Bio-Robots: Crawl, Jump, and Slither!
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Department Name: Computer Science
Abstract
This project will use as its foundation a teaching framework centred on robotics. School students will be introduced to robotics and simple coding skills. School students will learn about robotics design and the biomechanics of movement. The teaching materials will be co-created with the teachers and will establish a resource that can be used in curriculum teaching.
The main aims of the project are:
Aim 1 (Inspire): Encourage and inspire school students to consider STEM subjects and careers.
Aim 2 (Transform): Use alternative spaces for learning such as the museum and a variety of learning techniques and materials to engage learning.
Aim 3: (Influence): Measures of the impact of such teaching and learning will be obtained and shared with teachers. The information provided will be useful in planning future engagement activities around STEM subjects.
The main aims of the project are:
Aim 1 (Inspire): Encourage and inspire school students to consider STEM subjects and careers.
Aim 2 (Transform): Use alternative spaces for learning such as the museum and a variety of learning techniques and materials to engage learning.
Aim 3: (Influence): Measures of the impact of such teaching and learning will be obtained and shared with teachers. The information provided will be useful in planning future engagement activities around STEM subjects.
| Description | Collaborative methodologies for co-creating and delivery of STEM materials/engagement |
| Exploitation Route | Academies and schools may be able to use some of the approaches to create new STEM materials and ways of engagement for STEM topics |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Creative Economy Education Environment Culture Heritage Museums and Collections Other |
| Description | Methodologies for measuring engagement with STEM topics are being used by the Schools and in Engagement events. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Education,Environment,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Other |
| Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
| Title | Biorobotics toolkit |
| Description | The birobotics toolkit describes methodologies and assess,emt mechanisms that can be used by other organisatiosn to undertake a similar Engineering colloborative co-creation with schools |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | n/a |
| Description | Co-creating materials for School visits to London Zoo |
| Organisation | Zoological Society of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Created a trails for use by visiting schools to London Zoo focused around acoustics and biorobotics in discussion with the Zoological Society of London |
| Collaborator Contribution | 1. Provided feedback on the trails, 2. Provided access to tailored workshops for the school students based on the trails, 3. Arranged a virtual Q and A sessionf or the visiting schoolstudents |
| Impact | Co-created a Zoo Trail together with the outreach team at London Zoo, focused on acoustics and biorobotics that can be used by school students visiting London Zoo. The disciplines involved are: Acoustics, Robotics, Zoology, Environmental, Computation. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | UCL Grant Museum of Zoology |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Department | Grant Museum of Zoology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We are collaborting with UCL Museum of Zoology on new methods of communicating STEM subjects to children and the public |
| Collaborator Contribution | - Co-creation of materials for teachers and schoolchildren for exhibits - Discussions around further froms of engagement strategies for the public involving new software and materials for engagement |
| Impact | A museum trail materials for teacher and schools (linking biology, ecology and STEM) |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Activity and presentation at the Association for Science and Discovery (ASDC) conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A workshop activity showcasing the biorobotics work that researchers, schoolstudents, and teachers had created |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Association for Science and Discovery Centres |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A "Discussion Table" activity was held with main stakeholders to provide a summary of our research and approach and discuss feedback and further opportunities for collaboration, funding support and legacy creation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Festival of Engineering |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Workshop and showcasing of the boirobotics activities created by School students, teachers in collaboration with UCL researchers |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | World Earth Day event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Workshop and showcasing of the boirobotics activities created by School students, teachers in collaboration with UCL researchers |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |