SPARK (Starter Programs for the Advancement of Robotic Knowledge)

Hello Everyone! On Tuesday, December 7, 2010 we gave presentations at Forest Grove Middle School in Worcester, MA. What a great day it was…we stayed for the whole school day! The school consisted of 7th and 8th graders with a total 900 students. We were able to present to all classes, which made for an incredible day full of excitement. 

Although each group of students was excited, the amount of excitement in our very last presentation of the day, and the largest one of the day, was almost overwhelming (which was a good thing). They liked everything we had to present to them, particularly when the 310 SUGV went around to them in the audience and went in “peek over” position. They got to be up close and personal with the robot.

They also seemed to like seeing their faces on the large projector. Many students patted the robot as they would a pet. As you can see from the pictures here, there was much excitement and this was a big hit. However, pictures still do no justification to how great it felt to be there that day.
One girl asked if robots will make you lazy. This is a great question. However, at iRobot we make robots to makes other’s life more convenient and so you don’t have to do tasks that can seem tedious. However, it is up to YOU to make the choice of what you will do with your time. You can choose to sit around while the robot does work for you, or you can choose to ride a bike or go for a swim while the robot does the work for you. Your choice.

Forest Grove Middle School had such wonderful audiences that were full of enthusiasm. The SPARK 20in20 program has been exciting, fun, and inspiring. I personally believe that the program has been successful and effective as I have heard students talk about becoming engineers after the presentations. I hope that we will have more opportunities to reach out to our future…today’s students.

Greetings STEM-lings! We’re back from our Thanksgiving break, wrapping up the last few visits of the iRobot SPARK 20 in 20 Robotics Road Show. We spent yesterday in Douglas, MA, starting off at Douglas Intermediate School. While pulling up to the school’s parking lot, we noticed their sign:

Awesome! Already feeling extremely welcome, we made our way in to begin presenting. Also joining us was fellow iRobot employee Lori Medugno. We were very fortunate to have her with us to provide insight on her role at iRobot, working in the sales and marketing department.

We gave three presentations to the 3rd grade class, 4th grade class, and then a combination of the 5th, 6th, and 7th graders, which included members of the school’s own LEGO robotics team. They have two teams named “The Medicine Machines” and the “Smarticle Particles.” Very clever! After a wonderful intro from Principal Beverly Bachelder, we began our presentations.

Driving the 310 SUGV up a set of stairs beside the stage

We had many applause breaks from our audience; it was very uplifting! Our Roomba demo and 310 SUGV demo had the students very excited and cheering. Students also had many intelligent questions for us. One that really stood out was, “Which of your robots has the most gears?” Initially we were stumped, but we reached out to some of our engineers at iRobot and found the answer: the Warrior! The Warrior is also our tallest, heaviest, and most powerful robot.

From here we took a short lunch break, bid farewell to Lori Medugno (thanks for helping answer questions, Lori!), and traveled just down to the street to Douglas High School. Again, we were greeted by their sign:

We gave two presentations here; one to the 8th grade class and another to the 9th grade class. The students here were very interested in the 310 SUGV. Wanda, driving the robot, demonstrated the arm and gripper by grabbing one teacher’s keys and delivering them to student. Then the keys were delivered back to the teacher by placing them in the body of the SUGV. It was a lot of fun! Also, a shout out to all of the media students for videotaping and helping mic our presentation!

We had such a blast in Douglas yesterday. Thanks to all of the students, faculty, and staff for being polite and respectful during our presentations, and for making us feel very welcome!

In other news, iRobot recently received the Education Innovation Award from Mass High Tech for the SPARK 20 in 20 Robotics Road Show! The program was also recently featured in an article detailing education initiatives among tech companies. Check out the links below to read the articles. Thanks, Mass High Tech!

Next week is our final visit! We will be at Forest Grove Middle School in Worcester, MA. Let’s make this one count!

Education Innovation Award: http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2010/11/29/daily64-Tech-firms-talk-education-and-charity-at-MHTs-Tech-Citizenship-breakfast.html

Education Initiatives Among Tech Companies: http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2010/11/22/weekly32-Education-initiatives-are-at-the-heart-of-the-work-by-MHTs-Tech-Citizens.html

Today, 11/9/10, we ventured out to Keith Middle School in New Bedford, MA. This is a beautiful Citizens School! We were in a classroom of 8^th grade students and we had a 310 SUGV (Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle) with us. Fortunately, we were able to hook up the screen so that students can see what we see through the goggles.

It is always wonderful when the students can see themselves up on the projector through the robot’s “eyes”.  We demonstrated the SUGV’s three different speeds; snail, turtle, and rabbit. We showed the four different camera views, the range finder, how to take a picture and figuratively send it, and the different poses it has (deploy, stow, drive, peek over, peek under, ascend, descend, and self inspect). The amazing zoom camera was demonstrated as I zoomed into a piece of paper with writing on the wall. We got so close that what was written could be read!

The 8^th graders were enthusiastic and had some great thoughts. One student asked if robots would one day take over the world. Luckily this won’t happen as we explained that robots are only as smart as their makers and do what they are programmed to do. Several students were intrigued about our robots that can go under water. We spoke about the Seaglider and also how the 320 SUGV can go under water.

By the time we had to leave there were still many questions to be answered. We hope that the students won’t hesitate to email us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to get answers to the rest of their questions. Thank you Keith Middle School for having us at your school!

Yesterday we fought through the morning traffic and found our way to Letourneau Elementary School in Fall River, MA. We gave one presentation to the 5th grade class... and it was awesome! They were very excited for us to get started.

We had the Roomba and 310 SUGV with us, and the students went wild for both of them! We hooked the video feed of the SUGV's vision up to our projector so everyone could see its menu screens and camera views. Driving the SUGV up and down a set of stairs located beside the stage was fun, but not as fun as driving it right up close to the students. They were able to examine its different parts and see the gripper and cameras up close and personal. Wanda, driving the robot, also picked up an umbrella from the school's lost and found bin and brought it to another student.

Seeing what the 310 SUGV sees. Thank you to Lesley Froment for taking this picture!

At the end of every presentation we do a question and answer session with our audience, and on this round we got some really good ones. One question was, "Are there robots that talk?" There are microphone attachments for some of our military robots so the driver can speak and converse with whoever may be near the robot. Also, the Roomba talks when it needs to be cleaned. As for robots that are able to form sentences and speak on their own, they absolutely exist! There is a lot of research within the field of robotics that deals with mimicking human speech.

Another great question, one that we get all the time, is "How long does it take to make a robot?" There is no set length of time for building and developing a robot, mainly because it is not done by one person alone. It's done by a group of people from all different backgrounds and skill sets, contributing their knowledge to different aspects of the robot. For example, the Roomba was in development for over four years! This just goes to show that all that time spent was absolutely necessary, and worth it!

In other news: the Lowell Sun has recently written an article about our visit to Nashoba Technical High School. Check it out in the link below.

We only have four visits left! It's a shame the 20 in 20 Robotics Road Show is coming to an end, but it's been great so far. See you at the last few schools!

Lowell Sun article: http://www.lowellsun.com/news/ci_16484031

What an exciting day in Springfield, MA! Today we visited two science based schools...High School of Science and Technology and STEM Middle Academy. At the high school we were in awe at the sound system equipment that they had. It was amazing and they made us feel special and welcome. There were microphones for each of us, and another in the audience for when the students asked questions. They also had video recorders that they filmed the presentations with.

Another bonus that was unique to their school was that they had a little band play before our presentation and in the middle. What a nice touch it added. The students were eager to see the robot up close when we gave the SUGV demo. They were able to watch it climb a couple of stairs.

At STEM Middle School we were able to give three presentations, one to each grade. I loved how they had the gym set up with all of the chairs in a big angular “U” which left a lot of space in the middle of the floor for us to walk around and give the SUGV demo.

The group of 8th grade students was the first grade to be STEM students throughout all their middle school years. What an honor it was for us to be a part of that experience, even if it was for a day. We were fortunate to travel to Springfield to visit these schools and the scientists and engineers that will be taking over robotics in the future.

On Tuesday, 10/26, we spent the day in Roxbury, MA, and what fun we had! We started at the O’Bryant School for Math and Science to give three presentations to some eager high schoolers. We had students from a few physics classes and engineering classes, and some of them had participated in a FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics competition through the school.

Presentation shot courtesy of Joe Herrington. Thanks, Joe!

One great question we got was “What programming language are the robots programmed in?” We were unsure at first but inquired to find the answer. So, for those students who asked, here it is: TOP SECRET. That’s right; we can’t tell you! It is software that iRobot has written for its own purposes. Another common question was “How far can the SUGV travel before it goes out of range with the OCU pack?” The answer is up to about 800 meters, depending on a variety of conditions.

Trying on the goggles to see what the SUGV can see.

In between presentations Director of Science and Technology Mike Sullivan was kind enough to walk us through their newly acquired engineering and robotics workshop. They even had a Dirt Dog to clean the room and a few iRobot Creates on hand! It was a beautiful day, so we took the 320 SUGV outside to drive it around a bit more at the end of our presentations.

Afterwards we took a lunch break and then ventured to Madison Park High School. Maybe ventured isn’t the right word; the schools just so happened to be connected! We took a short walk to Matt Dugan’s classroom to give a presentation to some of his robotics and engineering students. Before we started they showed us some of their solar panel-powered cars. They were really awesome! Great engineering and Earth-friendly work! The students had a great time letting the Roomba navigate around the room, testing its efficiency in finding its battery-recharging dock. Driving the SUGV around the school was a blast, too!

We had such a great time in Roxbury today. Every group of students was extremely respectful, polite, and welcoming to us. We really appreciate it! More photos to come.

Our next visit is in Springfield, MA. See you there!

Aw yeah! Our 20 in 20 Robotics Roadshow is getting some press coverage! Last week we visited our hometown of Bedford High School. We were lucky enough to have Susan Ellis from the Bedford Minuteman on site to write an article on us. The article is posted on Wicked Local Bedford.

Photo by Ben Garver

Our visit earlier this week was to Egremont Elementary School in Pittsfield, MA; we got coverage here, too! Jenn Smith from the Berkshire Eagle was there to cover our presentation. You can find links to both articles below. Stay tuned for our own blog entry about our visit to Egremont Elementary School!

Bedford High School: http://www.wickedlocal.com/bedford/news/x2030531315/iRobot-inspires-Bedford-High-students-with-demo

Egremont Elementary School: http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_16382051

Today we arrived at Egremont Elementary School, and the three hour trip was worth it (as we knew it would be!). We were quite impressed with the 4^th and 5^th graders’ listening skills. They were not only very enthusiastic but also polite and respectful.

The most exciting part of the day was when we drove the 310 SUGV  around the gym floor where the students were sitting. They got to take a good look at it up close and even saw their faces projected on the big screen! It is noteworthy to mention that when the teacher asked the students to get back to their seats, they did so quickly and quietly despite the excitement in the room.

Although all of the questions were thoughtful and intriguing, I found one boy’s question to be particularly astute, especially for a fourth grader. He asked if we have any robots that survey the land from the sky to make sure that it is safe. He also wanted to know if we have any robots that can carry another robot in case of any kind of malfunction (in his own words).

Although I was not sure of the answers at the time, I have inquired them both.  IRobot does not make any unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) however, we have done some experiments putting a PackBot on a paraglider for aerial surveillance. The military does have other robots that do this though. As for the second question, the Warrior can carry a 510 PackBot and a SUGV as a payload, which would suit the purpose of the astute boy’s question.

I love when I see young minds really thinking about questions and possibilities. It’s proof that we have a great new generation coming our way and that we need to continue to pave the road in front of them. Thank you Egremont Elementary School for such a memorable  and exciting day!

What a blast we had yesterday! At Salemwood School in Malden, MA we presented to a group of 6th grade girls through a partnership with Citizen Schools. Luckily, we had the means to project the SUGV 310’s camera-view for the students to see. They were able to see all of the menu screens that drivers have to use. Another cool thing about this view is a diagram of the robot in the bottom-left of the screen. This is helpful for when the robot is out of the controller’s view.

Wanda and I, the robots, and the girls

We had a great time in Malden. Thanks everyone!

What a remarkable day at Bedford High School! Adam and I went to visit the school near iRobot's headquarters in Bedford, MA. I was amazed at how beautiful the school is. It makes me kind of wish I went there as a student.

We were quite fortunate to have Marc Wilga join us today for one of the presentations. He is a graduate of Bedford in the class of ’79 and what an honor it was to have him with us. He is a mechanical engineer and has worked on the development of the iRobot Warrior and has a great hand in the Seaglider.

When giving a demonstration of the SUGV 310 (Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle) we were grateful that a ramp was brought out to go over to add to the excitement. On top of that, at the end of the last presentation, a student asked if we could drive it down and up a long flight of stairs. We did that, which was great!

Thank you to those involved in helping to make this visit possible and to the students for being a great audience with intelligent questions. We want the students to know that robotics is something that they CAN get involved with and that we need people from all different backgrounds, skills, and interests  to join this exciting field. The ball is just beginning to roll, so who’s going to catch it? Are you? That’s what we hope!  We are looking forward to seeing you bright students in the near future in the world of robotics.

Yesterday we spent the day in Revere, MA, and made two school visits. Overall, it was a blast! Our first stop was at the Seacoast School where we gave presentations to students from a variety of STEM-related classes, including a computer programming class. There were a few questions about the payloads that each robot could carry. The SUGV 310 can carry about 10 pounds, but the 710 Warrior can carry about 150 pounds.

We had some extra time after our presentation to give more detailed demos of the Roomba and SUGV 310. This allowed for students to ask really specific questions regarding different features of each robot; it was great! Teacher Damian DeMarco, or D-Mac as the students call him, got a photo of us, the robots, and some of the students.

After Seacoast we headed to Garfield Middle School to present to their after school program through a partnership with Citizen Schools. This group was very enthusiastic! They really loved our demo of the SUGV. We started on stage then drove it down a set of stairs so the students could get a closer look.

These students had many questions after our presentation, a lot of which revolved around some of our biggest and smallest robots. Our biggest robot is the 710 Warrior, which stands about 12 feet tall when it’s fully extended. This statistic made the students very excited! Our smallest robot is the Looj, the gutter cleaning robot. For more information on either of these robots, check out the links below.

We had a great time in Revere yesterday! Next week we begin in our hometown of Bedford and then venture out to Malden. Thanks again, Revere!

iRobot 710 Warrior: http://www.irobot.com/gi/ground/710_Warrior/

iRobot Looj: http://store.irobot.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=3334470&cp=2804605

Citizen Schools: http://www.citizenschools.org/

Follow Citizen Schools on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cschools

Hello Everyone! What an exciting day it was! It was raining all day but that didn’t get us down or the students at Whelan Elementary School for that matter. Whelan Elementary School was beautiful and bright but what we really loved was the students. They seemed to brighten our day with the enthusiasm and eagerness that they carried with them.

The students were asking so many questions before we even started the presentation, that’s how excited they were!  One boy asked me if someone can build a real robot and told me how he built one at home but it can’t move yet.

Driving the SUGV 310 on stage, demonstrating its different speeds

We were able to bring a SUGV (Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle) to our presentation today. As soon as it moved, all of the students clapped with much cheer. Every move the robot made put the students in awe.

What an exciting fabulous group of 5th graders. When it was time for questions each and every single student shot their arm up straight up in the air. They all wanted to know more about the robots and about future possibilities. We love the students because they are the future and what lays ahead in it rests with them, but I’m not too worried as I see these shining smiling faces.

A post-presentation shot, courtesy of Matthew Costa. Thanks, Matt and everyone at Whelan Elementary!

Today we presented to the 6th grade class at Ahern Middle School in Foxborough. They were an amazing audience! During our presentation we showed a video of a PackBot going through some stress/durability tests. At one point it is thrown through a window; this had everyone shocked and laughing! The Roomba demo also generated lots of “oohs” and “ahhs,” even though some students already had one in their homes.

The questions from this group were great, too. My personal favorite was: “Are there any robots that build other robots?” The answer is, “Absolutely, yes!” Robots are used in factories all around the world to build mass-produced robots and things that aren’t robotic at all. A good example would be a robotic arm used to build cars. These arms are programmed and told what to do, repeating the same action over and over for multiple cars. Some are used to tighten bolts while others put bumpers and other physical components in place. However, they do not replace human workers entirely; they work together to build faster and more efficiently!

Thanks for having us, Ahern Middle School!

Hello everyone! Yesterday was an exciting day at Nashoba Valley Technical High School in Westford, MA. We spoke to students and teachers in a HUGE auditorium. In the audience were many students involved in science, technology, engineering, and math. They were all fascinated by the 310 SUGV (Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle), and a few inquired about having one for themselves.

Outside of the Performing Arts Center, where we gave our presentation

The students also had some good ideas for the future, such as getting robots to snow plow driveways or feed humans. They asked some clever questions as well. One asked how much weight a SUGV can hold. This is a great technical question that an engineer would need to know in order to design a robot that can meet solders' needs. Thank you, Nashoba Valley students, for your respect and interest in our presentation. We hope to see you again!

Yesterday, Carl Stevens from WBZ 1030 News Radio came out to our visit at the Sarah Greenwood School in Dorchester, MA. He shot some video of Colin Angle, CEO of iRobot, our presentation, and our demo of the SUGV. Check out the link below to see!

Thanks Carl!

WBZ News Radio Video: http://tinyurl.com/2ffx75z

Well, today was just all sorts of awesome! Our first presentation was at the Sarah Greenwood School in Dorchester, MA, where we first presented to 4th and 5th graders and then to the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. On top of this Colin Angle, CEO of iRobot, was there to introduce the presentation and inspire the students with a short story of how iRobot came to be. And even better yet, we not only had a Roomba to demo, but we also had a SUGV 320! SUGV stands for Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle. Wanda, controlling the robot, demonstrated its poses and then it hit the floor, patrolling around the students to give them a closer look.

Students were loaded with questions after the presentation; no surprise considering they have their own robotics club. We didn't even have to explain how some sensors worked! Questions ranged from technical aspects of the SUGV's camera, how long some of our robots (namely the Seaglider) are stationed underwater, how easy the robots are to repair, and how robots are used in space. They were quite inquisitive; a very excited groups of students!

Before heading to our next school we took a lunch break and then were on hot pursuit for Wi-Fi in the area. We took refuge at the South End Boston Public Library. From there we headed to Roxbury, where we presented to 6th graders at the Orchard Gardens Middle School through a partnership with Citizen Schools. Our presentation went great! The students were very attentive and interested, particularly in the SUGV's ability to climb stairs.

Outside the Orchard Gardens was amazing. Such a bright color scheme!

We had a fantastic journey throughout Boston today. Next week is Westford and Foxborough!

Demoing the SUGV 320 to 6th graders.

Citizen Schools: http://www.citizenschools.org/

Follow Citizen Schools on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cschools

Hooray! We just went to HJ Robinson Middle School and gave four presentations to 5th-8th grade. We had a blast with the students there! They asked some really great questions including how can robots go underwater and be water resistant. Two girls told us that they have actually built robots using plastic.

Adam and I speaking to 7th graders before a presentation

The field of robotics is always changing and improving to make new and better things. These students are our future! We are so excited that we are able to travel to different schools and let them know that they too can have a career in robotics. The math and science classes really do pay off for them to have a career that is interesting, fun, and exciitng! The robots are only as smart as their makers. There are many careers in robotics and that is the main point we hope we got across today; that the sky is not the limit because you can go much further and beyond that. There are countless possibilities! Thank you to HJ Robinson MIddle School for making this such a wonderful positive experience, especially being our first school that we visited. Good luck and keep plugging away by doing your best in school. It pays off more than you would think.

Here we are starting the presention

Check out our flickr page for future photos and more visits:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irobotspark/

Just a week to go before the iRobot SPARK 20 in 20 Robotics Roadshow begins! Glad to report that we have already garnered some online press from the likes of Boston.com, Mass High Tech, and Tech & Learning. Check out the links below to see their articles and get information on where we're going and what our initiative is all about.

We're just finishing things up over here at iRobot with great anticipation for the first visit! Stay up to date by following this blog and our Twitter account, http://www.twitter.com/iRobotSpark, which will be updated with info, photos, and videos as we visit each school.

Boston.com: http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2010/09/irobot_will_sch.html

Mass High Tech: http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2010/09/06/daily34-IRobot-to-bring-robotics-to-20-Mass-schools.html

Tech & Learning: http://www.techlearning.com/article/32828

Hello fellow educators, robots, and STEM enthusiasts! Adam Norton here, one of two SPARK Ambassadors for the 20 in 20 Robotics Roadshow. With this being the first blog post I thought I’d take a moment to introduce myself. First and foremost: I love robots! My other passions are art and music. I just recently graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, focusing on sculpture and graphic design. I’ve used my love of robots, art, and education over the last few years in another program called Artbotics (http://artbotics.org), which is held at The Revolving Museum. From there I’ve branched off to here, the iRobot SPARK program, where I am extremely excited to demonstrate to elementary, middle, and high school students just how awesome robots are!

Our first visit is in about two weeks. Let's get this show on the road!

Hello Everyone! I'd like to introduce myself; my name is Wanda Martins and I have recently joined the SPARK program (Starter Programs for the Advancement of Robotics Knowledge). Currently I am finishing a Masters of Education in School Counseling through Keene State College, completing an internship at Conant High School, and studying online to be a chaplain as a side job. Prior to this I have 7 years of experience in schools as a paraprofessional, in-school suspension teacher, and special education. I speak Portuguese and a bit of Spanish as well. I also have taught ice skating, dance, and zumba. I love to dance, travel, hike, music, and eat great food! I also love to drive robots where I have had much experience doing at iRobot.

I am extremely excited to start visiting schools to help expose robotics and STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math)! Robotics relates to STEM at every level and we want students to know how exciting it is to have a career in it. Robots are changing our world every day for the better. Having a career in robotics or one of the STEM subjects is not a "dorky", "dull", or "boring" job. It is quite invigorating and fun! There are many great reasons to go into one of these careers. Not only is it fun, you can make money, change the world, and have many great traveling experiences, but many of the jobs are going to other countries around the world such as China. We need these jobs to stay here. My favorite aspect of having a job in this field is that the difference it makes is saving lives. Robots at iRobot have saved many soldiers lives and will continue to do so. We are here in the SPARK program to broaden the horizons of students through robotics. Hope to see you all soon at a school near you!