Category Archives: G9

Bamzooki Jan 18

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A) Read about Jules the robot with the human-like facial expressions.

Jules Article in the daily Mail newspaper

Answer these questions in Word:

  1. What is Jules?
  2. Do you think his face is realistic?
  3. Do you think his expressions are realistic?
  4. Which expression is the most convincing?
  5. How many internal motors has Jules got?
  6. How many emotions does Jules display?
  7. Where could ‘human’ robots be used?
  8. Are there any dangers associated with human robots?
  9. There is a human robot going on sale in Japan soon. What is its name?
  10. How much will it cost?

B) Continue working on your sprinter zook. It must be based on a real animal or insect. Put images of your zook and the animal it is based on in your research diary word document.

Extension – Look at the robots in Robots Dreams (including the incredible Parrot hover drone)

Bristol Robotics Projects

Bamzooki Jan 14

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This is Big Dog – a robot developed for military use – it is very stable and can carry materials as well as people.

A) In Word write about Robotics (answer these questions) with a paragraph on each

  1. How lifelike are today’s robots?
  2. Can a robot make a human think it is another human?
  3. What is the Turing test?
  4. Who was Alan Turing?
  5. What was Bletchley Park?
  6. What was an Enigma machine?
  7. What was Colossus?
  8. Find some information about Big Dog
  9. What can Big Dog do?
  10. Are there any  robots which act like humans?
  11. Are there any companies which sell robots?
  12. Do you think robots are a good or bad thing? Say why.

B) Configure the video settings for the Bamzooki Simulator and Motion Player to ‘Windowed’ so that they start in a new window.

 

 

Start the Bamzooki Simulator

Bamzooki Simulator

Bamzooki Simulator

Have a go with different zooks

Now work on your own zook

Homework – Read about Robots here http://42explore.com/robots.htm

Bamzooki interface Jan 13

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Let’s take a look at the Bamzooki interface in more detail.

We have seen how the Zooks can be tested through the Zook Kit in:

1) Sprint

2) High Jump

3) Hurdles

4) Block Push

All you have to do is press the TEST button

zook kit tests

zook kit tests

 

1) With the ant example try each test in turn

2) Record the results in a Word document

3) Select a zook for each event from the website zooks and record the scores

4) Which website zook is best at sprinting/hurdles/blockpush/lap/highjump?

You can also change the environment

environment1

environment1

Try out the different environments with different zooks

Describe what each one is

Record your results in your word document

 

MOTION

Let’s look now at MOTION

Here is a basic leg sequence which comes from living animals and insects

 

 sequence of leg movement

Now download the Bamzooki Manual

bamzooki_zookkitusermanual_v3_2

Read pages 17 – 22

Experiment with a new zook

Make sure the legs are symmetrical

Try and make the legs move with good regular motion

Who has the fastest zook?

 

Bamzooki Jan 12

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Bamzooki Interface

Download this worksheet on the Bamzooki interface

Bamzooki_Interface

Make sure you put your name and class on the top.

Don’t rush this – put as much information about the Bamzooki tools as you can.

Add THREE tools of your own choice and say what they do.

When you have finished ask if you can print.

Making a Basic Moving Zook

Look at this movie by Canary Woolf from the Bamzooki website.

Follow the steps and make one like he does.

Watch videos at Vodpod and more of my videos


Blip.tv Version

Bamzooki

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Bamzooki is a programme on the BBC where electronic creatures called zooks compete with each other.

speed of light zook owner emperormano jan 8 2010

speed of light zook owner emperormano jan 8 2010

There are sprinter zooks and block pusher zooks. Sprinters have small bodies with thin fast legs like spiders (6 or 8 legs). Block Pushers have squat strong bodies with many sets of legs like centipedes.

We will make a sprinter that moves like a real animal or insect

But first we need to look at the way animals move and especially how their legs move.

Animal movement in the real world

Scientists at Berkeley are looking at the real world to help them design robots

  1. Make a folder called Bamzooki in your Home drive
  2. Open Word and make a title Bamzooki with your name and Class
  3. Save the document as bamzooki_yourlastname in your Bamzooki folder
  4. Put your name and class at the top and the title Bamzooki with the date
  5. look at the following 8 minute film

Robo Roach movie

Work in pairs but answer the following questions in your own Word document

  • Where is the research taking place?
  • What does ROACH stand for?
  • What does the scientist compare the state of robotics to?
  • A scientist at Berkeley picks up a cockroach – what kind of cockroach is it?
  • Look at the way this cockroach moves – write down the sequence of its legs moving.
  • Use smartshapes in word to draw a square ( with lines to represent legs) and show the order that the legs move.
  • How does Professor Ron Fearing describe real animals insects (Organisms) movement?
  • In a paragraph describe the steps that go into making the body and legs of a Robo Roach
  • Look at the crab – what order do its legs go in?
  • What toy does the scientist compare the springiness of all 2, 4, 6 and 8 legged organisms to?
  • Look at Robo Roach carefully – what is the order of its legs moving?
  • What practical use could Robo Roaches be after a disaster and why?
  • Describe another practical use.
  • Write a paragraph about Geckos and why they are interesting to scientists.

The Bamzooki Interface

Let’s take a look at the Bamzooki program

Open up the Zook Kit

Press on the Website Zooks tab

Zook Kit Interface

Open up one of the website zooks – save it.

Press TEST to get the zook moving.

Play around and have some fun getting to know the interface.

Make the zook sprint or block push

See if your zook is faster or stronger than your partner’s.

SHORTCUTS

You can STOP the zook by clicking on the EDIT TOOL

You can ADD parts to the zook by clicking on the ADD TOOL

You can go around and under your zook by using the RIGHT mouse button

HOMEWORK

Go to this excellent site for animal movies

http://www.arkive.org

Pick TWO animals or insects and write a paragraph on how each moves (in Word) and bring in next time.