Top Resource For KIds Learning Robotics in 2023

 Do you remember the Wall-E robot from the movie "Wall-E"? Who was created to clean up the world's garbage?

Not just WALL, but everything from The Terminator to Transformers, The Matrix - has robots running around. But have you ever thought, are the robots shown on the screen really possible to make in reality?

Robots & Robotics:

Robots are usually machines controlled by computer programs or electronic circuits. They can be directly controlled by humans. Most robots perform a specific task and they vary in appearance. Robots are used to manage calculations for decision-making and perform the riskiest tasks in the real world. A robot is a computer-controlled machine that can do many difficult and difficult tasks for humans. That is a computer-controlled automatic system that can work exactly as humans do.

And robotics is the intersection of science, engineering, and technology that makes robots. It is a branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, and operation of robots. It also works for computer systems for the control of robots, sensory feedback, and information processing.

Differences Between Robots And Humans:

Well, are you a robot or a human? Have you noticed that when you enter a website, you have to enter a captcha code to know your identity at the beginning? Captcha is a fully automatic verification process between humans and computers or robots. Through capture, a system determines whether a process involves humans, or is being done by a spam robot. The CAPTCHA process involves inputting different types of numbers, text, or information that is only possible for humans. Generally, no computer-controlled system can fill CAPTCHA.

There are many other things that a robot cannot do, such as not being able to fill in a captcha. No matter how powerful and faster robots are than humans, they are controlled by humans.

On the other hand, people have lives. Once he dies, he never comes back to life. But if any part of the robot breaks down, it can be repaired properly. Humans have highly developed brains that robots do not. Robots have no innovative power or creativity.

Materials For Making Robots:

Remember when we were kids, more or less all of us used to build robots with Legos? Then as we grow up, we learn that real robots are not Legos, but made of parts. While robots for each task are made up of different things, you'll notice three consistent things about every robot.

The first is the ability to move. This work is usually produced by an electric motor, but it can also be hydraulics where you can use electricity.

The second is the sensor. Some cars have sensors in the rear bumper that tell the car to stop if there's something in the road, even if the driver isn't looking.

The last part is intelligence. How the robot can move or perceive its surroundings is not a concern if it does not know how to interpret that information. Usually, a computer program is created to interpret the data and react accordingly. It's like a remote control of a robot, but instead of a computer, you're the brain! Your eyes are the sensors and you can control the robot the way you want it to move using the remote control.

Arduino Setup:

Arduino is a very small microcontroller. With its help, many science-based projects can be created very easily. Because Arduino can be programmed by C and C++ programming languages. Beginners in programming can use Arduino to learn real-life applications of programming. With Arduino, you can easily run any system or device according to your instructions.

Equipment Required:

1. An Arduino board (or other microcontroller board, such as a Raspberry Pi)
2. Motor driver board
3. Radar sensor
4. Robot wheels
5. ball wheel
6. breadboard
7. Robot body
8. Rechargeable battery
9. gear motor
10. Jumper wire
11. Drill machine
12. screwdriver
13. screw
14. Soldering iron and lead
15. 6-8 volt lithium battery
16. Power jack

Arduino is widely used all over the world to build robots because the cost of Arduino is very low and you can program it as you wish and add various features. If you want you can do all this with normal programming language. It can be used to create security systems, robot control systems, and various sensor-type projects.

Programming Language :

Without programming language, the robot can't dance on its own! Although there are more than 1500 robotic programming languages, only four-five languages are widely used. So let's know about those languages.

C/C++:

The easiest way to start robotics is to learn C and C++. It is capable of operating on low-level hardware interfaces and provides real-time performance. C++ is the foundation of every modern computer operating system. There is no substitute for C++ when it comes to quality software development. It is an unrivaled programming language, especially for creating highly graphical computer games.

Python:

Python is a powerful programming language used to build and test robots. When it comes to automation and post-process robotic programming, it outperforms other platforms. The primary goal of Python is to make programming easier and faster. Python is currently very popular due to its high performance, simple syntax, readability, and platform independence. Python can be learned directly without any prior experience with programming languages.

Java:

Java enables robots to perform actions that are performed by humans. It provides a variety of APIs to meet the needs of robots. Java interprets virtual computer commands, making Java quite popular in the field of robotics. Java is currently running on nearly 3 billion electronic devices.

MATLAB:

MATLAB is very popular in robotic engineering. It is considerably ahead of many other robotic computer languages when it comes to data analysis. Its data visualization facility is quite helpful in developing complete robotic systems. It helps in the development of deep-rooted robotic foundations in the robot business. It is a tool that allows you to apply your methods to simulate results. Engineers can use this simulation to fine-tune the system design and eliminate errors.

The Beginning Of Artificial Intelligence:

Google Assistant, Alexa, Siri - do you know them? These are AI assistants made by Google, Amazon, and Apple. This non-physical assistant not only works according to the customer's commands but also performs the prescribed whip at the right time.

You know that computers have no intelligence of their own. Due to this artificial intelligence or artificial intelligence has to be applied from outside the computer through programming. It is a type of software technology that makes robots or computers act and think like humans. For example, to understand someone's words, to make decisions, to be able to recognize by sight, etc. Artificial intelligence is the process of manipulating human thought through computers to use incomplete information to make complete decisions, solve complex problems, plan, and research.

The concept of artificial intelligence was first introduced in the 1920s in a science fiction novel called "Rushom's Universal Robots". However, the path of artificial intelligence began in 1940. British mathematician Alan Turing and neurologist Gray Walter conceptualized intelligent machines and their various possibilities to fight the enemy during World War II. Around 1948, Turing started working on the 'Turing Test and Machine Artificial Intelligence. However, John McCarthy first used the term Artificial Intelligence in 1955.

Free Robotics Education:

Now speaking, where can learn robotics very easily absolutely free? Finding any information in the world of the internet is not difficult at all. Although there are over a thousand resources on robotics, today we will focus only on free robotics resources:

Robo Course:

Not only robotics, electronics, artificial intelligence, drone making, etc can also be learned through this app. Not just courses, this app also has the latest news, videos, and blogs about robotics.

Learn Robotics:

Children will get the idea of robotics very easily through small tutorials, key points, and quizzes in this app. Learn about how to make a robot train, what to make a robot with, why robots are made, what is robotics, types of robots, and many more.

Learn Robotics Engineering:

If you are taking a quiz on robotics then this app will help you. This app will make your robotics learning journey very easy, as robotics is described in detail here.

A wonder for Dash & Dot Robots:

'Wonder for Dash and Dot Robots' is a mobile app that teaches robotics to kids. Designed for children aged four and above, the app has over 300 challenges that help kids learn about robotics programming and building robots. With this mobile app, kids can build their robots, update them with various mechanisms, play challenges, and test simulations. This app helps children develop problem-solving skills at an early age and enhance learning experiences.

Witblox:

If you are more interested in hands-on learning than textbooks, then this app is for you. The video tutorials in the app deal with robotics, drones, and 3D projects. Children can learn to build robots in a fun way through the app written in comic style.

Arduino Projects & Robotics Tutorials (RootSaid):

This YouTube series consists of nine kid-friendly tutorial videos that focus on the basics of robotics, the various parts of a robot, its processing unit, and the electronics behind it. This tutorial also covers a few DIY projects for kids. With the help of this tutorial, one can gain knowledge about small robots, robot chassis, battery operation, microcontrollers, and everything needed to build a robot.

Robotics for Kids – Level 1 (STEMpedia)

This free online course is designed by industry experts to teach kids hands-on robotics. This course teaches kids to build mobile robots along with a basic understanding of robotics. Along with this course, there are some fun DIY robotics projects for kids that will help them learn robotics at home with parental guidance. Through this course, kids can learn the fundamentals of robotics while understanding algorithms and develop their attention to detail and problem-solving skills at a very young age.

Begin Robotics (Future Learn):

In this four-week course, you will learn everything from an introduction to robotics and robot anatomy to cybernetics and control and robot behavior. With just three hours a week behind the scenes, kids will be introduced to the complex field of robotics at an early age.

Techy Kids:

Online educational platform Techy Kids has come up with the Covid-19 Relief Free Online Course for kids to utilize their idle time during the lockdown. Through this course, kids can learn hands-on the intricacies of robotics for free. From an introduction to robotics with the Thymeo simulator to modeling Tinkercad programs, this course teaches kids about sensors, robotics, and visual programming.