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Ask HN: Best way to learn robotics with a 10 year old?

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Re: Ask HN: Best way to learn robotics with a 10 year old?

#81

Post by GordonS »

psychomugs wrote: post #69

Plugging my own robot: Blossom is an open-source social robot made from 3D-printed or lasercut parts and a crocheted / knit cover. https://github.com/hrc2/blossom-public It's basically a floating head that others have customized with more functionality (e.g. cameras, microphones, screens, control with a phone) for research applications in human-robot interaction (education, telepresence, an assistant for ADHD task-fo…

Wow, really impressed with this! I'm sure my kids would absolutely love to build something like this, just as I would :)

Is there some kind of guide available? I've never built something like this before, but have some XP with Rpi and breadboarding. Oh, and I don't have a 3D printer.

Re: Ask HN: Best way to learn robotics with a 10 year old?

#82

Post by rahimnathwani »

mknapper1 wrote: post #45

I’ve been a middle school and high school robotics coach for a number of years. I think VEX robotics makes the best products to teach kids of any age robotics. https://www.vexrobotics.com/ You buy a relatively affordable kit of parts, but then you are free to assemble and program the bit in whatever way imaginable. VEX annually comes out with new games and challenges for your robot to be able to complete. There are t…

My son has this Apitor kit: https://www.amazon.com/Apitor-App-Enabled-Dinosaur-Building-...

It's similar to Vex in that:

- you use a tablet to control the motor(s) using controls (like a remote controller) or code (like Scratch)

- the motors can be connected to different things (e.g. wheels) depending on how you put it together

- it has sensors as well as motors

I think Vex is a bit more modular in some ways. My son's Apitor kit comes with a proximity sensor and a color sensor, but I think with Vex you can choose which sensor(s) to attach to your build.

Re: Ask HN: Best way to learn robotics with a 10 year old?

#83

Post by Dowwie »

lnsru wrote: post #65

My advice as a parent and electrical engineer. Buy kits. Don’t go to electrical engineering. There is nothing interesting there. Only lots of wasted time. Your son is not interested how to calculate resistor’s value in motor control circuit. Your son needs no frustration with failing printed circuit boards. He needs something spectacular what moves (and is visually appealing) and causes light errors to learn from. My…

instructions unclear about Chinese 3 wheel chassis

Re: Ask HN: Best way to learn robotics with a 10 year old?

#85

Post by jjeaff »

junon wrote: post #84

Idk if it's still around or not but Lego Mindstorms I think it was called was the gateway into my robotics interest as a kid.

Sadly, they discontinued Mindstorms a few years ago. Though, I'm sure you can still buy used/new kits from 3rd parties.

Re: Ask HN: Best way to learn robotics with a 10 year old?

#87

Post by junon »

jjeaff wrote: post #85
junon wrote: post #84

Idk if it's still around or not but Lego Mindstorms I think it was called was the gateway into my robotics interest as a kid.

Sadly, they discontinued Mindstorms a few years ago. Though, I'm sure you can still buy used/new kits from 3rd parties.

Oh no! That stuff was incredible, even for young kids.

Re: Ask HN: Best way to learn robotics with a 10 year old?

#89

Post by dbcurtis »

Well, I was where you were 15 years go, said kid now is a robotics engineer.

First off, are they interested in the mechanical engineering and fabrication challenges? Or more interested in the behavior and controls challenges? Because you may chose a different path. At one point I regarded battle-bots as just an RC car with a bad attitude. But I have to admit that there are a lot of interesting mechanical design challenges to be solved. Melonee Wise did battle bots... and went on to co-found Fetch and is now CTO at Agility, so it can certainly lead to interesting things.

If more interested in behavior and controls challenges, then maybe you don't want to go the competition route at all, but want to make up a "challenge" and build a robot to target that. Like build a robot that can patrol your house, and take pictures of all the doors. Kind of a "security robot" (but not really all that useful) but I guarantee you will learn a lot attempting that. (In fact, that is probably too much for a first challenge.)

Lego Mindstorms has a lot going for it, but ultimately becomes limiting. Definitely not a bad place to start with a 10yo, but expect to move on.

Pololu and SparkFun have a lot of interesting modules, Pololu last I looked also had some basic platforms that make a good place to start. Also, depending on where you live there may be a good robotics club to join.

Re: Ask HN: Best way to learn robotics with a 10 year old?

#90

Post by dbcurtis »

jjeaff wrote: post #85
junon wrote: post #84

Idk if it's still around or not but Lego Mindstorms I think it was called was the gateway into my robotics interest as a kid.

Sadly, they discontinued Mindstorms a few years ago. Though, I'm sure you can still buy used/new kits from 3rd parties.

Wow, too bad. I guess one can look at Bricklink to see what is available.
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