Robôs móveis programáveis como uma plataforma hands-on para programação básica

Las plataformas robóticas móviles se usan en diferentes contextos de la educación. El estado del arte muestra 197 artículos publicado al respecto en los últimos diez años. Latinoamérica enfrenta problema de baja matrícula de estudiantes de ingeniería. En Colombia, el programa SPADIES destaca a la ausencia de motivación e interacción con artefactos reales como un aspecto importante para abandonar los estudios. En este trabajo se reporta la implementación de una plataforma compuesta por un set de robots móviles y de herramientas software web-responsives para programación a diferentes niveles de conocimiento. La serie de robots se implementó con sensores de proximidad, trayectoria, iluminación, inercia y visión, e incluyó herramientas como bluetooth y LEDs-ring  y un soporte mecánico para un marcador borrable. Las herramientas web-responsives soportan la programación básica para novatos, mientras que Python y ANSI-C hacen lo propio para estudiantes de los niveles intermedio y avanzado.Nowadays, mobile robots platforms are being used in different education contexts. The state of the art shows that 197 papers have been published in this area knowledge over ten years. Latin America faces a problem regarding the enrolled students in engineering programs. The SPADIES program (Colombia) affirms that the lack of motivation and interaction with real artifacts relating theory and practice is an important aspect for dropout. In this work, a platform composed by a set of programmable mobile robots, and a WEB-responsive software tool for programming at different levels of knowledge were implemented. The set of mobile robots were implemented with proximity, trajectory, light, inertial, and vision sensors; also, tools such as Bluetooth and LEDs-ring are included; and, a mechanical support for an erasable marker. The WEB-responsive tool supports graphical programming for novice, Python programming for middle, and ANSI-C for advanced level learners. As plataformas robóticas móveis são usadas em diferentes contextos de ensino. O estado da arte mostra que 197 artigos foram publicados nesta área de conhecimento em um período de dez anos.  A América Latina enfrenta um problema de baixa de inscrição de estudantes de engenharia. Na Colômbia, o programa SPADIES destaca como a falta de motivação e interação com artefatos reais relacionados com a teoria e prática é um aspecto importante na hora de abandonar os estudos. Este artigo descreve a implementação de uma plataforma composta de um conjunto de robôs móveis e de ferramentas software web-responsives para programação em diferentes níveis de conhecimento. Os robôs móveis foram implementados com sensores de proximidade, trajetória, iluminação, inércia e visão, sendo incluídas ferramentas como bluetooth e LEDs-ring e um suporte mecânico para um marcador apagável. As ferramentas web-responsives suportam a programação básica para novatos, enquanto Python e ANSI-C fazem o mesmo para alunos de níveis intermediário e avançado.

Development of a set of mobile robots for basic programming experimentation

Las plataformas de robots móviles se usan contextos educativos a nivel de básica primaria, secundaria y a nivel universitario. Una revisión del estado del arte muestra que 197 artículos han sido publicados en esta área de conocimiento en los últimos 10 años [1]. Actualmente, América Latina enfrenta serios problemas en la inscripción de estudiantes en los programas de Ingeniería, registrando un graduado en Ingeniería por cada 4500 a 10000 personas [2] dependiendo de cada país. En Colombia, el programa SPADIES [3] afirma que la falta de motivación e interacción con artefactos reales relacionando la teoría y la práctica es un aspecto importante en la deserción. En este trabajo, se desarrolló un conjunto de robots móviles programables para personas con diferentes niveles de conocimiento, como una herramienta para la experimentación en programación básica. El conjunto de robots móviles incorporan sensores de proximidad, línea, luz, inerciales y visión; también los robots integran herramientas tales como Bluetooth y un anillo de LEDs son incluidos, y un soporte mecánico para un marcador borrable.  Estos robots móviles consolidan una herramienta práctica para introducir a los estudiantes a la Ciencia, Tecnología, Ingeniería y Matemáticas. Los resultados reportados en este artículo muestran la funcionalidad de los robots móviles al ser programados usando los diferentes niveles de complejidad.Mobile robots platforms are being used in different Educational contexts such as primary, middle and high school levels of education. A review of the state of the art shows that 197 papers have been published in this field of knowledge over the last 10 years [1]. Nowadays, Latin America faces a serious problem regarding student enrollment in engineering programs with a ratio of one graduated Engineer per every 4500 to 10000 people [2] depending on country. In Colombia, the SPADIES program [3] states that an important aspect of the dropout was due to the lack of motivation and interaction of students with real artifacts that linked the theory and the practice. In this work, a set of programmable mobile robots were developed considering different levels of knowledge, as a tool for basic programming experimentation. The set of mobile robots embodies sensors for proximity, line, light, inertial, and vision. Moreover, this set also incorporates tools such as Bluetooth, LEDs-ring and, a mechanical support for an erasable marker. This set of mobile robots consolidates a hands-on tool to introduce students to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The results reported in this paper show the mobile robots functionality when they are programmed using different levels of complexity

The Industry and Policy Context for Digital Games for Empowerment and Inclusion:Market Analysis, Future Prospects and Key Challenges in Videogames, Serious Games and Gamification

The effective use of digital games for empowerment and social inclusion (DGEI) of people and communities at risk of exclusion will be shaped by, and may influence the development of a range of sectors that supply products, services, technology and research. The principal industries that would appear to be implicated are the 'videogames' industry, and an emerging 'serious games' industry. The videogames industry is an ecosystem of developers, publishers and other service providers drawn from the interactive media, software and broader ICT industry that services the mainstream leisure market in games, The 'serious games' industry is a rather fragmented and growing network of firms, users, research and policy makers from a variety of sectors. This emerging industry is are trying to develop knowledge, products, services and a market for the use of digital games, and products inspired by digital games, for a range of non-leisure applications. This report provides a summary of the state of play of these industries, their trajectories and the challenges they face. It also analyses the contribution they could make to exploiting digital games for empowerment and social inclusion. Finally, it explores existing policy towards activities in these industries and markets, and draws conclusions as to the future policy relevance of engaging with them to support innovation and uptake of effective digital game-based approaches to empowerment and social inclusion.JRC.J.3-Information Societ

Autonomous decision-making for socially interactive robots

Mención Internacional en el título de doctorThe aim of this thesis is to present a novel decision-making system based on bio-inspired concepts to decide the actions to make during the interaction between humans and robots. We use concepts from nature to make the robot may behave analogously to a living being for a better acceptance by people. The system is applied to autonomous Socially Interactive Robots that works in environments with users. These objectives are motivated by the need of having robots collaborating, entertaining or helping in educational tasks for real situations with children or elder people where the robot has to behave socially. Moreover, the decision-making system can be integrated into this kind of robots in order to learn how to act depending on the user profile the robot is interacting with. The decision-making system proposed in this thesis is a solution to all these issues in addition to a complement for interactive learning in HRI. We also show real applications of the system proposed applying it in an educational scenario, a situation where the robot can learn and interact with different kinds of people. The last goal of this thesis is to develop a robotic architecture that is able to learn how to behave in different contexts where humans and robots coexist. For that purpose, we design a modular and portable robotic architecture that is included in several robots. Including well-known software engineering techniques together with innovative agile software development procedures that produces an easily extensible architecture.El objetivo de esta tesis es presentar un novedoso sistema de toma de decisiones basado en conceptos bioinspirados para decidir las acciones a realizar durante la interacción entre personas y robots. Usamos conceptos de la naturaleza para hacer que el robot pueda comportarse análogamente a un ser vivo para una mejor aceptación por las personas. El sistema está desarrollado para que se pueda aplicar a los llamados Robots Socialmente Interactivos que están destinados a entornos con usuarios. Estos objetivos están motivados por la necesidad de tener robots en tareas de colaboración, entretenimiento o en educación en situaciones reales con niños o personas mayores en las cuales el robot debe comportarse siguiendo las normas sociales. Además, el sistema de toma de decisiones es integrado en estos tipos de robots con el fin de que pueda aprender a actuar dependiendo del perfil de usuario con el que el robot está interactuando. El sistema de toma de decisiones que proponemos en esta tesis es una solución a todos estos desafíos además de un complemento para el aprendizaje interactivo en la interacción humano-robot. También mostramos aplicaciones reales del sistema propuesto aplicándolo en un escenario educativo, una situación en la que el robot puede aprender e interaccionar con diferentes tipos de personas. El último objetivo de esta tesis es desarrollar un arquitectura robótica que sea capaz de aprender a comportarse en diferentes contextos donde las personas y los robots coexistan. Con ese propósito, diseñamos una arquitectura robótica modular y portable que está incluida en varios robots. Incluyendo técnicas bien conocidas de ingeniería del software junto con procedimientos innovadores de desarrollo de sofware ágil que producen una arquitectura fácilmente extensible.Programa Oficial de Doctorado en Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y AutomáticaPresidente: Fabio Bonsignorio.- Secretario: María Dolores Blanco Rojas.- Vocal: Martin Stoele

WebAL Comes of Age: A review of the first 21 years of Artificial Life on the Web

We present a survey of the first 21 years of web-based artificial life (WebAL) research and applications, broadly construed to include the many different ways in which artificial life and web technologies might intersect. Our survey covers the period from 1994—when the first WebAL work appeared—up to the present day, together with a brief discussion of relevant precursors. We examine recent projects, from 2010–2015, in greater detail in order to highlight the current state of the art. We follow the survey with a discussion of common themes and methodologies that can be observed in recent work and identify a number of likely directions for future work in this exciting area

Academic Framework for Teaching Robot Programming at University

This paper presents a framework for teaching robotics at engineering university degrees in a practical way. It is open source, multiplatform (Linux, Windows, MacOS) and emphasizes the programming of the robot intelligence. It consists of a collection of exercises of several types, which are similar to the new robotic applications (autonomous vehicles, drones, vacuum cleaners...). It uses the Gazebo simulator and the Python programming language. For each exercise an academic application has been created which performs all the auxiliary tasks like graphical interface, connection to the sensors and actuators, timing of the code, etc. and hosts the student’s code, who can focus on the perception and control algorithms. Each academic application combines an infrastructure part, which it is provided and remains hidden, and the student part, who simply fills a form file with the robot logic for such exercise. It has been successfully used in several subjects at engineering degree, master and robotics introductory courses

Teaching and learning in virtual worlds: is it worth the effort?

Educators have been quick to spot the enormous potential afforded by virtual worlds for situated and authentic learning, practising tasks with potentially serious consequences in the real world and for bringing geographically dispersed faculty and students together in the same space (Gee, 2007; Johnson and Levine, 2008). Though this potential has largely been realised, it generally isn’t without cost in terms of lack of institutional buy-in, steep learning curves for all participants, and lack of a sound theoretical framework to support learning activities (Campbell, 2009; Cheal, 2007; Kluge & Riley, 2008). This symposium will explore the affordances and issues associated with teaching and learning in virtual worlds, all the time considering the question: is it worth the effort

Transforming pre-service teacher curriculum: observation through a TPACK lens

This paper will discuss an international online collaborative learning experience through the lens of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The teacher knowledge required to effectively provide transformative learning experiences for 21st century learners in a digital world is complex, situated and changing. The discussion looks beyond the opportunity for knowledge development of content, pedagogy and technology as components of TPACK towards the interaction between those three components. Implications for practice are also discussed. In today’s technology infused classrooms it is within the realms of teacher educators, practising teaching and pre-service teachers explore and address effective practices using technology to enhance learning

Empirical Evidence of the Usage of Programming Languages in the Educational Process

Contribution: A systematic literature review on the empirical evidence regarding the usage of programming languages for learning purposes is presented. The review analyzes different methods and tools at different educational levels and with different objectives. Background: Learning programming has gained relevance in the last decade. This is due to the massive presence of programmable elements ranging from computers to toys. Because of this, the interest of researchers on this topic has increased. Questions, such as what to use, in what educational stages to use it, the effectiveness of the method, and the focal objectives for learning programming are questions that do not have obvious answers. Research Questions: 1) What empirical evidence exists on the use of educational programming languages (EPLs)? 2) In what context is the research performed? 3) How is effectiveness reported in the literature after applying EPLs? 4) What pedagogical goals are achieved by using EPLs? Methodology: Following a formal protocol, automated searches were performed for primary studies from 2007 to 2018. A total of 62 studies were identified, of which 29 were selected and analyzed since they include some type of empirical evidence. Findings: After performing the evaluation, the results support the need for better approaches with empirical evidence when reporting research on the usage of EPLs. Some research opportunities are identified which concerns the used programming languages, the areas or stages of their application, or the need to have more empirical evidence in general and more studies in non-WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic) contexts.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad RTI2018-101204-B-C22Agencia Estatal de Investigación TIN2017-90644-REDTMinisterio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades RTI2018-094283-B-C3

The Langara Voice - November 16, 2017

This issue of the Langara Voice includes headline stories "Fire hall to go green," "Sorry, wait till fall 2018," "Historic shipyard at risk," "Grad stars in play," "West coast goal," and "Housing debate.