A 3 morning course held in the Summer term, 2006 to explore different types of movement in animals and how it could be copied to create successful competitive virtual robots.
The pupils, from 4 primary schools in the Top Valley area, met at the North e-Learning centre and analysed 5 different robotic models with different walking characteristics. The robotic models were assembled from kits bought from Rapid Electronics
Solaelf kit - Moves like bird - Raven rapid code 13-1080
Click HERE for film of it moving
Solarobot kit - Moves like humans - rapid code 13-1078
Click HERE for film of it moving
Solaworm kit -Moves like worm - rapid code 13-1076
Click HERE for film of it moving
Solabug - Walks like Beetle - rapid code 13-1082
No film available - sorry
Solabeast - walks like horse or dog - rapid code 13-1084
Click HERE for film of it moving
Before you buy these for your pupils to make, let me stress that they took me on average 2 hours to make! They are not easy and are extremely fiddly with up to 160 separate tiny components occasionally unclear instructions. They are total kits where EVERYTHING needs putting together, not a snap together model!
Pupils then assembled a Robot duck mechanism from Rapid , and customised it to stop ot falling over
Click HERE for a film of it in action
Pupils went on to investigate the BBC Bamzooki software and create their own ideas. Click HERE to go to the Bamzooki page and links to downloading this excellent free software
