Applying Mechatronics to Promote Science / Central Brooklyn Robotics Initiative (AMPS / CBRI)

FIRST LEGO League Robotics Workshop

Dr. Sang-Hoon Lee, a former doctoral student of Prof. Kapila, and Mr. Corbett Beder, a robotics master teacher with years of FLL robotics experience, conducted the FLL robotics workshop to orient and introduce the AMPS Fellows and teachers to FLL Robotics kit, competition rules, and potential for integrating robotics-based activities in their classrooms. The workshop also provided opportunity for the AMPS Fellows and teachers to conduct numerous hands-on activities, in teams, under the guidance of the workshop instructors. Several research assistants of Prof. Kapila, unaffiliated with the AMPS project, provided additional support for the technical training workshop. The following topics were covered.

  • Overview of the LEGO NXT hardware and software
  • Mechanical construction (components, structures, and mechanisms)
  • Electronic construction (input- and output-ports, Bluetooth technology, motors, speakers, LCD, buttons, touch sensor, light sensor, sound sensor, and ultrasonic sensor)
  • Visual programming environment
  • Building, programming, and testing LEGO robotics vehicle
  • FLL competition (playing field, robot tasks, science research, team-work, communication, etc.)

During the workshop period, the AMPS Fellows and teachers informally interacted and networked with one another during the morning, lunch, and afternoon breaks. The matching of the AMPS Fellows with teachers and school also took place during this period and immediately after it. Administrators and teachers from the participating schools took part in selecting the AMPS Fellows for their schools. The AMPS Fellows were deployed at their schools in fall 2008 and are now performing their duties successfully.