We’re introducing another new blog series for educators! Each week, we will take a look at an online STEM resource teachers can use to better their instruction with hands-on opportunities. In the first edition of Rising Resources, we’re exploring Robot App Store, a resource designed to help teachers learn more about robotics in a number of ways! Keep reading to find out why it’s useful and how educators can leverage it to create high-quality learning experiences in the classroom!
Robot App Store, which was founded in 2011, is an online marketplace where robot owners can purchase and download applications written by developers to extend the functionality of their robots. The company was established on the thought that the robotics world would not be able to flourish and reach its full potential without a lively marketplace that hobbyists could use to obtain applications in an efficient way. This medium connects developers and owners to help them create a new era of robotics. Written applications range from those for humanoid robots to vehicles and even vacuum cleaners! There are many different applications that are currently available.
For educational purposes, Robot App Store’s website is pretty easy to navigate. For example, if someone was looking to purchase apps for their robot, it’s intuitive enough that they would be able to quickly figure out that they should visit the store section. Here, thousands of apps are all categorized, making it easy to find the specific ones that you would like to download. There are apps for people with all types of interests as well—from those interested in educational apps, entertainment, coding, and even surveillance. This website has it all!
Each app is outlined with what the user would need to properly download it, which includes app size, software needed, and an explanation of what the app will do when paired with a robot. For most of the apps that I have seen, there is no cost to download, but users do need to create an account. Not only can anyone obtain interesting apps on this website, there are also resources available that instruct both adults and students how to develop their own.
Another cool section on the website is the Robopedia page. It’s like Wikipedia in the sense that it has a vast database on numerous topics, but is specifically for robots. It’s helpful because each portal summarizes a different aspect of robotics. The robot’s portal contains articles about popular robots, such as NAO, Sphero, and Roomba among others. The information on each page includes the basics of what each robot does, specs, and different versions, in addition to what programs are available for download.
The sensors and software portals are also each very useful as they get into the more technical side of robotics. With information on the what a sensor is and the different types that are used in robotics (cliff, current flow, and force, for example) as well as educational information on software, such as Java, Open Source, OS, and more, these portals are excellent for readers interested in gaining a general knowledge of robots.
Finally, the competitions portal offers something a little different than the other portals. It has basic information on four different robot competitions. The DARPA Grand Challenge involves robot cars navigating through obstacles and hitting targets within a certain amount of time. The FIRST Robotics organization offers a variety of competitions for students of all ages—most of which feature robots students build themselves.
The Robocup Federation put together a competition called the RoboCup in which autonomous robot soccer players play against the winner of the most recent World Cup. Finally, there is RoboGames—recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest robot competition in the world. It is basically a series of competitions in which robots navigate mazes while accommodating tons of participants.
Though it could benefit from some greater attention to detail in some places, the Robot App Store website does have a lot of educational value and topical content. It’s a good starting point for those interested in learning more about robotics, brushing up on the basics, or expanding the functionality of robots they already own. The best part about this website is the number of topics kids can learn about. It doesn’t go into extensive details, but it does give them the fundamentals on almost any robot topic they can think of. Be sure to visit the Robot App Store site to learn more!
After visiting Robot App Store to brush up on robotics knowledge and find some cool apps, be sure to get the robots you need to run them! Our store is home to hundreds of educational robotics tools that are designed to help kids prepare for the future. Click below to check them out and get children building the most important STEM skills while they have fun!