By the year 2005, nearly 1 million robots will be employed
worldwide in such trades as the automotive industry,
electronics, and medicine. Growth in the United States
robot market was reported at +38%.
Unfortunately, robots got a bad reputation in Hollywood,
where they have been portrayed as destructive “battle
bots,” or even worse, as evil pseudo-human killers.
In reality, robots are any device that can follow a
set of instructions and respond to stimuli sensed in
the environment. Just as a robot does not have to look
human, we certainly don’t want a robot to work like
one.
Robotics is the ultimate blend between industrial arts
and computer technology. Robotic engineers and technicians
design, build, install, and repair robots—and even do
a little programming along the way. Companies need people
who understand robotics and automation systems, and
who are good with their hands and their minds. Learning
about robotics can be lucrative for any student, as
the growth of this job market increases rapidly over
the next ten years.
A robot is an inherently great teacher, because it
gives immediate feedback to the student’s actions. It
improves thinking and self-esteem. Plus, students love
working with robots. The best way to use robots in an
educational environment is to give the kids a problem
to solve or a system to simulate, and then turn them
loose.
Whichever area of education you teach, whether it’s
industrial arts, science, technology or home school,
you will love using our experiential learning kits in
your curriculum. Lego provides excellent kits for pre-middle
school students, while fischertechnik makes a fischer
robot kit geared for high school students. AS-M Intelligent
Robots by Grandar allow beginners to create and activate
programs in just minutes—no experience necessary. Advanced
users will also love ASM’s ability to experiment with
Artificial Intelligence.
