Flexibility of wireless technologies in learning in robotic laboratories

German Carro Fernandez* , Elio Sancristobal Ruiz,
Sergio Martin Gutierrez, Manuel Castro Gil, Francisco
Mur Perez
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
Spanish University for Distance Education (UNED)
Madrid, Spain

German Carro Fernandez germancf@ieee.org
Flexibility of wireless technologies in learning in robotic laboratories
• Introduction
• Wireless Communication
• Flexibility of wireless technologies in learning
• Conclusions
This contribution was solely written by students
and/or doctoral candidates.

Solution: Wireless
Let’s go to see Why!

Objective:
Reflects the importance that wireless may have in:
 Safety: avoid unintentional injuries
 Efficiency and productivity: avoid distractions
 Costs: avoid unnecessary expenses
 Autonomy: avoid depends on a wire length,…
…in learning and e-learning process, as well as the
motivation that this changes cause on the students

• Introduction
• Wireless Communication
• Flexibility of wireless technologies in learning
• Conclusions

Today there are some alternatives on market…
 IrDa port Communication:
 Based on light rays moving in the infrared spectrum
 Bidirectional at 4 Mbps and 1 meter
 Common devices (TV remote controls)
 WI-FI Communication:
 802.11 Standard
 Several wide band and up to 100 meters
 Common in laptops

 Bluetooth Communication:
 Designed specifically for low power devices
 720 kb/s (1 Mbps raw) and 10 meters
 Common on any robotics kits (Lego)
 NFC and tags Communication:
 Short-range and high frequency
 Up to 848 kbit/s and less than 10 cm
 Any educational robots (Kibot)

…the other side of the coin…
 Security: The wireless communication systems are more
vulnerable than traditional systems via cable or wires
…the advantages
 Security is enough for educational environments
 Training should focus on learning to use a specific robotic
equipment, where direct practice prevails against everything
else

Installation and equipment costs in wireless learning
environments
 Selection and adaptation of environment in which it will be
developed the learning
 Wires:
 Installation of rails to accommodate the wires
 So many connectors as computers and robots to be used
 Switches needed to try to save installation time
 Adequate supervision and control cable lengths and pinched them
 Wireless:
 Decide the tool to use communication (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, IrDA)
 Install the respective receiver/transmitters on the PCs and robots
 Less material, less hours for installation, etc. => Less costs on time
and money

Safe E-learning
 Student interaction with equipment and tools on-line:
 Wires:
 Presence of a supervisor who avoids possible accidents
 Limits the flexibility in the use of these systems
 Reduce operating time depends on the availability of a third
party to conduct the activity
 Wireless:
 Facilitate student interaction from remote terminals without
physical presence in the classroom or lab environment
 The only parameter to ensure will be a good wireless
connection in place and, of course, a good Internet access

Safe E-learning
 On academic environment:
 The student can anticipate possible experiments based on the
study,
 increasing their curiosity about the use of the robot to use,
 or develop new uses for it, out of the face and tutoring of
traditional classroom, or supplementing it
 On industrial environment:
 This type of remote communication can be the difference
between a significant reduction of errors by the operator when
working with a new team,
 or avoid long hours of classroom training in place work that will
result in a waste of time and decreasing in production

Increased student motivation
 Student interaction with equipment and tools:
 Wires:
 Discomfort of having to connect and disconnect a robot kit every
time we have to load new software on it
 Risks of unintentional injuries
 Difficulties to work in group. People + Cables= Uncomfortable
 Wireless:
 Load of data with a single click. Agile feedback student-robot
 Low risk
 Comfortable to team working
But wireless is not everything…

 Student interaction with software (other stone in front of
motivation):
 Specific software:
 Must be easy to use and avoid agile feedback between student and
robot
 If needed, is better teaching its use on a specific course for avoid
overcharge the student
Customized Lab View Interface =>

 Student interaction with software (other stone in front of
motivation):
 Commercial software (Robotic kits):
 Usually is easy to manage
 Focus the attention at robot and use the software as tool
Commercial Lego Mindstorm Interface =>

 The scary question: Was the student motivated?
 Survey : If you want to know how the students felt the class,
please, answer it to them!
 Feedback: Even during the course. Every time is a good time
to change if the next way is better
 Look at them: Look the students, their way of work, their
activities during the class, can give to us more information that
any other tool

Increasing autonomy of the robot
 Wires:
 Cables block the movement
 Slow movement and, in many cases,
prevents certain rotations or translations
 The robot that can end up caught between
them
 Wireless:
 The only limit: Wide range of communication
(usually more length than cable length)
 Can help test the robot, and handling,
from a safe distance,
 or through windows or rooms away from the
main interface handling

 A special cases for remove unnecessary wiring:
 Bipedal robots:
 Facilitate the movement and mobility is even greater
 The crucial point is the balance of the robot
 Misplaced cable or tension, can cause problems in the configuration
of the load of the servos. That problems can affect to the instructions
of software and eventually cause failure of the mobility tests
Nao robots pictures from
http://www.aldebaran-robotics.com

 A special cases for remove unnecessary wiring:
 Interactive robots:
 Communication between the robots themselves. Using such
tools may be able to get several robots work as a team,
improving their productivity by acting collaboratively
Nao robots pictures from http://www.aldebaran-robotics.com

The use of wireless
systems facilitates this
process, so, if you can
not remove the wires
completely, try to reduce
it as far as possible...
…and look at the results

Actividades Rama de Estudiantes IEEE-UNED
Authors acknowledge the support provided by:
 IEEE Spanish Section
 Engineering Science School of UNED
 Computer Science School of UNED
 UNED University
 Karbo School, Zaragoza University, EduQTech.
 IEEE Student Branch of UNED
 IEEE Education Society
 IEEE Foundation
Authors are especially grateful to the Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department (DIEEC) of UNED for its support and advice in the preparation of
this paper
This contribution was solely written by students
and/or doctoral candidates.

Flexibility of wireless technologies in learning in robotic laboratories

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