Movement Task Using Sensors - Humans and Robots
A LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 robot's sensors assist its movement.Copyright Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:40365_Line_Follower_Robot.jpg
This activity helps students understand the significance of programming and also how the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® robot's sensors assist its movement and make programming easier. Students compare human senses to robot sensors, describing similarities and differences.
Biological engineers and neuroscientists perceive the human body as a functioning, controlled system, similar to a robot. Through this activity, students relate the similarities and differences between human senses and robot sensors. They see how a program is similar to the messages sent to human brains.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Compare the functions of the components involved in movement in both a human body and a robot.
- Program an NXT robot to move, based on the input it received from a sensor.