• Nasa Space telerobotic program: see 'internet robot sources', 'real robots on the web'.

For example, see : Khep on the web: you can control the real Khepera situated in Lausanne http://KhepOnTheWeb.epfl.ch/

• The computer museum : design your robot on line.    Voici un nouveau site pour construire un robot:

http://www.tcm.org   and  http://vvw.tcm.org/html/galleries/robots/design/using-des.html         (See below for more details)

• FirstBot : an easy to build mobile robot for those beginning the journey to autonomous robotic enlightenment. You can download free plans and information from this site!

Magazines:

• How Stuff Works, with articles and interesting links to magazines and other sites;

http://wvv.howstuffworks.com/links.htm

• Visit especially the links from Robot's store.

• A magazine 'Robots science and technology', articles and links

• KrisTech ROBOT Webzine, links to robot related pages

http://www.kristech.com/links/links.html
 

• RobotCafe: " a community of fellow robotics enthusiasts who share the common goal of fostering the advancement of robotics in every aspect of today's world." Based in Canada, the site lists resources for building robots and sharing ideas and information about robotics. Free membership needed for some functions, including e-mail newsletter and replying to discussion forums.

http://www.robotcafe.com/

Toys :

• Interactive toys: (Lego mindstorm)

• Lego Robotics : projects, references and links.

• Lego Mind Storm commercials on TV

• Aibo

You must have heard about this the robot dog from Sony! Your students will be free to discover its various functions. The language is simple, the texts are short. Even weak students can use the site.
(For French-speaking classes: you can also use the French version which may help to understand the English one or spot and select the words or phrases they will need in order to make a presentation.)

Also, about Aibo:
http://www.robotbooks.com/Sony-robot-dog.htm (the official site)
http://www.us.aibo.com/ (the US site)
http://neuro-trials1.mgh.harvard.edu/aibo/aibo.shtml (A webring)
http://www.i5ive.com/article.cfm/3646/20923 ( article : robot dog mania)
http://www.bebeyond.com/LearnEnglish/DailyReadings/Science2/AiboDog.htm
 
 
 

Theory and technique

• You want to build a robot, but you don't have a clue about the mechanical aspects. This section of the guide provides links to machining, resources, and information on putting all your parts together.

• Get a grip: theory and calculation for walking, gripping, articulated robots.

• An article about artificial intelligence (rules and references to Asimov)

The site contains an on-line interactive, explanatory materials and a number of activities intended to be done in a classroom setting. You have to design your own robot, intended to perform six specific tasks. Once you have finished building your robot, you can link to other web pages showing real-life robots that are performing the task for which you designed your robot.

Minimum requirements : A PC with Windows 85 or a Mac Power PC or Mac 68K and a Shockwave plug-in / or Windows 95 projector version or Mac projector version.

A few examples of pre-activities:

Think about …

• situations or tasks for which it makes sense to use robots rather than humans, and vice versa.
• why it has been difficult to build robots that replicate human characteristics.
• how you can tell if something is a robot. is it by looks, behaviour, or something else?

• Why do robots need to be different for different kinds of tasks?
• What tasks are likely to be done by robots in the future that they are not doing now?

Using all the materials provided requires spending a lot of time…

The data has been collected by Christine Raymond
 

 Robotic Antarctic Meteorite Search: Antarctica 2000
http://www.frc.ri.cmu.edu/projects/meteorobot2000/
 NOMAD robotic vehicle is searching for meteorites in the Antarctic. The site contains updates, photos of NOMAD and the meteorites, a technology section , a link to the Field Robotics Center's NOMAD Page, and perhaps of most interest to researchers, a technical publications section.
A full description of the robot can be read at   http://www.frc.ri.cmu.edu/projects/meteorobot/Nomad/Nomad.html
 

 A Webquest
http://www.windarooss.qld.edu.au/Main_Pages/Robot_Webquest/
The Robot WebQuest from Windaroo State School in Australia: an excellent warm-up activity about current robot technology, with dozens of great links.
 
 
 
 

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