5 AI STEAM Projects Using DOBOT

Below are 5 AI STEAM Projects Using DOBOT Magician.

Now is the time to discover the future of robots combined with the emerging field of AI. Fortunately, you don't need a million dollar research facility to get started, because the DOBOT Magician is already available, and is the perfect teaching tool.

In the 1990s the idea of the collaborative robot, or cobot, emerged to help find ways for robots to operate in close quarters with humans.

Over the ensuing decades, robots have been increasingly found in a variety of diverse settings, such as pick-and-pack warehouse activities, delivery of goods, retail stores, hospitals and even homes.

However, they are limited to repetitive user interface-based tasks, and are incapable of processing changes and exceptions.

It is only through the inclusion of AI that robotics can continue to progress.

What makes a robot powerful is the ability to think on its own. This is where artificial intelligence and robotics can come together.

AI can help a robot do a lot of tasks, from successfully navigating their surroundings, to identifying objects around the robot or assisting humans with various tasks such as bricklaying, or even robotic-assisted surgeries.

The potential for AI powered robots is limitless and cuts across many sectors. There is much innovation still to be had and the robotics industry isn't going away anytime soon.

Therefore, we need to make sure that our students understand impact of AI-led robotics, and future work scope and learning potentials. 

DOBOT Magician and DOBOT Magician Lite, both award-winning educational robots, provide you with the most comprehensive solution for building AI applications.

In this article, we will walk you through five AI projects that take inspiration from different sectors in the real world to make students better understand AI and its applications.

Build a Garbage Classifying Robot

Elements of building a robot to classify various types of garbage:

1. One robotic arm (Magician Lite)
2. One camera (comes with Magician Lite)
3. One conveyor belt
4. One photoelectric sensor
5. Models of garbage and garbage bins (can be 3D printed – link??)
6. One garbage feeding device (can be 3D printed)
7. One gripper (can be 3D printed)

Goal

When students complete the project, they will be able to:

1. Control the way Magician Lite moves and grips via Scratch programming
2. Understand how image recognition technology works and where it can make a difference
3. Build 3D model(s)
4. Learn of the importance of classifying waste and recycling
5. Use robots, AI and other technologies to identify, classify and sort waste

21^st Century Competencies

1. Collaboration and Communication
2. Technology literacy: robotics, AI, 3D printing, online research
3. Critical thinking and problem solving: associate technologies with real-world issues and find solutions
4. Environmental literacies

Extension Ideas

1. Write more complex programs to sort more than 4 types of garbage
2. Add human-machine interactive module, making the experience more humane

Project Idea 2: Fruit Picking Robot

Elements of building a robot to identify and pick different fruits:

1. One robotic arm (Magician)
2. One pixy2 camera
3. One linear rail
4. One Arduino controller box
5. Models of fruit trees, fruit and baskets (can be 3D printed)

When students complete the project, they will be able to:

1. Control the way the Magician moves and grip via programming
2. Understand how image recognition works and how to use it to identify fruits of different sizes, colours and shapes
3. Know how to guild a 3D model
4. Understand how AI plays a role in smart farming

21^st Century Competencies

1. Collaboration and Communication
2. Technology literacy: robotics, AI, 3D printing
3. Critical thinking and Problem solving: associate technologies with real world problems and find solutions
4. Environmental literacy
5. ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) literacy

Extension ideas

1. Change the apple to other fruits or crops
2. Increase the quality grades to more than 2
3. Make the system complete by adding application modules such as planting, maintenance, packaging and sales

Project Idea 3: Smart Grocery Shopping System

Elements of building a robot to process and fulfil orders in a grocery store:

1. One robotic (Magician Lite)
2. One gripper (comes with Magician Lite)
3. One linear rail
4. Two-floor shelf (can be 3D printed, or woodworked)
5. Package box
6. Models of commodities (can be 3D printed)

Goal

When students complete the project, they will be able to:

1. Control the way Magician Lite moves and grips via Scratch programming
2. Understand how speech recognition works and how to use it to make an order
3. Understand how facial recognition works and how to use it to pay for the order
4. Use all the tools and technologies to build a smart grocery shopping system

21^st Century Competencies

1. Collaboration and Communication
2. Technology literacy: robotics, AI, 3D printing, online research
3. Critical thinking and problem solving: associate technologies with real world problems and find solutions
4. Financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy

Extension ideas

1. Reset the store theme and sell goods of more categories
2. Upgrade the operation software, including, optimising or upgrading inventory monitoring, calculation of costs and profits, membership, special payment treatment for membership and voice-activated interactive services
3. Make the system better able to run on its own and be of better service

Project Idea 4: AI Waiter

Elements of building a robot to classify various tasty beverages

1. One robotic arm (Magician Lite)
2. One Magic Box (comes with Magician Lite)
3. One drinks shelf
4. One steering gear and extension cable for steering gear
5. Gripper (can be 3D printed)
6. Cups and screws

Goal

When students complete the project, they will be able to:

1. Control the way Magician Lite moves and grips via programming
2. Understand how speech recognition works and how it can be applied in real life
3. Know how to build a 3D model
4. Understand how smart catering services work

21^st Century Competencies

1. Collaboration and communication
2. Technology literacy: robotics, AI, 3D printing
3. Critical thinking and problem solving: associate technologies with real world problems and final solutions
4. Environmental literacy
5. ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) literacy

Extension ideas

1. Add different types of drinks
2. Improve the efficiency for ordering, payment, pickup and delivery
3. Optimise or upgrade the monitoring of the inventory and the calculation of costs and profits
4. Design all kinds of end-tools to make the mechanical control smother, improving the unmanned catering experience

Project Idea 5: Package Sorting Robot

Elements of building a robot to sort packages

1. One robotic arm (Magician Lite)
2. One Magic Box (comes with Magician Lite)
3. One USB camera
4. One conveyor belt
5. Models of trucks, packages (can be 3D Printed)
6. One computer
7. Address labels

Goal

When students complete the project, they will be able to:

1. Control the way Magician Lite handles, transports, sorts and stacks packages via Scratch programming
2. Understand how image recognition including image segmentation works and how it can be applied in real life
3. Know how to make multiple robots work together
4. Understand how modern logistics and warehousing works

21^st Century Competencies

1. Collaboration and communication
2. Technology literacy: robotics, AI, 3D printing
3. Critical thinking and problem solving: associate technologies with real world problems and final solutions
4. ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) literacy

Extension ideas

1. Make the system more complex by adding a slide rail and vehicle
2. Add more applications such as warehousing, sorting, out-of-warehousing, transportation, pickup, etc

DOBOT