Soziale Roboter im Technikunterricht. Entwicklung und Evaluation von Einsatzszenarien

Der vorliegende Artikel beschäftigt sich mit der Entwicklung und Evaluation von Einsatzszenarien für soziale Roboter im Technikunterricht. Dabei wurde das Educational Design Research-Verfahren angewendet, um zunächst Probleme zu analysieren und Lernziele zu formulieren. Anschließend wurden konkrete Einsatzszenarien entwickelt und mithilfe von Experteninterviews evaluiert, um die Szenarien zu überarbeiten und zu verbessern. Die Arbeit zielt darauf ab, spezifische Einsatzszenarien für soziale Roboter im Technikunterricht zu entwickeln, die pädagogischen Mehrwert bieten und auf dem Modell der Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) basieren. (DIPF/Orig.

Design study of an earthquake rescue robot

This thesis describes the design of a brush robot for earthquake rescue and for traversing pipes with varied cross sectional shape. Earthquake rescue is a very dangerous, difficult and challenging task, in which emergency services rescue people who are trapped in man-made structures, such as collapsed buildings after an earthquake. The building collapse may have been caused by natural or man-made events. This technology is also applicable to tunnel collapse and land slips. The focus of this work is finding the location of victims and provision of primary life support and communications. To illustrate the concept of the robot, the thesis first discusses the current development of rescue robots and pipe robots. Then the thesis focuses on the description of a brush based pipe robot, developed by the University of Durham, which would be used as the basis of an earthquake rescue robot. The concept of the robot was illustrated and compared with other current rescue robots and pipe robots. After outlining the advantages of this robot concept, a robot body shape change theory was proposed and theoretical simulations were used to verily the practicality of the robot shape change theory. The thesis also illustrates the design of the working principle and design of a robot sensor, which was subsequently used in the robot shape change experiments. The robot body shape change experiments and the experimental results are described and discussed. The experimental results illustrate the robot concept and support the robot body shape change theory. Chapter 6 focuses on the brush unit traction investigation, bristle theory and mathematical model. Furthermore, the bristle theory and mathematical model were used to explain the variation of traction force in the traction experiments

This time it’s different : työn loppumisen tulevaisuuden historia

Kansainvälinen keskustelu teknologisesta työttömyydestä on 1930-luvun lamasta asti toistunut parinkymmenen vuoden välein. Tässä työssä tarkastellaan automaatiokeskustelua, joka ulottui Suomeen 1970–80-lukujen vaihteessa ja jälleen 1990-luvun puolivälissä. Tarkoituksena on ymmärtää, miksi keskustelu toistuu ja millaista keskustelua aiheesta on käyty? Tutkimuksen aineisto koostuu Helsingin Sanomissa 1977–1999 julkaistuista kirjoituksista. Täydennän niiden muodostamaa kuvaa muilla dokumenteilla, joihin Helsingin Sanomat viittasi artikkeleissaan. Tarkastelen aineistoa tekstianalyysin avulla ja liitän keskustelun kansainväliseen kehykseensä. Julkinen keskustelu teknologisesta työttömyydestä käynnistyy tilanteissa, joissa korkea työttömyys yhdistyy teknologiseen murrokseen. Huolta aiheuttaa varsinkin automaation ulottuminen uusille talouden sektoreille. Teknologisen työttömyyden uhkaa on käytetty poliittisen mobilisoinnin välineenä. Uhkiin vaadittiin ratkaisuja, joita olen tässä työssä kutsunut teknologisen muutoksen sovittelun mekanismeiksi. Näitä olivat esimerkiksi työajan lyhentäminen, koulutus ja työn käsitteen uudelleen määritteleminen. Automaatiokeskustelun toistuminen kertoo teknologis-taloudellisen kehityksen dynamiikasta, muutokseen sopeutumisesta ja uusien sosiaalis-institutionaalisten rakenteiden muodostamisesta. Tästä näkökulmasta katsottuna varoitukset työn lopusta tai automaation tuomasta massatyöttömyydestä eivät näyttäydy väärinä ennusteina vaan kamppailuna teknologisen murroksen vaatimista sopeutumisen mekanismeista. Teknologinen työttömyys on mahdollinen poliittisten valintojen ja yhteiskunnallisten kehityskulkujen seuraus.Since the Great Depression of 1930s technological unemployment debates have re-emerged every 20 years. This thesis examines the automation debates in Finland in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and again in the mid-1990s. The aim is to understand, why the debate re-emerges and what is the nature of the debate? The sources of the study consists of articles published in 1977–1999 in Helsingin Sanomat. Newspaper articles are complemented with other documents referred to by Helsingin Sanomat. Text analysis is used to study the documents and emerging narratives are incorporated with international context. A public debate on technological unemployment begins in situations where high unemployment combines with technological revolution. Automation anxiety was especially caused by the penetration of automation into new sectors of the economy. Technological unemployment has served as a tool for political mobilization calling for solutions to threats from new technology. In this work these solutions are referred as mediation mechanisms of technological change. Reducing working hours, education and redefining the concept of work are examples of these mediation mechanisms that emerged in the debate. The recurrence of the automation debate tells about the dynamics of techno-economic development, adaptation to change, and the production of new socio-institutional structures. From this point of view ‘the end of work’ or the threat of mass unemployment do not appear as false predictions but as arguments for required and necessary mediation mechanisms of technological change. Technological unemployment is a potential consequence of political choices and development of the society

Bricks for Building Empathy: An Action Research Study Assessing the Impact of Robotics on Elementary Students’ Empathy Towards Individuals With Disabilities

Empathy helps us understand and respond appropriately to how others feel. It allows us to establish meaningful connections to those around us at home, school, work, and in society. The education system has realized the importance of social-emotional skills and have started implementing programs to help students develop these skills. Businesses have also started developing principles and practices that center around empathy and perspective-taking. The purpose of this action research was to assess the impact of robotics on fifth grade students’ empathy towards people with disabilities. This study aimed to answer the following research questions: (1) How does using robotics effect students’ empathy? and (2) How does the innovation impact fifth grade students’ perceptions of individuals with disabilities? Fifth grade students at Burton Academy within the researcher’s classroom participated in a disability scenario in which they programmed a Lego Boost Robot to assist a person with a disability achieve a given task. In order to assess the impact of this innovation, quantitative data was collected through the use of a 20-item pre- and post-survey. In addition, qualitative data was collected through individual interviews and student response journals. Participants’ names and the name of the school were replaced with pseudonyms. Using descriptive statistics and inductive analysis, each data source was analyzed separately and the findings were merged in order to draw conclusions. The innovation had no statistically significant impacts on overall empathy, cognitive empathy, and affective empathy as measured by the Basic Empathy Scale. The qualitative findings of this study revealed four themes. These themes include: (a) the innovation increased students’ understanding of people with disabilities and realization that they aren’t treated well, (b) students perceive disabilities to severely limit participation in everyday life and impact families, (c) the innovation increased empathy and improved manner of treating others, and (d) the participants value empathy. Implications include the implementation of robotics in the classroom as a tool to teach empathy and other skills and increasing disability awareness in children and adults