TeRK: A Flexible Tool for Science and Technology Education

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TeRK A Flexible Tool for Science and Technology
Education
The Turk
Some Modern TeRKs
Presenter Tom Lauwers Co-Authors Illah
Nourbakhsh, Carl DiSalvo,
Emily Hamner, Debbie
Bernstein
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Our Mission

• To design, create, and disseminate robotics
• curricula and technologies that motivate
• young women and men to actively explore
• science and technology.

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Outline

• The Qwerk
• Software Architecture
• Community
• Applications
• Robot Diaries
• Introduction to Computer Science

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TeRK Hardware

Miniaturized Embedded Standard Issue
Qwerk
Technologies Robot Controller
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The Qwerk

• USB Host
• WiFi and Webcams
• ARM9 w/ Onboard Linux
• Drives 4 DC motors w/ back EMF speed control
• Can control 16 servos
• 8 analog inputs, 8 DIO
• Serial, Ethernet, and I2C

Relay Server Method
Direct Connect Method
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Software
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TeRK Community Website

• Publicly available robot recipes
• Software can be launched or downloaded
• Users can comment, and even submit their own
  recipes for review
• www.terk.ri.cmu.edu

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Applications

• Middle School Girls Computer Science
  Educators
• Focus broad technology on specific communities

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Robot Diaries

• Question How do we create a robotics activity
  that is tailored to girls interested in
  technology?
• Answer Work with them to arrive at the answer
  through a series of workshops!

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Summer Workshop
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One Day Workshops
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Fall Robot Design
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Fall Creations
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Computer Science
Question How do we improve the introduction to
Computer Science class to increase student
retention, motivation, and learning? Answer
Work with teachers and professors to
appropriately insert robots into the curriculum.
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Current Activities

• Designing TeRK based curricular modules
• Intro, Variables, Control Structures, Arrays
• Developing educational evaluations for pilot
  courses

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Computer Science Plan
x 3
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Where were going

• Starting a number of additional programs
• High school students
• Artists
• Communities
• Review technology for cost and features what is
  vital in each program context?

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For more information, email me tlauwers_at_andrew.cm
u.edu Or visit http//www.terk.ri.cmu.edu