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Learning Robotics: a Review

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Fernando Ribeiro at University of Minho
Fernando Ribeiro
Gil Lopes at University of Maia
Gil Lopes
  • University of Maia
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Abstract and Figures

Purpose of Review With the growing interest for STEM/STEAM, new robotic platforms are being created with different characteristics, extras, and options. There are so many diverse solutions that it is difficult for a teacher/student to choose the ideal one. This paper intends to provide an analysis of the most common robotic platforms existent on the market. The same is happening regarding robotic events all around the world, with objectives so distinctive, and with complexity from easy to very difficult. This paper also describes some of those events which occur in many countries. Recent Findings As the literature is showing, there has been a visible effort from schools and educators to teach robotics from very young ages, not only because robotics is the future, but also as a tool to teach STEM/STEAM areas. But as time progresses, the options for the right platforms also evolve making difficult to choose amongst them. Some authors opt to first choose a robotic platform and carry on from there. Others choose first a development environment and then look for which robots can be programmed from it. Summary An actual review on learning robotics is here presented, firstly showing some literature background on history and trends of robotic platforms used in education in general, the different development environments for robotics, and finishing on competitions and events. A comprehensive characterization list of robotic platforms along with robotic competitions and events is also shown.
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ROBOTICS IN MANUFACTURING (JN PIRES, SECTION EDITOR)
Learning Robotics: a Review
A.Fernando Ribeiro
1
&Gil Lopes
1
Published online: 18 January 2020
#Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract
Purpose of Review With the growing interest for STEM/STEAM, new robotic platforms are being created with different
characteristics, extras, and options. There are so many diverse solutions that it is difficult for a teacher/student to choose the
ideal one. This paper intends to provide an analysis of the most common robotic platforms existent on the market. The same is
happening regarding robotic events all around the world, with objectives so distinctive, and with complexity from easy to very
difficult. This paper also describes some of those events which occur in many countries.
Recent Findings As the literature is showing, there has been a visible effort from schools and educators to teach robotics from
very young ages, not only because robotics is the future, but also as a tool to teach STEM/STEAM areas. But as time progresses,
the options for the right platforms also evolve makingdifficult to choose amongst them. Some authors opt to first choose a robotic
platform and carry on from there. Others choose first a development environment and then look for which robots can be
programmed from it.
Summary An actual review on learning robotics is here presented, firstly showing some literature background on history and
trends of robotic platforms used in education in general, the different development environments for robotics, and finishing on
competitions and events. A comprehensive characterization list of robotic platforms along with robotic competitions and events is
also shown.
Keywords Distribution .STEM/STEAM .Educational robotics .Robotic platforms .Mobile robotics .Autonomous robotics .
K12
Introduction
Robotics in the past was considered rocket science created by
scientists or high-skilled engineers. Nowadays, that is not the
case anymore. The importance of learning robotics especially
at early ages is visible by the amount of studies found in the
literature. Although robotics started as machines that perform
routine or dangerous tasks previously done by humans, it has
evolved to autonomous and mobile robotics and lately is used
to help improve student’s knowledge and skills in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Arts
was another area that took the opportunity to embrace robotics
and thus the acronym became STEAM [1].
Kindergarten is the child’s first school, and Evgenia
Roussou successfully introduced computational thinking by
playing with robotics at these children’slevel[2].
At the primary school level, a similar approach was
experimented [3]. The focus was on the teacher’ssideprovid-
ing them with a robotic kit to promote problem-solving and
group work with their pupils. Teachers felt more confident and
aware of teaching computational thinking concepts. Another
study in primary schools was performed to introduce educa-
tional robotics (ER) by using a realistic mathematics approach
[4]. Student’s motivation was higher when compared with
learning mathematics in a traditional way. At the K-12 level,
in order to motivate students enrolling in technology areas,
one school used their Project Area curricular unit to have
groups of students participating in the RoboParty® event
[5]. A standard robotics curriculum for K-16 students was
proposed by Carlotta et al. [6] where a set of guiding
A.Fernando Ribeiro and Gil Lopes contributed equally to this work.
This article is part of theTopical Collection on Robotics in Manufacturing
*A.Fernando Ribeiro
fernando@dei.uminho.pt
Gil Lopes
gil@dei.uminho.pt
1
Department of Industrial Electronics and Algoritmi Research Centre,
University of Minho, Campus de Azurém,
4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Current Robotics Reports (2020) 1:1–11
https://doi.org/10.1007/s43154-020-00002-9
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
... The combination of these elements with advanced software such as Robot Operating System (ROS) and artificial intelligence paradigms allows students to carry out specific applications in everyday situations (Abdiakhmetova et al., 2024;Hernández-León & Rodríguez-Conde, 2024). Studies exploring the impact of robotics in the classroom (Adnan et al., 2023;Darmawansah et al., 2023;Kyprianou et al., 2023;Lin & Chen, 2023;Mangina et al., 2023;Ribeiro & Lopes, 2020), underline the importance of these technologies in enhancing learning in STEM areas. Educational robotics not only helps students develop technical skills such as programming, but also promotes critical thinking and creativity (Avello-Martínez et al., 2020) and the inclusion of robotics kits in the classroom provides students with hands-on experiences where there is no single correct solution, thus encouraging the exploration of multiple approaches to solving problems; this enriches students' cognitive skills and fosters collaboration in the classroom. ...
... This is achieved through advanced communication protocols between robots and the use of controllers such as Arduino, allowing the creation of multi-agent systems (Najjar et al., 2019). Robotics also contributes positively to students' motivation (Ribeiro & Lopes, 2020) by adapting to different educational levels (Mamatnabiyev et al., 2024) to apply abstract concepts in practical contexts, which improves their understanding of emerging technologies. ...
... This teaching strategy improves both attention and academic performance (Dochshanov & Tramonti, 2023;Mangina et al., 2023). Learning experiences with Arduino also result in high levels of satisfaction for both students and teachers (Ribeiro & Lopes, 2020). ...
Integrating Arduino and Artificial Intelligence in STEM Education
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This article explores the integration of digital technologies in education, emphasizing the importance of robotics and computational thinking in the development of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills. In the context of Industry 4.0 and Education 4.0, the usefulness of platforms such as Arduino is highlighted, which allow students to engage in practical and affordable projects to develop critical skills. An illustrative example of this application is the project of a robotic explorer equipped with an Arduino board and a humidity sensor, designed to detect areas with higher humidity, simulating the search for water in a controlled environment. This type of project allows students to program a robot that responds to stimuli from the environment, promoting active and practical learning. The integration of artificial intelligence into educational robotics projects significantly enhances the robot’s capabilities, optimizing both its autonomy and decision-making processes. This advancement presents an opportunity to incorporate and develop aspects of social robotics, fostering collaborative interactions between students and robotic systems. Through advanced techniques such as reinforcement learning, the robot learns to improve its trajectory and dynamically adjust the humidity threshold detected according to environmental conditions. Furthermore, the use of multiple sensors alongside artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms enables the robot to correlate data and make more accurate predictions, thereby increasing its efficiency. The article concludes that educational robotics and AI are essential to preparing students for the future, equipping them with analytical and practical skills needed in a rapidly evolving digital environment, and promoting a deep understanding of how technology can be applied to solve real-world problems.
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... Specifically, it involves knowledge of programming, electronics, design, and fabrication; thus, critical thinking and problemsolving stimulation are inevitable. Moreover, robotic competitions help train and motivate young students in STEM education as the engagement provides stimuli to solve tangible societal problems [3][4][5][6]. The practice of competitions and prizes in an undergraduate course effectively stimulates ingenuity and innovation to ascertain defined educational outcomes. ...
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... A continuación, la plataforma robótica realiza un registro de sus acciones, dependiendo de sus características y funciones particulares (Ribeiro & Lopes, 2020). Para ello, dicha plataforma puede ser apoyada por su desarrollador, quien le dará el "feedback" respectivo para cada uno de sus actos, de la misma manera como cuando se refuerza una conducta animal o humana (Calderone, 2017). ...
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Se exponen puntos relevantes del aprendizaje artificial a fin de entenderlo de manera sencilla, partiendo de algunas consideraciones y comparaciones con el aprendizaje humano. Se narran los primeros pasos que dieron inicio al largo camino del desarrollo de esta facultad en las máquinas, proceso que en poco tiempo fue alcanzando metas impensables gracias al impulso conjunto de la microelectrónica, la computación, y las neurociencias. Se destaca el rol de la imitación robótica como técnica eficaz para adquirir conductas modelos, sin necesidad de procesos algorítmicos complejos. Luego se describe la secuencia que hace posible que un robot bebé aprenda: Recepción / Exploración, Reacción, Refuerzo, Repetición de la rutina, Aprendizaje propiamente dicho, y Predicción. Se concluye que el progreso de la inteligencia artificial ha generado modelos computacionales que hoy hacen posible incluso el aprendizaje autónomo de las máquinas, las mismas que en un futuro no lejano podrán además diseñar sus propias estrategias de aprendizaje. Palabras clave: Aprendizaje – Aprendizaje artificial – Robots – Inteligencia Artificial – Aprendizaje profundo – Redes neuronales
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... Middle school students are often the focus of these investigations within the context of drone and robotics activities, as research has shown that students at this age-range start to develop interests in STEM and begin to consider career aspirations (Almeda & Baker, 2020). To engage middle school students, drone and robotics education leverages extracurricular events such as competitions, workshops, and after-school programs (Ribeiro & Lopes, 2020). These events have been successfully implemented in a limited number of STEM disciplines (e.g., computer science, mathematics) to increase motivation and engagement (Chou, 2018;Bartholomew & Mayo, 2018) as well as self-efficacy and interest (Tezza et al., 2020). ...
Using Drones to Attract K-12 Students Towards Construction: A Pilot Study of Middle School Students' attitudes, Perceptions, and Interests
Conference Paper
Full-text available
  • Apr 2023
Drones continue to support the growth of the construction industry; however, activities that use drones for K-12 education are still minimal and exploratory. Particularly, no studies have explored the use of drone technologies to attract students towards construction disciplines. The contribution of this study centers on better understanding how drones can be relied upon to create interest and motivation in K-12 students by showcasing the construction domain to the next generation of the workforce. This study investigated the attitudes and interests towards construction of eleven middle school students enrolled in a Summer Youth Camp at the Michigan Technological University. During this study, a construction-centric drone education activity was designed and implemented during a 3-hour long session within a large lab space. Students completed an adapted version of the S-STEM Survey before and after participating in the activity. Although differences in the survey scores for attitudes towards STEM subjects and interests in construction careers were noticed, no significant changes were observed by the educational activity. Ultimately, this study recommends the use of drones in K-12 activities and purposes exploring how students can be attracted to the construction disciplines as future research.
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... Collaborative robotic learning, which takes place with computer support, contributes not only to learning, a robotic app is a motivating activity for students that fosters collaboration between them, has a positive effect on learning and the emotional state of students, when a synergistic effect can be observed between participants in the educational process (Tang et al., 2020;Kerimbayev et al., 2020;Ribeiro & Lopes, 2020;Yang et al., 2020;Ospennikova et al., 2015;Lubold et al., 2021). ...
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In the previous study the work experience on organization of teaching Robotics to secondary school students at school lessons and in study groups was introduced. This study which was conducted within 2019 and 2021 covered the period of distant learning caused by COVID-19 pandemic and even post-pandemic period, when a part of school students continued learning online. The study deals with the problem of developing school students’ computational thinking in online learning. We consider computational thinking as a set of cognitive skills of solving educational and cognitive problems. The research questions raised were aimed at solving the problem of the influence of Educational Robotics on developing computational thinking. During the research we have found out that due to the adaptability of robots, Educational Robotics, the development of individual learning programs, and the arrangement of collaborative online learning are instruments and a solution to the problem of developing computational thinking. The main components of computational thinking, which were studied within those 3 years, are the following: algorithmic thinking, ability to program, and efficiency in team work. The influence of the learning strategy we chose enabled us to determine the level of computational thinking and its dependence on learning Robotics. We used statistical criteria in order to summarize the results of our research. The statistics provided suggests progress in the indicator tracked. Based on the experimental data received we approximated reliability (R²) and relevant exponential equation (trend lines). The research we carried out also has led to the general conclusion that Educational Robotics helps to create synergistic learning environment for stimulating students’ motivation, collaboration, self-efficacy and creativity.
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... However, the application of robotic simulations must support transfer to the real robot to test the students' work in real devices and face the issues that arise when moving from simulation to reality, which is still an open issue for pre-university levels [34]. Table I details the previous features in 9 of the most relevant educational robots in the market [35] [36]. They are organized into three main groups. ...
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A Systematic Review of Studies on Educational Robotics
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On the Use of Robotics for the Development of Computational Thinking in Kindergarten: Educational Intervention and Evaluation
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Computational thinking is a relatively new concept that has attracted research interest during the last decade and has gained popularity in the field of applied education as well. This paper attempts to shed light upon the development of computational thinking in early childhood through an applied, experimental approach aiming to clarify the connection between computational thinking and programming with emphasis on visual and tangible programming of educational robots. The research is based on a case study that investigates the impact of robotics on the cultivation of computational thinking skills in early childhood through an educational intervention implemented in a typical public kindergarten in Athens, Greece. The intervention focuses on the development of particular aspects of computational thinking with the use of a programmable floor robot. The implementation follows a detailed lesson plan that encompasses all the robotic activities involved. Pupils’ activities, behavior and exchange are monitored for evaluation purposes. Data collected during the intervention are analyzed in an attempt to answer research questions related to the potential of robotics in the development of computational thinking in early childhood. Results indicate that the use of a robot in a playful way, suitable for the stage of development of kindergarten pupils, leads to notable enhancement of the kindergartners’ computational skills – a finding that is consistent to those of existing research studies on similar questions. Given the limited scale of this study, the positive results obtained may serve as a basis for the design of further, more extensive research on this issue.
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Comparison of LEGO WeDo 2.0 Robotic Models in Two Different Grades of Elementary School
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Robotics in Primary School: A Realistic Mathematics Approach
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  • Jun 2019
Robots are technological tools of great interest in primary education for many reasons, but mainly for their compatibility with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, it is very important to minimize the impact of the technical issues associated to robotics on the teachers, providing simple and functional tools that allow them to focus their attention in the creation of STEM content. To this end, this chapter presents a methodology, based on realistic mathematics, for the integration of educational robotics in primary schools. This methodology has been tested during one semester in the Sigüeiro Primary School (Spain) in the subject of mathematics, with students of different ages ranging from 7 to 11 years old. Two different educational robots, with different features, were used to highlight that the methodology is independent of the robotic platform used. Motivation surveys were administered to the students after the classes. Surveys reported highly successful results, which are discussed in the chapter.
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Towards a Definition of Educational Robotics: A Classification of Tools, Experiences and Assessments
Chapter
  • Jun 2019
Robotics in education (RiE) covers a variety of applications of robots to the world of teaching and learning. Despite all the benefits that robotics can bring to education, a clear definition of the purpose for introducing robotics in education is still missing. Authors aim at facing this issue proposing a classification of RiE experiences, stating the difference between RiE and educational robotics (ER). The need for this classification arises from the wide usage of ER to indicate a diverse range of activities using robots and from the lack of clarity when describing how ER impacts students’ curricula. Moreover, a definition of ER can impact the definition of the policies on the integration of ER into formal and non-formal education; it can also provide a basis for further studies whose aim is to provide clear evidence on the benefits of ER activities; finally, it can enhance the replicability of ER activities. To better characterise ER, authors propose two more classifications: one for the robotic tools used in the ER activities and one for the evaluation of ER activities. Drawing upon the proposed classifications, authors point out some distinctive features of ER comparing them to literature. This general outline aims at creating a starting point to open a debate on the definition of ER.
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Improved Logical Passing Strategy and Gameplay Algorithm for Humanoid Soccer Robots Using Colored Petri Nets
Chapter
  • May 2019
RoboCup, a project originally named the Robot World Cup Initiative, challenges people around the world to program robots that are capable of competing in a soccer tournament. The goal is that one day, a group of robots will be able to match the playing ability of a human soccer team, and even be able to win against humans in soccer. The RoboCup Standard Platform League utilizes teams of humanoid NAO robots. These robots must be successfully programmed with image recognition, positioning, ball kicking, and a playing strategy in order to successfully get through a match. In human soccer, a team strategy is crucial to winning a match, but not all RoboCup teams have programmed their team strategies to call on the robots to work together in order to score a goal. The improved Passing with Logical Strategy (iPaLS) is an algorithm that proposes passing of the ball between players to more quickly score a goal. This algorithm is an extension of the Passing with Logical Strategy (PaLS) algorithm, which proposed a more rudimentary method of passing between players. iPaLS builds upon PaLS by further exploring the kicking decisions that must be made by the NAO robot and considers ways to hinder the opposing team’s ability to gain possession of the ball and ways to regain possession of the ball if possession is lost. Colored Petri net modeling and simulation is used in order to test the various scenarios of a system that implements iPaLS and helps to prove the advantages of this algorithm over a strategy of having each NAO robot kick the ball towards the goal without regard for their teammates.
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Using Convolutional Neural Networks in Robots with Limited Computational Resources: Detecting NAO Robots While Playing Soccer
Chapter
  • Sep 2018
  • Lect Notes Comput Sci
The main goal of this paper is to analyze the general problem of using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) in robots with limited computational capabilities, and to propose general design guidelines for their use. In addition, two different CNN based NAO robot detectors that are able to run in real-time while playing soccer are proposed. One of the detectors is based on the XNOR-Net and the other on the SqueezeNet. Each detector is able to process a robot object-proposal in ~1 ms, with an average number of 1.5 proposals per frame obtained by the upper camera of the NAO. The obtained detection rate is ~97%. KeywordsDeep learningConvolutional Neural NetworksRobot detection
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