This National Robotics Initiative (NRI) project conducted at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University will develop a set of instructional materials and related design competitions focused on the design of soft, co-robotic devices, and to evaluate their impact upon students' attitudes towards and understanding of engineering and science subjects through online instruments for large-scale data collection. Introductory robotics teaching and outreach typically focuses on task-based applications in which robots are isolated from humans, rather than closely cooperating with them. Combining soft robotic technology with applications involving human interaction and the use of social and people-centric applications is expected to attract a more diverse population to the study of STEM (science, technology, mathematics, and engineering) subjects. The proposed research incorporates a substantial mechanical design component with the aim of engaging students interested in this topic, who are not served by education and outreach programs that typically emphasize the software and electronic aspects of robotics design.
This project will expose learners to subjects typically neglected in introductory robotic design experiences, such as material selection and manufacturing, and encourage participation by students with a broader range of interests and aptitudes. To evaluate the impact of the proposed instructional materials and design competitions, this research will include an emphasis on instruments for data collection and evaluation by drawing on best practice in evaluation and combining tools that have been developed, tested, and validated in the literature into a single online platform that will be shared publicly with educators and researchers. The proposed research will contribute to an improved understanding of the factors influencing high school and undergraduate students' motivation to pursue STEM careers, and in particular the influence of application areas on students' perception of science and technology. The compilation of a set of data collection and evaluation instruments will result in a platform for quantifying the impact of this research as well as other approaches to robotics education and outreach.
