Robotix Inc - Game Script Think like a robot and learn Computer Science principles


Background

Robotix Engineering Quality, 

We need more robots!

Demand is steadily on the rise and we are almost completely sold out of Robotix robots. We need your help in building a few new robots for our inventory.

We have a few special requests, so read your instructions carefully and get ready to build something awesome.

 

Best,

Deborah Beeboop

CEO, Robotix Robots 

Characters

Jerry Sai ENGINEER

A home life improvement engineer with attention to detail. For example, Jerry never misspells the word "vacuum." 


Your Task

Dear Jerry,

We need you to build a robot that can steam, clean and vacuum any floor in its path!

 

 


Resources

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Sharona Colada Engineer

Sharona is a sports robot engineer. She can build robots that help you jump higher in basketball or slam a home run in baseball. 


Your Task

Dear Sharona, 

We need your help in building a robot that amps up the force in a tennis player's serve.


Resources

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Emille Saville Engineer

Emille builds robots for security in schools. Nothing gets past Emille and his creative innovations in robot security! 


Your Task

Dear Emille, 

Help write the logic for a robot that secures the school grounds.


Resources

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Tobey Harlequinn Engineer

Tobey makes funny robots for parties and silly pranks. 


Your Task

Dear Tobey,

We need a robot that take suggestions from an audience and write fresh and very funny jokes on the spot!


Resources

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Xavier Maxamillian Engineer

Xavier is a food prep robotics mastermind. Hungry for a snack? Xavier's robots can whip up any food you could ever want and clean up the kitchen while you enjoy.


Your Task

Dear Xavier, 

We need a robot that can prepare a sandwich made out of the ingredients available and that the hungry robot user wants.


Resources

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Scene 1: Develop The Software!



1.

Public Message

Dear Robotix Engineers,

We've got orders for new robots coming out of our ears and we need your help in engineering the software - aka the basic instructions - for our new robots. Remember - robots follow instructions EXACTLY as they are given (unlike some little brothers...) so make sure to write clear questions and guide your robot through each step in the process. 

Check out your character's specific tips and build a flowchart with instruction for your robot to share with the group!

Best,

Deborah

CEO, Robotix



2.

Private (Shortly After previous message)

Jerry Sai:

Dear Jerry,

 

Your job is to make a robot that can clean a room. It can be any type of cleaning tool! The things you should consider when building your decision tree are, what the robot’s main task is, what may get in its way and what questions it can ask to make sure it overcomes its obstacles and completes its task!

Name the robot, then name its purpose and then write the decisions it will make!

 

For example:

 

Jerry’s VacuuBOT

 

When placed at an entrance, VacuuBOT moves one foot at a time and then cleans the space underneath it. 

 

  1. Am I at the netrance and facing the room?
    1. if no beep and blink green light
    2. If yes:
      1. Is there something blocking me within one foot ahead of me?
        1. If no move one foot ahead
        2. If yes: 
          1. Is there something one foot to the right of me?
            1. If no move one foot right
            2. If yes:
              1. Is there something one foot to the left of me?
                1. If no move one foot left
                2. If yes:
                  1. Is there something one foot behind me?
                  2. If no move one foot back
                  3. If yes: return to first question
Sharona Colada:

Dear Sharona, 

 

Your job is to make a robot that will improve a player’s tennis serve. Check out your resources to learn about force and about the best kinds of tennis moves!

 

Then, name your robot, name its purpose and write a decision tree that a robot you might attach to a player’s tennis racket might go through to improve a player’s serve.

Emille Saville:

Dear Emille,

 

You need to make a new robot that can increase school safety. It should be a robot that performs one simple task, like this robot that can protect students in the parking lots at night. For example:

Name: Emille’s MaceBOT

 

Task: MaceBOT clips to your shirt and if you call “MACE!” to protect yourself it recognizes your voice and sprays mace outward at a perpretator.

 

Decision Tree:

 

  1. Did someone say “MACE”?
    1. If Yes: does the voice match my owners?
      1. If yes: Spray MACE
Tobey Harlequinn:

 

Dear Tobey,

 

You build robots that know how to have a good time! We need you to think of a robot that can pull a good prank or think of a good joke.

 

Name your robot, then its task and then write the decision tree. For example:

 

Name: WhoopieCUSHIONBOT

Task: Rolls under a chair and puts a whoopie cushion on someone’s seat before they sit down and inflates deflated whoopie cushions.

 

Decision Tree:

 

  1. Does whoopie cushion need inflation?
    1. If yes: inflate
    2. If no:
      1. ask, which chair should I roll under?
        1. then roll to that chair 
          1. Is there a person on chair?
            1. if yes: wait
            2. If no: put whoopie cushion on chair and roll back to owner
Xavier Maxamillian:

 

Dear Xavier,

 

Your snack making skills are amazing! We need you to make a robot that will dole out snacks for hungry friends.

 

Name your robot, then its task and then write a decision tree! For example:

 

PizzaBOT

 

Pizza bot has a refridgerator and pizza oven so it can store ingredients assemble them and then bake them into a cheese pizza! 

 

  1. Do I have cheese, sauce and dough?
    1. If no: ask for necessary ingredient
    2. If yes:
      1. ask, do you want pizza?
        1. If no: sleep mode
        2. If yes:
          1. spread dough into a wide circle, spread sauce and then cheese. Then bake the pizza and alert user when ready!


3.

Public Message (Shortly After previous message)

Hello Engineers!

By now you should have chosen what type of task you want your robot to do. 

Feeling proud of your creative idea? Post a picture or a gif to the group chat to give the group a hint about your robot's capabilities!

Cheers,

Deborah CEO Robotix



Vote

[username], Which robot would you love to use?



Option 1
Jerry's
Option 2
Sharona's
Option 3
Emille's
Option 4
Tobey's
Option 5
Xavier's


Ending message for when most people voted for option



Option 1

Jerry got the votes!


Option 2

Sharona got the most votes!


Option 3

Emille, you got the votessssss!


Option 4

Tobey! Congratulations you got the most votes.


Option 5

Xavier you got the most votes!




Discussion Points

  1. What is a decision tree?
  2. Can you think of a decision tree your technology may be based off of?
  3. For example, when you press a button on your TV?