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Low Cost Robotic Car as a Way to Teach Mathematics

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Date Issued:
2016
Summary:
This report describes the development of a low cost open source semiautonomous robotic car and a way to communicate with it. It is a continuation of prior research done by other students at FAU and published in recent ASEE conferences. The objective of this project was the development of a new robotic platform with improved precision over the original, while still keeping the cost down. It was developed with the aim to allow a hands-on approach to the teaching of mathematics topics that are taught in the K-12 syllabus. Improved robustness and reliability of the robotic platform for visually solving math problems was achieved using a combination of PID loops to keep track of distance and rotation. The precision was increased by changing the position of the encoders to the shafts of each motor. A mobile application was developed to allow the student to draw the geometric shapes on the screen before the car draws them. The mobile application consists of two parts, the canvas that the user uses to draw the figure and the configure section that lets the user change the parameters of the controller. Results show that the robot can draw standard geometric and complex geometric shapes. It has high precision and sufficient accuracy, the accuracy can be improved with some mechanical adjustments. During testing a Pythagorean triangle was drawn to show visually the key mathematics concept. The eventual goal of this project will be a K-12 class room study to obtain the feedback of the teachers and students on the feasibility of using a robotic car to teach math. Subsequent to that necessary changes will be made to manufacture a unit that is easy to assemble by the teacher.
Title: Low Cost Robotic Car as a Way to Teach Mathematics.
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Name(s): Aguerrevere, Santiago Andres, author
Shankar, Ravi, Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2016
Date Issued: 2016
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 93 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: This report describes the development of a low cost open source semiautonomous robotic car and a way to communicate with it. It is a continuation of prior research done by other students at FAU and published in recent ASEE conferences. The objective of this project was the development of a new robotic platform with improved precision over the original, while still keeping the cost down. It was developed with the aim to allow a hands-on approach to the teaching of mathematics topics that are taught in the K-12 syllabus. Improved robustness and reliability of the robotic platform for visually solving math problems was achieved using a combination of PID loops to keep track of distance and rotation. The precision was increased by changing the position of the encoders to the shafts of each motor. A mobile application was developed to allow the student to draw the geometric shapes on the screen before the car draws them. The mobile application consists of two parts, the canvas that the user uses to draw the figure and the configure section that lets the user change the parameters of the controller. Results show that the robot can draw standard geometric and complex geometric shapes. It has high precision and sufficient accuracy, the accuracy can be improved with some mechanical adjustments. During testing a Pythagorean triangle was drawn to show visually the key mathematics concept. The eventual goal of this project will be a K-12 class room study to obtain the feedback of the teachers and students on the feasibility of using a robotic car to teach math. Subsequent to that necessary changes will be made to manufacture a unit that is easy to assemble by the teacher.
Identifier: FA00004712 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Adaptive control systems
Applied mathematics
Artificial intelligence
Computers, Special purpose
Mathematics -- Study and teaching
User interfaces (Computer systems)
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Links: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004712
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004712
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.