry out tasks they were programmed to perform. This is one of the reasons for NASA's research on the sophisticated interplay of human and machine capabilities seen at work in the Telepresence project, which is attempting to find out how to get the best of both worlds. Just how easy or how difficult would it be to build a robot that could go to Mars, where the time delay caused by distance means it must operate without direct and continual human control? This Activity demonstrates some basic issues in robotics.

Objectives

Work cooperatively to successfully complete a given task
Break a complex task into simple, discrete steps
Design a finite set of communication commands to be used within their team
Compare the function and role of each member of the human robot team to that of the Rover

Vocabulary

Manipulation
Navigation
Mobility
Brain, or human operator
Simulation

Materials (1 class set - 25 students)

10 paper bags, shaped to fit over student's shoulders, no eye holes
5 paper bags, shaped to fit over students shoulders but with eye holes cut out and blinders attached to outside edges of holes, restricting peripheral vision
5 broom handles, or equivalent, long enough for 4 students to hold onto
5 sets of objects: kitchen sponge, children's block, plastic bottle, tennis ball, film canister
5 kitchen tongs
1 large cardboard box
1 5 ft. electrical extension cord (not to be plugged in)
5/6 obstacles (empty chairs will work fine)
1 roll masking tape
1 meter stick
10 pieces of 4 X 4 grid paper

Preparation

Divide students into heterogeneous groups of five. Clear a space in center of room (4 m X 4 m). Use tape to mark a 4 X 4 grid on floor. Label sides of grid: N, S, E, W, mark coordinates.

Activities:

Explain to students that purpose of this activity is to simulate the actions of a remote-controlled robot. The robot will be given a task to perform in an unexplored environment (demonstrate obstacles placed in 4 X 4 grid). Review direction (N, S, E, W) and degrees (right 45, right 90, right 180, etc.)
Each team will become a mobile robot or ROVER controlled by a BRAIN and must learn the function and limitations of each part of the robot.

BRAIN
Only the BRAIN may issue commands to the ROVER team operating on grid area and order status checks from the various subsystems. Only BRAIN knows task to be completed by ROVER team. BRAIN keeps record on grid sheet of discoveries made by team.
MANIPULATION
No eyes, does not talk, carries kitchen tongs to pick things up; only communication allowed is observations such as bumped into something (may say this anytime it occurs), something between gripper (only when asked as a response to MANIPULATION: status check?)
NAVIGATION
Has eyes; functions to tell location on grid upon request from BRAIN (NAVIGATION: Status?)
MOBILITY
Has eyes, does not speak; when receiving command from BRAIN, MOBILITY will control the ROVER's movement forward or back in a given number of paces, or turn by a given amount (degrees).
VISION
Has forward-only vision; will only respond to VISION: Status? query from BRAIN and tell what it can see (on grid) and distance away from object.
Demonstrate physical set-up of BRAIN and ROVER: BRAIN sits in chair with back to room. ROVER team holds onto broomstick in following order: MANIPULATION, VISION, MOBILITY, and, last, NAVIGATION.
Discuss communication needs and brainstorm appropriate commands. Have teams work together to generate a list of 12 commands they will use. (These commands should be recorded by team members with a copy submitted to the teacher.)
Demonstrate each of the two tasks to be completed: Task A Pick up and place in cardboard box a designated object from objects scattered on grid. Task B ROVER team must find and take the loose end of the long electrical cord (other end tied around chair leg) to the cardboard box and "plug" it into side slit.
Allow TEAMS sufficient time to practice commands and movement. Each TEAM should be responsible for deciding which students have which jobs; jobs may also rotate if more than five students in a group. (At least one class period must be devoted to practice...)
ACTUAL SIMULATION: BRAIN chooses Task A or Task B card from teacher (but is not allowed to tell ROVER!). BRAIN directs all action by making STATUS CHECKS and giving COMMANDS; however, each command uses up RmemoryS (10 memory units per command? Total Memory of 200 bytes?) Observers should record memory usage...

Wrap Up

Have students evaluate their success. How could they improve their performance? What commands proved to be most useful, and what were not? Could they build a better robot?

Follow Up Discussion/Journal Entry

Have student compare their Rover with NASA's TROV. What does having a human "in the loop," though distant, contribute to the process?

Have them consider what they learned about time delay caused by the satellite links between Antarctica and NASA Ames. Have them use the NASA publications included to determine the delay time of radio signals to and from Mars.

Are robots, as they appear in science fiction films and stories, as limited as this exercise makes them seem? Have students suggest reasons why, or why not.

Suggest that they might wish to reconsider some of these questions after viewing the last program, which looks in greater detail at Mars mission design and the specific plans for the control of wheeled Rovers which combine a certain amount of autonomy or self-control along with periodic supervision from Earth.

Relate the effect of cold on human exploration capabilities, and on robotics capabilities. What would have to be added to design robots that would work in the cold? Alternatively, how can humans be protected? (DALES DIVE DAIRIES, which can be found online, notes that divers use hot water in their gloves before going underwater. Suggest that students check out other human aspects of working in Antarctica.)

Options

Set up a timed competition between teams of Rovers as specified in this lesson. The teacher may change the position of the objects in the room between teams or change the character of the object. For example, a sponge will require a different Manipulation technique than a block.

Videotape the entire exercise for class review after its completion.

Let teams from the upper grades consider the ground rules for this activity and suggest adaptations that would let them operate more effective Rovers. Then have one or more such new designs compete on the same tasks.

Follow Build a Human Robot, with Build A Robotic Arm.

This lesson adapted from the "Life From... Other Worlds" Teacher's guide.

November 1993 GHSP/INNERSPACE FOUNDATION
THE "LIVE FROM... OTHER WORLDS" PROJECT
PROJECT DIRECTOR & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Geoffrey Haines-Stiles