[robocup-humanoid] Humanoid Robots- NEED EXPERT ADVICE

[AMY EGUCHI]

Beside from Bioloid, Robotis actually has many educational kits:
http://en.robotis.com/index/product.php?cate_code=121010

Robotis Darwin Mini is much cheaper (plastic) and kind of cute:
http://en.robotis.com/index/product.php?cate_code=121310

However, not the same effect as Nao or Darwin OP has...

amy


On Fri, Oct 9, 2015 at 9:02 PM, Damien Kee <damien at domabotics.com> wrote:

> Makes sense, although Humanoid platform doesn't automatically imply an
> advanced programming language.
>
> As for platforms, have you seen the bioloids?
> http://www.tribotix.com/Products/Robotis/Bioloid/Bioloid.htm
>
> or the ones from Lynxmotion
> http://www.lynxmotion.com/c-181-pete.aspx
>
> They don't look as slick, but are considerably cheaper.  ($7k for a NAO is
> pretty good compared to what they were just a year ago!)
>
> Regards
> Damien Kee
>
> On 9 October 2015 at 08:38, Sara <siatau at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Thanks Damien! That is my approach as well and everything you mention is
>> exactly what I believe. I also see how the humanoid system has advanced
>> programming language skills which can be beneficial for some students. In
>> some research I have done, I see that humanoids (already built) robots are
>> very appealing and can be effective pedagogy to our Autistic clientele. In
>> Quebec, we have 1 out of 66 children who are diagnosed with Autism. By the
>> year 2025, research is showing 1 out 12. Plus, these kids are linear
>> thinkers which could be interesting to explore. As such, would like to
>> experiment with a humanoid type robot first.
>>
>> Does that make sense?
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Oct 8, 2015, at 5:33 PM, Damien Kee <damien at domabotics.com> wrote:
>>
>> I'm going to be "that person" and ask what I believe is the fundamental
>> question, "what are you trying to teach?"  I view robotics not as a subject
>> but as a tool for teaching STEM topics.  We're not teaching robotics, we're
>> using robotics as a really engaging way of teaching STEM concepts.  All
>> educational decisions need to first address what is trying to be achieved,
>> and then as a secondary measure, identifying the tools that can be used to
>> teach those concepts.  If robots are a good fit to teach those concepts,
>> then that's great, otherwise you look to other technologies / tools to
>> teach those concepts.
>>
>> Why do you need to use humanoids for teaching?  This is a genuinely open
>> question.  Is there something that a humanoid platform enables that other
>> platforms don't?  More engagement?  More context to robots in society?  All
>> are valid approaches.
>>
>> If the concepts can be taught with a simpler / cheaper system, then as an
>> educational organisation this is probably a better way to go.  How many
>> LEGO/VEX/Arduino kits can you purchase for the same price as one humanoid?
>>
>> Me personally, I'd prefer to buy 100 arduino kits and reach 100x more
>> students than a NAO (US$20,000???)
>>
>> Just my 2cents worth (although worth a lot less with the current AUD/USD
>> exchange rate!)
>>
>> cheers
>> damo
>>
>> On 9 October 2015 at 02:23, AMY EGUCHI <amy_eguchi at bloomfield.edu> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Sara,
>>>
>>> I know some school teachers (all from private schools) using NAO in the
>>> U.S. With NAO, you can use Choreographe to start programming NAO. The code
>>> created with Choreographe can be opened with Python. Those students (event
>>> they are high school students) are all using Choreographe at this point.
>>>
>>> If you are interested, I can introduce you to the teacher who has been
>>> using NAO for last two years.
>>>
>>>
>>> cheers amy
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Oct 8, 2015 at 12:14 PM, Sara Iatauro <siatau at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dear RoboCup Colleagues,
>>>>
>>>> Hope this message finds you well. As some of you may know, I am an
>>>> educational consultant for 68 schools in STEM (Science & Robotics) for both
>>>> primary and secondary inclusive education groups. I have received a large
>>>> grant to implement robotics in all our schools over the next 3 years. The
>>>> system we are using are EV3, VEX, some Arduino right now. I am trying to
>>>> move the Secondary schools especially to all use Arduino. I am in the
>>>> process of getting them all set-up for material and training. With this
>>>> initiative, I am hoping to adopt a more computer science/ technical model
>>>> as many of your international schools would probably have. The province of
>>>> Quebec, Canada Secondary schools are really lagging behind compared to many
>>>> of your country schools or programs. I have also witnessed and seen this
>>>> from many RoboCup events over the years.
>>>>
>>>> One of my next school programs I am looking at is Humanoid Robot
>>>> systems. I am looking to all of you as experts to enlighten me on which
>>>> humanoid I should look at implementing at the Secondary level in the near
>>>> future. Would it be the NAO or Darwin or another one?
>>>>
>>>> Thank you for your help,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
>>>> Sara Iatauro, PhD. (STEM scholar)
>>>> “Educating the mind without educating
>>>> the heart is no education at all.”   - *Aristotle*
>>>> <http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2192.Aristotle>
>>>> *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> **************************************
>>> Amy Eguchi, PhD
>>> Associate Professor of Education
>>> Bloomfield College
>>> 467 Franklin Street
>>> Bloomfield, NJ 07003
>>> 973.748.9000 ext. 1122/1110
>>> amy_eguchi at bloomfield.edu
>>> emiamy at post.harvard.edu
>>>
>>> ******* Peace on Earth ************
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>


-- 
**************************************
Amy Eguchi, PhD
Associate Professor of Education
Bloomfield College
467 Franklin Street
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
973.748.9000 ext. 1122/1110
amy_eguchi at bloomfield.edu
emiamy at post.harvard.edu

******* Peace on Earth ************