Tune in each month for a heads-up on where to get all of your “robotics resources” for the best prices! Getting Kids into Robotics

obots and kids go together like rudimentary actions, such as reacting are available from several retailers Rbacon and eggs, peaches and to light or following a black line on a (a couple of the main online stores cream, resistors and capacitors. white piece of paper. Fortunately, are listed in the Sources), and are Thanks to low-cost construction kits there are many such kits available, at grouped by skill level. These basic — and not to mention popular prices starting at about $20. Of mechanical-only kits comprise the movies that glamorize automatons course, the more sophisticated the least expensive of the lot. Next, are — more and more children are robot and its abilities, the more the the kits that require electronics of exploring the world of robots. robot will cost. some kind come with complete and And that’s not a bad thing. At the lower end of the scale is ready-to-go circuit boards, though a Robotics encompasses multiple the single-function kit, requiring at few models are available with the disciplines, including mechanical least mechanical assembly. By electronics also in kit form. These are engineering, software “single-function,” it means just that. handy for learning about soldering programming, electronics, even These ‘bots are made to do and electronics construction. human psychology. In all, it’s a one thing and encompass no For purely mechanical great field to be interested in, intelligence or programming. For construction, there’s the robotics because there are so many options example, the robot may merely and educational products from for further study and exploration. react to sound, or follow a line. Tamiya. Most of these are not In this column, we’ll review The OWI-9910 Weasel is an found in local area hobby stores, some of the kits, books, and other example. Two photo detectors on but are common enough online, material available that are either the underside of the robot detect a especially from robotics-specific expressly designed to motivate line drawn on the ground and two retailers. We provide a short list of children in learning about robotics, touch switches on its body give it sources for these, as well. or are readily adaptable to a a simple obstacle avoidance Next up the ladder are fully child-age audience because of their mechanism. programmable kits (typical price design, support documentation, Some robot kits are designed for range is $120-$175), where you or other features. remote control by a human. The develop and download a script for least expensive of this breed uses a the robot’s action from a personal Let’s Make a Robot! wired tether. You steer the robot by computer. Once programmed, the flicking a set of switches. For robot is self-sufficient and Building a robot can be a time- instance, there’s the OWI-9280 autonomous. Probably the most consuming affair, requiring hours of Soccer Pro kit. It’s a simple wheel- well-known kit of this type is the sawing, drilling, grinding, soldering, based vehicle with a two switch Parallax BOE-Bot ($160), which and programming. Many kids simply wired remote. With a couple of consists of a metal chassis and don’t have the attention span to these, your child and a friend can hardware, twin servo motors and wait that long before seeing results, play miniature robotic soccer, wheels, and an already-assembled so for the typical child a ready-to-go pushing a ball around a small field. electronics board (the BOE Board), kit is the best option. Ideally, the kit There are many other single- complete with the Parallax BASIC should include all the mechanical function robot kits, and the OWI Stamp microcontroller. and electronic components to make product line is perhaps the most The BOE Board is connected to a functional robot capable of at least complete in this category. The kits a host computer via serial or USB. SERVO 10.2008 73 Capsela, and Erector. Sources Construction Toys www.constructiontoys.com Online and local retailer of construction toys. These toys are available both online and in the retail store: Capsela; Eitech; Erector; Fischertechnik; Geofix; Geomag; K’NEX; LEGO Dacta; Roger’s Connection; Rhomblocks; Rokenbok; Zome System.

e-Hobbyland e-hobbyland.com Well-established retail and online seller of all types of toys.

Elenco Electronics www.elenco.com The Jameco Robot Store sells a number of ready-to-go and Offers a line of educational kit products ideal for student use. electronics and robotics products, including novel “snap-together” kits The programming environment is as the environment. ideal for younger children. included free of charge, and there Finally, for lack of a better term, are plenty of coding examples to get “learning system” kits encompass Fischertechnik you started. The BOE-Bot documen- those that provide more than one www.fischertechnik.com tation is extensive, and the nature of possible robot design. The LEGO Company website for the programming language used by Mindstorms NXT and Vex kits are Fischertechnik in North America. the BASIC Stamp makes it well-suited excellent examples. At the core of the Check out the Retail Outlets links. for middle school and higher students. kit is a self-contained microcontroller Other options exist, of course. module, which provides for program- Hobby Engineering A relative newcomer is the OOBug, ming the robot. Connection to a host www.hobbyengineering.com from the makers of the OOPic PC is done via serial, USB, and — in General source for robot parts, microcontroller. The OOBug ($160) the case of older model Mindstorms as well as a lengthy list of Erector set consists of an assembled circuit board kits — infrared link. Motors and sen- kits of all shapes and sizes. upon which motors and a clear plastic sors connect to the microcontroller body are mounted. Assembly time is module in various arrangements, HVW Tech under 15 minutes. Whereas optical giving flexibility in design. www.hvwtech.com sensors for such tasks as line Then, using plastic or metal Hobby electronics retailer in following or object detection are parts, you build the robot chassis, Canada also resells a number of often extra on other programmable either by snapping pieces together popular robot kits, including products kits, they’re standard on the OOBug, (as with LEGO) or assembling the from Parallax. and ready for use. parts using metal or plastic Like the BOE-Bot, the OOBug is fasteners. In either case, you can Jameco Robot Store programmed via a computer link completely disassemble your www.robotstore.com (specifically a USB cable), and the creation so you can reuse all the Reseller of a number of robot programming environment is components again. Learning system kits, including the Tamiya remote included free of charge. The OOBug kits encourage a greater degree of controlled robot construction set. further differentiates itself by design experimentation, and are supporting music, sound, and speech particularly well-suited for kids who KBtoys.com effects, as well as “social” robotics, are mechanically inclined. www.kbtoys.com where robots may be programmed Other learning system kits Online mail order. Check often to interact with one another, as well include Fischertechnik, K-NEX, for deep discounts on LEGO, 74 SERVO 10.2008 K’NEX, and other brands. company also sells Rokenbok radio Robotis line of robot construction sets controlled toys. and parts. Check out the dealer LEGO Shop-at-Home pages to find a reseller near you. shop.lego.com OWI Robots Online outlet for LEGO www.owirobots.com Robotshop products, including spare parts Importer of the OWI robot line of www.robotshop.ca (when available). educational robotics. www.robotshop.com Resellers of Fischertechnik and LEGO Mindstorms Parallax other robot construction sets. mindstorms.lego.com www.parallax.com Informational page for the LEGO In addition to microcontrollers Robot Kits Direct Mindstorms sets. Be sure to check out such as the BASIC Stamp, Parallax robotikitsdirect.com the user-to-user forums to see what offers numerous robot kits, Plastic robot kits in various skill other LEGO builders are up to. including the BOE-Bot (wheeled) levels, from beginner to advanced. and Penguin (walking). Also offers An example is the OWI-9910 Weasel, Junun.org robot components, such as wheels, which combines touch sensing and a www.junun.org/MarkIII/ servos, and sensors. basic wall hugging behavior. Resellers of the Mark III mini Sumo robot kit, originally designed Pololu Solarbotics by the Portland Area Robotics www.pololu.com www.solarbotics.com Society (PARTS) for mini Sumo Makers of small plastic robot Primary retailer of BEAM robots competitions. The kit includes all bases designed for use with Tamiya — a “simple is better” approach to hardware, motors, wheels, and motors. Also sells servos, wheels, design. Products include various electronics. The website also sells and treads and sprockets for light-attracted bugs and walking low-cost sensors, such as the Sharp building tracked robots, as well as robot kits, motors, solar cells, and IR proximity modules, and various sensors, microcontrollers, and other electronics. support electronics common in electronics. amateur robotics. Tamiya qfix www.tamiya.com Machine Science qfix-shop.de Home page for Tamiya. Check www.machinescience.com German-based manufacturer and out their Educational Construction Offers an expandable metal robot seller of small robot kits for education. Series line of kits, such as the remote base, which includes motors, wheels, Website is in Deutsch and English. controlled robot construction set. No microcontroller, and other electronics. online ordering, but you can use the RB Robotics product listing to see what’s available. Norland Research www.rbrobotics.com www.smallrobot.com New owners of the RB5X educa- Timberdoodle Kit of parts for turning a Texas tional robot. As noted on the website, www.timberdoodle.com Instruments scientific calculator into “The RB5X robot has been produced Timberdoodle specializes in home a robot. for over 20 years. With a proven education products. They offer a track record and a developed set of good selection of Fischertechnik kits OOBug teaching aids, it is a great choice at good prices. Also sells K’NEX and www.oobug.com for any classroom.” Full kits and electronics learning labs. Be sure to Entry-level “deskpet” robot kit. individual parts available. check their “swan gong” closeout The OOBug differentiates itself deals. in that it is designed to build Robix cooperative or social robots, able to www.robix.com VexLabs Vex Robotics Kits communicate and share information Aluminum robot kits, primarily www.vexlabs.com between each other. designed for educational use. The Makers of the VEX Robotics aluminum pieces and servos can be Design System. Use their online Only Toys constructed in numerous ways to ordering system. SV www.onlytoys.com make a variety of robotic forms. Only Toys carries metal Erector CONTACT THE AUTHOR sets; most are for building Robotis vehicles, and some (like the Steam www.robotis.com Gordon McComb can be reached via Engine) are quite elaborate. The Manufacturer’s site for the email at [email protected] SERVO 10.2008 75