Abstract
This paper describes a two-month summer intensive course designed to introduce participants with a hands-on technical craft on robotics and to acquire experience in the low-level details of embedded systems. Attendants started this course with a brief introduction to robotics; learned to draw, design and create a personalized 3D structure for their mobile robotic platform and developed skills in embedded systems. They were familiarize with the practices used in robotics, learning to connect all sensors and actuator, developing a typical application on differential kinematic using Arduino, exploring ROS features under Raspberry Pi environment and Arduino – Raspberry Pi communication. Different paradigms and some real applications and programming were addressed on the topic of Artificial Intelligence. Throughout the course, participants were introduced to programming languages (including Python and C++), advanced programming concepts such as ROS, basic API development, system concepts such as I2C and UART serial interfaces, PWM motor control and sensor fusion to improve robotic navigation and localization. This paper describes not just the concept, layout and methodology used on RobotCraft 2017 but also presents the participants knowledge background and their overall opinions, leading to focus on lessons learned and suggestions for future editions.
Highlights
Robotics are very attractive subjects in the field of engineering, robots are often used as a teaching tool and Robotics Summer Camps and extra-curricular activities have even been created for students [1,2,3,4,5]
The primarily focus of the Robotics programs are different, while a Computer Science robotics program may focus on the high-level algorithms used for image recognition and navigation, a mechanical engineering program may focus on the manipulation of servos and motors to complete specific tasks
The advantage to have less students was an advantage for the participants, when we compare with traditional classes with 25 students in each class, here for each group we have one robot, 4 participants each group, in this way we provide better orientation and enables the teacher to work with each student individually according to individual abilities, and with 24 groups it was possible to manage the 84 participants with 8 teachers working each day, staying 3 groups for each teacher
Summary
Robotics are very attractive subjects in the field of engineering, robots are often used as a teaching tool and Robotics Summer Camps and extra-curricular activities have even been created for students [1,2,3,4,5]. RobotCraft [11] is an international internship with a summer course in robotics designed especially for BSc to PhD students. The students attending this 2-months program have the opportunity to work in robotics, focusing on several state-of-the-art approaches and technologies. The summer course, in its second edition and entitled as the 2nd Robotics Craftsmanship International Academy (RobotCraft 2017), provides a general overview of the science and art behind robotics, teaching the basics of Arduino [12] programming and Robotics Operating System (ROS) [13]. Attendants learned how to design, build and program their robots throughout multiple crafts, carefully prepared to provide a wide range of skills and knowledge in the topic. Introduction to robotics, describing the history of robotics and its evolution
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
