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Advanced Intro
Before we start learning about robotics, we need to understand the basics of STEM and engineering!
What is STEM?
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Watch this video to learn about STEM and its importance in today's workforce.
STEM stand for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, and it is an essential part of education in order to develop valuable skills for the workforce.
As we heard in the video, engineers are problem solvers that work on some of the world's biggest challenges. There are 5 basic types of engineers:
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering uses electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism to solve a problem.
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering uses design, construction, and maintenance of physical and natural built environments to solve a problem. Environmental and structural engineers are two examples.
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering uses physical and biological sciences to convert raw materials or chemicals into more useful forms for the purpose of solving a problem.
Specialized Engineering
Fields
These engineering fields use two or more types of engineering together to form a brand new kind of engineering. Biomedical, software, and robotics engineers are some examples.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering uses design, construction, and mechanical power to create machines and mechanical systems that solve a problem.
If you were going to be an engineer, which type would you be?
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What problems could you solve?
Discuss your answers with a partner.
What is Robotics?
Watch the above video to learn about robotics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)!
Robotics is part of the Engineering and Technology part of STEM!
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Robotics is the specialized type of engineering that deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robots. A Robot is any man-made machine that can perform work or other actions normally performed by humans.
Robots seem pretty complicated...how do engineers build them?!
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They use something called the Engineering Design Process, which you can learn about in this video!
The Engineering Design process includes 5 steps:
1) Define the problem
2) Imagine: brainstorm solutions
3) Evaluate: choose the best solutions
4) Create: build your prototype
5) Test and refine
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