Parrothead Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 What is a good starter robot kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 What do you want your dd to get out of it? Easiest to program is Lego Mindstorms. Most interesting is probably Vex, but it programs in something similar to C, so she would also need to learn programming languages to operate it. Does she know how to solder? I've heard good things about Fischertechnik too, but we haven't tried them yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted August 26, 2012 Author Share Posted August 26, 2012 I just want her to see if she likes it. More of an exploratory thing. I don't want to drop a lot of money into one in case it sits in a box in the closet until she moves out. But I don't want something that won't light a spark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebunny Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 What is a good starter robot kit? Disclaimer: We didn't use a kit. (budgetary constraints). DD built a simple Junk Bot (from a USB mouse). It was a lot of fun and DD (and we) learnt a lot in the process. DH helped with the soldering and teaching the theory behind the circuit. One good jump off point is http://makeprojects.com/c/Junkbots HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Lego Mindstorms, but it is $300+. But I see it offered in week-long summer camps and that sort of thing. That would be a good way to get her to try it out. My son was actually on a team a few years ago. They met 1-2 times/week for about 6 months to get ready for the robotics competition. He really enjoyed it. So I laid out the cash to buy Lego Mindstorms (that's what they used in the robotics club), and he has hardly ever used it! So I think you've got to have a kid that is really into it or they won't use it. He LOVES legos, but I guess the computer programming part of it was less appealing to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 Rocketry is something you could both get into easily together. I want to try rocketry as soon as we get out to the acreage. We can't do it here downtown. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 Thanks for all the ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nov05mama Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 I am actually teaching a Robotics class with our 4-H group and I know the curriculum is available for anyone to purchase. I will be using the Junk Drawer Robotics curric... http://www.4-hmall.org/Category/robotics.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillysmom216 Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 I am actually teaching a Robotics class with our 4-H group and I know the curriculum is available for anyone to purchase. I will be using the Junk Drawer Robotics curric...http://www.4-hmall.org/Category/robotics.aspx This looks perfect for us. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 I am actually teaching a Robotics class with our 4-H group and I know the curriculum is available for anyone to purchase. I will be using the Junk Drawer Robotics curric...http://www.4-hmall.org/Category/robotics.aspx Have you seen the two other levels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 Wow, now that's affordable! :iagree: Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nov05mama Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Have you seen the two other levels? I only have the first part of the Junk Drawer Robotics, Level 1: Give Robots a Hand and I have the Youth Journal. I will be ordering the first DVD before our sessions start in September and won't order the future books (lvl 2 and 3) until later in the year once our group has moved past the first level (and show that they have interest in continuing with it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 I only have the first part of the Junk Drawer Robotics, Level 1: Give Robots a Hand and I have the Youth Journal. I will be ordering the first DVD before our sessions start in September and won't order the future books (lvl 2 and 3) until later in the year once our group has moved past the first level (and show that they have interest in continuing with it) I'm trying to decide if Dd would be better served by the middle school or high school level. The prices are certainly low enough for me to get both! Do you think the "notebook" is necessary? What is on the DVDs? Thanks :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nov05mama Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 I'm trying to decide if Dd would be better served by the middle school or high school level. The prices are certainly low enough for me to get both! Do you think the "notebook" is necessary? What is on the DVDs? Thanks :001_smile: The notebook is great b/c it has all the lab papers and such in it, and it covers all 3 levels in one book. I don't think you necessarily "need" it b/c you could always just use graph paper or notebook paper for sketches and stuff, but I think it's worth it to have. For the levels, I can't really give feedback on which would work better. I think there's something to get out of each of the levels, so I'd be apt to start from the beginning no matter what age, or would at least review some of the stuff in the notebook from lvl 1 before starting lvl 2. Level 1 really gets them to think more like an engineer and by the end of the level they are building robotic arms/levers like a trebuchet and such. I am not sure what is on the DVD's yet b/c I haven't purchased them just yet! They are going into my cart next week so I can get them before our classes start later in Sept :D I only have the lvl 1 book and the Junior Notebook at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Do the robots use motors? Do they move? I'm confused if there is no programming component. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nov05mama Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Do the robots use motors? Do they move? I'm confused if there is no programming component. In level 1, they will design and create a marshmallow catapult. There is a module to test balance (torque/force) with the catapult. Then, there is a module to create a robotic arm - they first learn about the different types of robotic arm designs (jointed, polar coordinate, cylindrical coordinate, and Cartesian coordinate). They will then move on to designing and creating a pneumatic power source for the robotic arm they design (with balloons, tubing, etc). The last modules in level 1 have them designing and creating a 'grip' for the robot arm. Based on what I am able to see of lvl 2 and 3 in the Junior Notebook, in level 2, they move on to learning about friction and will design and build their own friction-minimizing robot. They will also explore electrical power and circuits to understand how some robots are powered. There's another series of modules on mechanical aspects of robots, where they learn about gears, axles, etc and design their own slow-moving rover. They will also cover buoyancy and create an underwater robot or ROV. In level 3, they learn how to build circuits, and write an effective program. By the end of module 1, they will create their own double pole throw switch. Module 2 has them working on accuracy and they will build a car that can sense a wall and change direction to avoid crashing. In module 3, they learn about the inner workings of a circuit and even learn binary. By the end of module 3, they will begin building circuits on a prototyping board. Finally, in this level they will get into actual programming. It's Junk Drawer Robotics, so they are designing things with every day items, that you would literally find in your junk drawer. I don't have the details of the programming aspect since it's in level 3 and the student notebook doesn't have any pages dedicated to that last part of the program. I am JUST starting the program with our 4-H group next month. We have quite a while til we get to that point :tongue_smilie: Programming seems to be the very last thing they get to...it builds up to that point, but again, I don't know what the full details are since I don't have those books in hand yet! HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Gabby, thank you so much! I appreciate you sharing the 4H information. I don't think I would have come across it otherwise. Dd already builds wooden trebuchets that throw juggling balls :D I think she'd get a kick out of of the other activities in Level 1. I think I'll get the whole shebang, though we may wait until after FLL season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nov05mama Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 NP! I was really excited when I was browsing through our 4-H catalog trying to decide what to teach this coming semester! I am not an engineer, but really love STEM activities! :D I also saw this in the catalog and will maybe be getting it as well...I don't know any additional details about it other than what's on the website though... http://www.4-hmall.org/Product/educationalresources/4h-national-youth-science-experiment-kit/NYSD4.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 Just fyi, I found over 1,000 listings for Mindstorms on ebay just now. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=mindstorms&_sacat=0 I was curious because I figured a used kit shouldn't cost someone $300 but it looks like it would be fairly spendy (at least $150 if it's functional?) by many of our budgets even used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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