Commanding a Robot Using Sound
Can robots hear?Copyright GK-12 Program, Computational Neurobiology Center, College of Engineering, University of Missouri
Students continue their exploration of the human senses and their engineering counterparts, focusing on the auditory sense. Working in small groups, students design, create and run programs to control the motion of LEGO® TaskBots. By doing this, they increase their understanding of the use and function of sound sensors, gain experience writing robot programs, and reinforce their understanding of the sensory process.
**Note: This activity uses the retired LEGO NXT robot which is no longer available for purchase.
Biological engineers and neuroscientists perceive the human body as a functioning, controlled system, similar to a robot. Research is showing that mathematical principles similar to those used in robotics are extremely useful or even necessary for a complete understanding of the human body. This activity compares the human senses with similar electronic robot sensors. Researchers study how pressure sensors in the human fingers and multiple fingers work, so that they can design efficient robotic hands. Researchers also study how the human eye works to help engineers design cameras with higher performance and speed.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain how the five human senses work using anatomy terminology.
- Compare the human senses to the electronic sensors in a robot.
- Program a LEGO robot with sensors to follow sound commands.
- Describe at a fundamental level how sensors are integrated into robots via logic and computer programming.