This post has been created to show you a series of examples of how a NAO humanoid robot and its programming software, ‘Choréographe’, can be used to teach elements of the new Digital Technologies curriculum at each level.
Foundation to Year 2
Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems (ACTDIP004).
Example with NAO:
Students could program a NAO robot to introduce itself to their class. Students could program the following sequence using the drag-and-drop interface in ‘Choréographe’ and then have the robot perform the sequence.
Above: Drag-and-drop programming with NAO’s software ‘Choréograpghe’ which features a virtual robot that allows students to test their programs without a physical robot. Choréographe can also use ‘Python’ code.
First NAO is programmed to stand up, then NAO waves to the class, and finally NAO will say: “hello my name is NAO and I am a humanoid robot”
Years 3 – 4
Define simple problems, and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them [ACTDIP010].
Example with NAO:
Jane needs to find out the favourite colours of her fellow students. Jane can program NAO in the following way to survey her class.
NAO will first ask: “what is your favorite colour”? Then a speech recognition box is activated. If the robot hears “Red” it will respond, “Me too”! If the robot hears “Blue”, it will reply, “I don’t mind Blue” and if the robot hears “Yellow”, it will respond “Eww I don’t like Yellow very much”.
Jane can create a table to record the results of her survey.
Years 5 – 6
Design, modify and follow simple algorithms represented diagrammatically and in English involving sequences of steps, branching, and iteration (repetition) [ACTDIP019].
Example with NAO:
Susan has designed a math quiz game using a NAO robot.
Susan has programmed the robot to ask a series of Math questions and then listen for answers. When the robot hears a correct answer it will take a step forward and when it hears an incorrect answer it will take a step backwards. Correct answers will prompt the robot to move onto a new question whereas incorrect answers will prompt the robot to repeat a question. This exercise covers sequencing, branching, and iteration (repetition).
Years 7 – 8
Design algorithms represented diagrammatically and in English; and trace algorithms to predict output for a given input and to identify errors [ACTDIP029].
Example with NAO:
Students can design an algorithm to solve a maze using a NAO robot.
Provided that the maze is ‘simply connected’ – meaning that all of the walls are connected together or to the boundary of the maze – the ‘right-hand-rule’ can be used to solve the maze.
Accordingly, the following three ‘right-hand-rules’ can be used:
1. If a wall is NOT detected to the right, turn 90 degrees right and then walk forward
2. If a wall is detected to the right, but no wall is detected in front, walk forward
3. If a wall is detected to the right and a wall is detected in front, then turn 90 degree to the left
Students can use python code within Choréographe to express this algorithm:
Once the student has designed their algorithm they can upload it to a NAO robot and place the robot within a maze for testing.
Years 9 – 10
Design algorithms represented diagrammatically and in structured English and validate algorithms and programs through tracing and test cases [ACTDIP040].
Example with NAO:
Students can design an algorithm to take coffee orders.
Firstly the robot is programmed to ask, ‘would you like a coffee?’ If the respondent answers ‘no’, the robot replies, ‘no worries’. If the respondent answers ‘yes’, the robot will then ask, ‘would you like sugar?’
If the respondent answers ‘no’, the robot will respond, ‘okay thank you for your order’.
If the respondent answers ‘yes’, the robot then asks, ‘how many sugars would you like?’ then the robot will say, ‘okay thank you for your order’.
