Introduction to Robotics
What are robots and what are they good for??
Objectives
- Learn some robot terminology and a bit of the history of robotics
- Learn some of the current applications of and advances in robotics
Create a new Microsoft Word or text document named YourUserName-A1. Please do not use any other filename because the TAs need to be able to identify downloaded files by author and assignment.
In this assignment, you will use your favorite web search engine, such as www.google.com, to learn about the history of robotics. For each question, be sure to put the answer into your own words, and give the reference page and the URL address reference.
Example Question: The first NASA Rover Robot
to explore the surface of Mars was named after what real person and why
was this name chosen?
Example Answer: NASA's "Mars
Pathfinder Sojourner" robot
was named after Sojourner Truth who was a Civil War Era
African-American reformist. Sojourner Truth who made it her mission to
"travel up and down the land," championing the rights of all people to
be free and to participate fully in society, chose to change her name
to Sojourner because it means "traveler." The name was chosen
when a worldwide year-long competition was won by a 12-year old whose
winning essay was about her heroine Sojourner Truth. |
Note that the reference is given and that the given example answer is PARAPHRASED, not copied!
Your task is to provide answers and their references to all of the following questions, being sure to number your answers. Each answer should be 1-3 paragraphs. This assignment must be completed individually. You may consult with one another, but copying text verbatim from friends or websites is prohibited.
- For some pointers on narrowing a search in Google, watch the following
short screencast by Berea profesor, Dr. Jadud:
WARNING: COPIED answers or answers without references will receive no credit. Describe anything you learned from this video or if you did not lean anything new, how the search algorithm works on Google. - Watch the video,
.
Then, in one paragraph, describe the main points of the video. - Watch the video at http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/02/17/147006012/when-the-car-is-the-driver. In your own words, provide a summary of this video in 3-5 sentences. Then offer a one paragraph reflection on your feelings and thoughts about what you see as the likely impact of this new technology.
- On the internet, reserach the origins of the term "robot." Then in 200-250 words, describe the origins of the word "robot," being sure to documet all of your sources. If your definition has changed recently, explain how it has changed and why it has changed for you. If it has not changed, explain why it has not changed for you.
- Find a robot or robotic device which is used for something you see as an important social good and which is not discussed above. Note that it is up to you to determine what you feel is a social good. (Nuclear clean-up, surgery, space travel, etc.) Then learn something about this robot which you did not know going into this assignment. Describe the robot as well as why you see the purpose of this robot as serving as an important social good as well as what you learned which was new.