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Braitenbergian Experiments with Simple Aquatic Robots Braitenbergian experiments with simple aquatic robots Rustam Stolkin, Richard Sheryll, Liesl Hotaling Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA Abstract —This paper describes the development of a short introductory underwater robotics course, aimed at college freshman and high school and middle school students. During these courses, students work in teams to build and program underwater robots using a combination of LEGO and other simple materials. As an introduction to ideas of artificial intelligence and robot programming, students undertook a practical exploration of the concepts developed by cybernetician Valentino Braitenberg in his famous book “Vehicles: Experiments in Synthetic Psychology”. Over five laboratory sessions, students gradually evolved their own designs for waterborne “robotic amoebas” through a series of progressively more complex design challenges. These courses build on our previously reported work in which students have built underwater Remotely Operated Figure 1. A programmable AUV with light sensors, built using a Vehicles using similar materials and educational strategies. This combination of LEGO and other simple materials. work is now being adapted for dissemination to large numbers of middle and high schools across New Jersey through a grant from II. MATERIALS the National Science Foundation. Students were provided with a selection of LEGO including I. INTRODUCTION several motors, battery boxes and leads, gearing, structural and Valentino Braitenberg’s famous text “Vehicles-experiments in mechanical components. Also provided, were a selection of synthetic psychology”, [1], uses a series of elegant thought plastic propellers (obtainable from hobby stores) mounted on experiments, involving simple imaginary vehicles equipped LEGO axles. Additional materials included Styrofoam, with motors and sensors, to explain how seemingly complex modeling clay, a selection of weights (nuts and bolts work animal behaviours such as attraction, repulsion, fear and well), rubber bands, string and duct tape. A 30 inch deep aggression, can result from combinations of simple inflatable pool was used to test the designs. mechanisms. Braitenberg’s explanations are profound in their For programmable robot control, students used the LEGO implications for roboticists and neuro-scientists, yet so simple NXT controller (figure 2), sealed inside a plastic box, LEGO and intuitive that they are immediately accessible to readers of robotics sensors, including touch sensors and light sensors all levels, without any prior knowledge or expertise. (which can be waterproofed using simple materials such as This paper describes the development of a short introductory clingflim), and the simple icon based NXT-G programming course, aimed at college freshmen, high school and middle system. school students, enabling a practical exploration of Braitenbergian ideas through constructing, programming and testing a series of progressively more complex waterborne robot vehicles, also known as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), e.g. figure 1. Manuscript received August 10 th , 2007. We thank Costas Chassapis, Dir. Dept. Mech. Eng., Stevens Institute of Technology, for funding the equipment and materials to test and develop this project. R. Stolkin is a research Assistant Professor at the Center for Maritime Systems, Stevens Institute of Technology, Phone: 201-216-8217; e-mail: [email protected] . Richard Sheryll is an instrumentation designer and also a PhD candidate in Ocean Figure 2. The LEGO NXT programmable brick set in a watertight housing. Engineering at the Center for Maritime Systems, Stevens Institute of Rubber buttons, set in the housing, enable the controls on the NXT to be Technology, email: [email protected] . Liesl Hotaling is Assistant Director pressed. Alternatively a diver’s “pelican” box with snap shut lid can be of the Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education at Stevens used (figure 1). A LEGO plate is bonded to the underside of the housing so Institute of Technology, email [email protected] . that students can add their own LEGO structures and motors. III. WHY BUILD UNDERWATER ROBOTS ? Although discovery learning is frequently employed in an When students design, build and program underwater robotic early childhood development setting, the instructional model vehicles, they are learning engineering fundamentals which offers several advantages to a high school or undergraduate span virtually every engineering discipline. Additionally, setting. It arouses students’ curiosity, motivating them to students are motivated by an exciting and stimulating design continue to work until they find answers, [6]. Students also scenario. learn independent problem solving and critical thinking skills The use of projects based on small robotic vehicles is now because they must independently analyze and manipulate widespread in engineering curricula, however these are information. predominantly wheeled, terrestrial vehicles. Such projects often Students often benefit more from being able to engage in reduce to little more than exercises in applied programming, active learning by “seeing” and “doing” things than from losing valuable opportunities to present substantial mechanical passive learning by listening to lectures. Tackling material challenges or to incorporate real interdisciplinary engineering from several perspectives and persevering with unresolved design. In contrast, the underwater environment presents problems improves students’ core intellectual skills - they learn unique design challenges and opportunities. The motion of an how to learn independently. Cognitive development is not the underwater vehicle, through a three dimensional space with six accumulation of isolated pieces of information; rather, it is the degrees of freedom, is more complex. Additional engineering construction by students of a framework for understanding issues include propulsion, drag, buoyancy and stability. their environment. Teachers should serve as role models and Practical construction problems include how to waterproof facilitators by solving problems with students, explaining the electrical components. The challenge of creating a robot which problem solving process and talking about the relationships can be sent to explore a hostile and inaccessible environment is between actions and outcomes. Observing students during their also motivating and stimulating to many students. activities, examining their solutions and listening carefully to The aquatic environment is also preferable for investigations their questions can reveal much about their interests, modes of of Braitenbergian ideas since it more closely resembles the thought and understanding or misunderstanding of concepts, “primordial soup” in which Braitenberg envisions the evolution [7]. of simple amoeba-like vehicle behaviours. Discovery based learning is a particularly effective means of teaching the iterative approach to engineering design. Our IV. WHY USE LEGO? students are encouraged to approach engineering problems through an iterative sequence of steps: Design/Test/Modify Our students work with a combination of LEGO and (figure 1). In contrast, surprisingly little of conventional additional simple materials. LEGO is particularly suited to engineering curricula are devoted to this design process, with discovery based learning due to its ease and speed of assembly, the learning experience of engineering students often bearing [2], [3]. This speed reduces the time between conception of an little resemblance to the activities of professional engineers in idea and its implementation, enabling students to discover industry. through trial and error, rapidly test a range of alternative designs and evolve their designs iteratively by observing the VI. OVERVIEW OF THE STEVENS “INTRODUCTION TO relationship between structure and function. In contrast, when UNDERWATER ROBOTICS ” PROGRAM students use conventional materials, which must be sawed, drilled, glued, screwed or welded, the construction process is Educators and engineers at Stevens Institute of Technology lengthy and frustrating. Time constraints prevent students from are currently engaged in developing a set of educational evolving their designs through multiple iterations of testing and modules, which teach fundamental engineering principles modification. Often there is no time allotted for the students to through the design, construction and testing of underwater fail, analyze the failure and then modify their design. In robotic vehicles. The strategies incorporated into our contrast “We know that students will learn most deeply and underwater robotics projects foster an active, discovery profoundly when they…have an opportunity to try, fail and learning environment that integrates many mathematical, receive feedback on their work”, [4]. scientific and engineering principles and will support conceptual and skill-based learning, application of principles to V. DISCOVERY BASED LEARNING novel situations, collaborative learning and cooperative group skills. As far as possible we try to build our LEGO underwater Initially we developed a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) robotics classes upon “discovery learning” principles. project in which students build wire guided underwater Discovery learning, [5], is a cognitive instructional model in vehicles equipped with mechanical grabbers. Students then which students are encouraged to learn through active used their ROVs to retrieve objects from the bottom
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