Robot Sensors and Sound
Robots are capable of performing human tasks because of their use of sensors.Copyright 2007 Richard Greenhill and Hugo Elias, Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shadow_Hand_Bulb_large.jpg
Students continue to build a rigorous background in human sensors and their engineering equivalents by learning about electronic touch, light, sound and ultrasonic sensors that measure physical quantities somewhat like eyes, ears and skin. Specifically, they learn about microphones as one example of sound sensors, how sounds differ (intensity, pitch) and the components of sound waves (wavelength, period, frequency, amplitude). Using microphones connected to computers running (free) Audacity® software, student teams experiment with machine-generated sounds and their own voices and observe the resulting sound waves on the screen, helping them to understand that sounds are waves. Students take pre/post quizzes, complete a worksheet and watch two short online videos about "seeing" sound.
**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. Engineer-designed sensors are used in a wide variety of applications, everything from nightlights to touchscreens to navigation by sonar and radar By relating the functioning of human senses to human-made equivalent sensors used in robots, students heighten their understanding of both.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- List some human-made sensors that are the electronic equivalents to human sensory organs.
- Explain the operational principles of electronic sensors.
- Compare how a sound sensor (such as a microphone) works, compared to human ears.
- Describe sound in terms of pitch, as well as in the form of a sound wave.