Robots

It’s almost certain that by the end of the day you will have touched a robot or handled a device made with the help of a robot. Thanks to the problem-solving expertise of engineers, they are everywhere. In this issue, kids will find them in unusual places and see deep into their workings. Kids who enjoy robotic science fiction will be amazed to discover real humanoid robots both in the world and on the drawing boards. Those who pride themselves with being “in the know” about the latest and greatest will enjoy discovering robotic mermaids, robots that actually transform themselves into different configurations depending on their environment, and machines that compose music.

Kids interested in knowing what makes a robot “tick” will find a visit to the world of actuators, sensors, and artificial intelligence fascinating. The visit includes a conversation with a software engineer who describes the process used to actually develop artificial intelligence. Kids wanting to know the backstory of all things robotic will enjoy tracing the history of robots beginning with the Digesting Duck in the 18th century (that actually “ate” and “pooped”) and continuing to Insight, the first robotic explorer of outer space, and driverless cars.  No exploration of robots would be complete without considering the human connection — robots as friends, robots with feelings, robots as people “people.” It’s all here, and so much more.

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