A Children's Introduction to Robotics
By Ben Axelrod
Description
I made this 10 minute video to give kids a realistic notion of what
robots can and cannot do.� (The robots in the movies are mostly
fantasy).� I also wanted to show kids some of the exciting things going
on in robotics today.� This will hopefully encourage the budding
scientists or engineers.� Being interested in robotics for quite some
time, I have gathered a lot of really neat robot videos from the web.�
I did my best to put some interesting and amazing things into this
video.� Being a children's video, I do make some gross
oversimplifications.� However, I also toss in a few big words for
them.� I think most people should learn a thing or two.� ;-)
I presented this video at the Tuscola Library to about 10 kids.� I�showed them one of my�robots and we played a robot game. �Here are some pictures from the event:
� 
Disclaimer
I do not claim any ownership of these video clips. They are all
copyrighted property of their original creators.� I am only
re-displaying them here for your enjoyment.� I created my video under
the Free Use License.� These clips are only to be used in educational
settings. �If you feel I have misrepresented you or your robots in any
way, please contact me. � Also please
contact me with any broken links.
Robot descriptions companion guide. This is a description of all the robots in this video in order of appearance.
Robot Video Repository
These are all the uncut clips from my video, and a few that didn't make it into the video.� I arranged them roughly into the categories I used in the video.Wheeled Robots
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| nBot by David P. Anderson | uBot by UMass Amherst� | Dartmouth Robotics Lab |
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| GOAT robot by CMU | NASA Mars Rover | Rotundus Listen
to a NPR broadcast about this robot |
BEAM robots
      |
| BEAM videos by Solarbotics |
Hexapod Robots (6 legs)
 |
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| Asterisk robot by Osaka University's Arai Lab | LAURON III by Institut de Rob�tica i Inform�tica industrial |
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  |
| Hex Crawler robot kit | RHEX |
Household Robots
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| Robomower by Friendly Robotics | Roomba by iRobot Listen
to a NPR broadcast about iRobot |
Industrial Robots
      |
| Various industrial robots by Fanuc Robotics |
The KHR1 Robot
        |
| KHR1 robot by Kondo (movies here) |
Micromouse Robots (maze solving robots)
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| Competition videos by Micromouse UK |
Modular Robots
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   |
| 4-module robot by Cornell University Listen
to a NPR broadcast about this robot Listen
to broadcast 2 |
Modular robots by Palo Alto Research Center |
  |
 |
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| Snake robot by Dr. Gavin Miller | Cellular Automata�by Dartmouth University | OmniTread by University of Michigan |
Team Robots
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| Ants robots by MIT |
  |
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| Team robots by University of South California | Distributed mapping by University of Washington |
The QRIO Robot
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| Sony QRIO |
Quadruped Robots (4 legs)
 |
 |
 |
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| Fastest AIBO walk by UT Austin | Scout II by McGill University | Thing robot by UMass, Amherst | ? |
Biped Robots (2 legs)
  |
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| BIP robot by INRIA | RABBIT robot by Laboratoire d'Automatique de Grenoble |
   |
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| HONDA Asimo robot
(movies here) Listen
to a NPR broadcast about Asimo |
Toddler robot by MIT Listen
to a NPR broadcast about this robot |
Remote Control Robots
 |
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| Robonaut by NASA | Robocup Rescue |
  |
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| Rescue robot by CMU | ? |
Robocup (robotic soccer competition)
      |
| Robocup Listen
to a NPR broadcast about robocup |
Insect Inspired Robots
   � 
� � � |
| Whegs, BILL-Ant, Cricket, and Cockroach�by Case Western Reserve University |
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| Roach Coach
by University of California-Irvine Listen
to a NPR broadcast about CMU's robot receptionist |
Misc. Movies
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 |
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| Origami robot by Dartmouth University | ? Listen
to a NPR broadcast about CMU's robot receptionist |
Dexter by UMass, Amherst |
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 � � |
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| Lemur robot by Stanford University� | Pow robot drummer by Georgia Tech | da Vinci Robot Surgery by USC Listen
to a NPR broadcast about the da Vinci system |
Robosapian Music Videos
Misc. Audio
Listen
to a NPR broadcast about the history and current�developments of AIMy List of the best robot songs ever:
- Mr. Roboto - Styx
- Robot Trouble - Barcelona (Listen to it in this music video)
- Tiny Machines - Skavoovie & the Epitones
- Giant Robot-Birdhead - The Aquabats
- The Humans are Dead and Binary Solo - Flight of the Conchords
- Robot High School - My Robot Friend
- The Trons - A robot band
- The Bit-52's - The World's Greatest Robot Parts Band playing The B-52's Rock Lobster
- More to come! �Send me your favorite robot songs.
I created my video with Ulead VideoStudio 9.� It is a great program for home use.� They give you a 30 day free trial and the software is not limited in any way.� It is much more powerful than the Windows Movie Maker that comes with Windows XP.� In keeping with my views on open source code, here is the VideoStudio project file.� Maybe you can elaborate and expand the video.� I would love to hear about it if you do.�
To do in next version of video:
- Robot Surgery
- Robot ant, cricket, cockroach (Case Western)
- Rotundus
- MIT Toddler
- Passive walkers
- GT Pow