Robots in Society

Before you can complete your chosen mission you will need to research and present answers for the focus question below. In order to adequately answer the focus question you will need to answer the seven (7) contributing questions underneath. Use the website links and book list provided below:

How are robots used to benefit our society?
(a) What is a robot? 
(b) When were robots first used?
(c) What do some robots look like? Provide images or videos with brief descriptions.
(d) Why are robots important?
(e) What different industries use robots today (e.g. automotive, aviation, entertainment, education)? Provide some examples.    
(f) Choose an industry area, select a type of robot and research its specifications and uses as part of your presentation. 
(g) How might robots be used in the future - why should we continue to invest in them?  

Once you have fully answered your main focus and contributing questions, your team will be assigned a robot to do a specific task.

You may choose one of the following design and make missions:
1) Retrieve a person (toy) unconscious near the edge of a cliff.
2) Transport an injured person (toy) away from a bush fire (heat lamps).
3) Dispose of a suspicious container into safe box (bucket of water).
4) Transport injured person (toy) out from a dark underground cave and into the light at the surface.
5) Use two robots (in relay fashion) to send and deliver a message over difficult terrain (two teams must choose this mission).
6) Transport an egg, crack it over a hot fry pan, retrieve it when cooked and serve it on a plate (two teams must choose this mission).

Definition and History:
Use these links to define what is a robot as well as learn the culture and history of robots and how they have progressed over time.

• Wikipedia
• CBC News - What is a robot?
• RoboFesta UK
• Robots and Society - Museum of American Heritage
• Robot History - Museum of American Heritage
• Robotics Research Group

Educational Purposes:
Use these links for advice and ideas on how to design and build various robots for different purposes.

• Robotics Alliance Project
• Domabotics
• Robotics Academy - Carnegie Mellon University
• Moore Educational 
• Society of Robots
• Seattle Robotics Society
• Walking Robots
• Machines Like Us
• The Daily Galaxy
• Robots in the Classroom

Business Purposes:
Use these links to learn about the ways in which working Australians use robots in their daily lives.

• The Australian Robotics and Automation Association Inc.
• RobotShop
• Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation
• Australian Centre for Field Robotics
• Evolution Robotics
• Robotize
• Robot Gear
• Angelus Research Corporation

Leisure and Entertainment:
Use these links to learn about a range of affordable and expensive robots for entertainment and pleasure.

• Robotoys
• Manchester Science Festival October 2010
• Dead Robot Society Blog
• The Old Robots Website
• Megadroid

Competitions:
Use these links to learn about how students can use robots to assist their learning in a variety of contexts.

• Botball
• UAV Outback Challenge
• RoboCup Junior Australia
• FIRST Lego League in Australia 
  

 
Other Community Purposes:

• Pearl - Robot Nurse
• CBC News - Domestic Helpers? 

Book List

General knowledge

• "Robots" by Kate Perry (Franklin Watts)
• "The World of the Future Robots" (Usborne Publishing Ltd)
• "Modern Technology Robots" by Robin McKie (Franklin Watts)
• "Robots" by Clive Gifford (Kingfisher Publications) 
  

How they work

• "Robots and Robotics: How Robots Work" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)
• "Robotics" by Leonbattista Donati (Franklin Watts)
• "Robotics: What robots can do and how they work" by Tony Potter and Ivor Guild (Usborne Publishing)
  

Practical and business purposes

• "Robots and Robotics: Space Robots" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)
• "Robots and Robotics: Robots at Work and Play" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)
• "Robots and Robotics: Scientific and Medical Robots" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)
• "Robots and Robotics: High-Risk Robots" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)

Entertainment purposes

• "Robots and Robotics: Film and Fiction Robots" by Tony Hyland (Macmillan Education Australia)
  

How to make a robot

• "How to Make Computer-Controlled Robots" by Tony Potter (Usborne Publishing)