Oregon Robotics Tournament and Outreach Program

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Oregon Robotics Tournament and Outreach Program
II. Coaching/Mentoring Techniques Workshop for
Mindstorms? NXT
2009
Opening doors to the worlds of science and
technology for Oregons youth
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Instructor Contacts
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ORTOP Project Administrator
Cathy Swider Cathy_Swider_at_ous.edu (503)
821-1136 After Aug. 1 503-725-2920
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Todays Goals

• Focus on being a coach or mentor using
  Mindstorms? NXT robotics kits
• I hope you leave
• Feeling more comfortable about your role
• Having some more tools in your bag of tricks
• Understanding better what it takes to solve a
  challenge.
• Having gotten your questions answered
• Have some fun!!

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Agenda

• Review our Mission
• Forming your team
• Registering your team
• Equipping your team
• Managing your team
• Climate Connections Challenge kit from 2008
• Use NXT Robots from last week to program more
  with the Mindstorms? NXT Software

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Our Mission
Were asking you to help us!

• Program not just about building robots and
  competing in tournaments
• Teach skills
• Specific technical skills
• General life skills
• Show that technical problem solving can be fun
• The youngsters do the work Coaches Honor Code
  and Team Promise
• Open up the possibility of technical careers
• One secret opportunity

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Forming Your Team
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Where Teams Come From

• School Based
• In class Perhaps 45 minutes a day
• After school Perhaps 1.5 hours 2 to 4 times a
  week
• Special block Several hours once a week
• Club Based
• Probably after school or evening
• Independent team
• After school, evenings, or weekends
• We encourage you to find and include youngsters
  that normally would not have this exposure

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Where to Meet

• Large enough space to handle the number of
  youngsters on the team
• Space for challenge field setup 4x8
• Access to a computer
• Storage space between meetings
• Challenge table
• Partially built robot
• LEGO? parts

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Team size

• High initial interest may fade
• Sub-teams of 2-3 can work in parallel
• Experiment with prototypes
• Learn programming techniques
• Work on the presentation
• Eventually team should stabilize at 10 or less
• 5 to 7 team members is probably ideal

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You Need Adults, Too!

• Coach The person in charge
• Organizes the team
• Does not need to be a techie
• Mentor The technical guru
• Provides technical advice
• Provides the technical basics
• One person can play both roles
• But, dont go it alone
• Recruit other adults to supervise sub-teams

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Coach The Person in Charge

• Single point of contact for team
• Understands the FLL and ORTOP programs
• Management expertise more important than
  technical expertise
• Point of contact for FIRST and ORTOP info
• Recruits the team
• Registers the team
• Arranges for equipment
• Schedules meetings
• Sets the philosophy and instills team spirit
• Is a good role model

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Mentor The Technical Guru

• Technical Advisor to assist the coach
• Teaches both robot design and programming
• Helps set achievable goals
• Encourages structured problem solving
• Follow typical engineering project models
• Experiment with one variable at a time
• Graduates of FLL can work as mentors

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General Advice to All Adults

• This is the kids project, not yours
• Be a good role model
• Keep a positive attitude
• Encourage teamwork and insist on mutual respect
• Dont over emphasize winning demonstrating a
  solution at a tournament is success
• Have fun

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FLL Core Values

• We are a team.
• We do the work to find the solutions with
  guidance from our coaches and mentors.
• We honor the spirit of friendly competition.
• What we discover is more important than what we
  win.
• We share our experiences with others.
• We display gracious professionalism in everything
  we do.
• We have fun.

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FLL Core Values Team Observations

• Tournament officials observe teams during
  tournaments
• Looking for exceptional positive or negative
  demonstrations of FLL Core Values
• Observations can impact a teams score either
  positively or negatively

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No-Touch Rule

• Youngsters design, build, and program their
  robots
• Youngsters are responsible for project work
• During tournament, no adult may touch the
  computer keyboard, mouse, robot, robot
  attachments, or project materials.
• Giving verbal directives on programming and
  building or during table competition is a
  violation.
• Same guidelines apply for team meetings

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Registering Your Team
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Team Registration

• National registration through FLL
  http//register4fll.com/
• May through end of September or when max reached
• 200 FLL registration fee
• Receive Coaches Handbook, web forum access, DVDs
  on FIRST and FLL, and support
• Optional ordering of kits
• First-Come-First-Served, so REGISTER EARLY!!

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Purchases at FLL Registration

• Registration fee 200
• FLL Robot Set (NXT) 395
• Field set-up kit 65
• Extra parts rechargeable battery, motors, and
  sensors (light and touch)
• They dont ship until they are paid

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ORTOP State Registration

• Takes place early October 2009
• ORTOP Tournament fees
• 75 for a Qualifying Tournament
• 75 for a Championship Tournament
• We notify all coaches that have registered with
  FLL in Oregon and SW Washington
• Provide list of Qualifying Tournaments
• Ask for 3 Qualifying Tournament choices in
  priority order
• We assign teams to Qualifying Tournaments
• Register early!!

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Equipping Your Team
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Minimum Resources to Start

• A robotics kit
• A computer with Windows XP or Vista
• A place to meet and practice
• Classroom
• Family room
• Garage
• Community Room

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Additional Resources

• 2009 FLL Smart Move Field Setup kit (only from
  FLL)
• Mission Model Set
• Field Mat
• Practice table (design on FLL website)
• http//usfirst.org/community/fll/content.aspx?id1
  4006
• 4x8 bottom
• 2x4 railing around the sides
• Overhead light is no longer required

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Robotics Kit Info

• RCX-based kits
• LEGO? kit used by FLL in past years
• Can still be used in tournament in 2009
• They will be phased out eventually
• NXT-based kits
• Brand new in 2006
• 395 if ordered during FLL registration
• Ship to registered teams starting in mid-May

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Robotics Kit Info NXT-Based

• FLL NXT -- 395
• Only from FIRST
• Complete kit with two tubs and sorting trays
• NXT software
• LEGO? Education NXT Base Set -- 279.95
• http//www.legoeducation.com/store/detail.aspx?by
  6pl10ID1263c0t0l0
• Fewer parts with one tub and sorting trays
• No software
• LEGO? Retail -- 249.99
• Fewer parts with no sorting trays
• Includes NXT software

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Allowed NXT Robot Parts

• NXT controller (1)
• Motors (3)
• Touch sensors (2)
• Light sensors (2) (FLL kit comes with only 1!)
• Lamp (1)
• Rotation sensors (3 minus the number of NXT
  motors present)
• Ultrasonic sensor (1)      

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Team Uniforms??

• Many teams do something for the tournaments
• Team shirts, hats, etc
• Theme clothing
• Team sponsor advertising on a T-shirt, etc. is OK

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Example Team Budget

• National Registration Fee 200
• State Registration Fee 75-150
• 2009 Robotics Kit 395
• 2009 Field Setup Kit 65
• Materials for table around 50
• Misc. including batteries, shipping 50-100
• Total 835-960

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Possible Sources of team funding
Team Member Dues
Having some portion of costs picked up by team
members gives a sense of commitment
Fundraising Activities
Team Sponsors
ORTOP Scholarship
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ORTOP Scholarships

• Funding should not be an obstacle to a teams
  participation
• Cover up to 800 in team costs
• Accepting applications now
• Awards made at least monthly
• Last date is September 1, 2009
• http//ortop.org/fll/res.htmschol

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Scholarship Expectations

• Financial need based awards
• Coach/Mentor must attend all 3 ORTOP Workshops.
• Commit to holding at least one 90 minute meeting
  a week to work on the FIRST LEGO? League
  Challenge from September until the Qualifying
  Tournament.
• Team provides location to practice.
• Team provides computer with Windows XP or Vista
• Coach must bring team to Qualifying Tournament
• Coach must have an email address phone and
  promise to communicate with ORTOP.
• If coach does not continue past one year, robot
  kit must be returned to ORTOP.

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Managing Your Team
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Meeting Organization

• How often and how long to meet
• Most teams meet 1-3 times per week
• After school, evenings, weekends as team desires
• Some add extras as get closer to end
• gt 1 hr (set up and take down)
• lt 3 hrs (attention span)
• At least 2 adults present during meetings can
  use parents who take turns
• Set ground rules -- E.g. dont turn kids loose to
  walk home by themselves after dark
• Refreshments / snacks ??

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Team Kick-off Meeting

• Every child brings parent/guardian
• Set expectations with both
• Send kids off to build with LEGO? parts
• Get assistant to help
• Build with instructions, like the Constructopedia
• Something they can all do at once
• Explain the real situation to the parents

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Parent Involvement

• Explain program/FLL philosophy
• Success Participation
• Explain team rules (attendance, respect, ...)
• Discuss participation commitment for kids
• Review costs and funding sources
• Communicate about tournaments
• Solicit help

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You Have A Team, Now What?

• (Time Management)
• Divide the season
• Build A Foundation
• Address the Challenge
• Get It Done
• Practice like the Tournament

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(Approx) Field Challenge Timeline

• Assume 12 week season (24 meetings)
• 4 weeks Build Foundation
• 6 weeks Complete Challenge
• 2 weeks Practice / Minor changes
• You may need to adjust these suggestions based on
  the time you have available to meet with your team

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(Approx) Research Project Timeline

• 1 wk Basic Research
• 2 wks Narrow and Select Project Topic
• 1 wk Focused Research
• 6 wks Conduct Project / Prepare Presentation
• 2 wks Practice and Present to Others
• These tasks run concurrently with the Field
  Challenge Timeline on the previous slide

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Build a Foundation

• Introduce techniques and concepts
• Build or bring demos
• Discuss advantages and disadvantages
• Let kids figure out how to apply concept to
  Challenge
• One approach use 5-10 minutes at start of each
  meeting to introduce concepts
• Pick 1-2 subjects per session
• Can be more for first meetings / new teams
• May stop about ½ way thru season
• a bit late to incorporate new concepts unless
  they are stuck

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Foundation Sample Concepts

• Pick one or two new subjects per session
• Structural strength bracing vs. snapped pieces
• Gear ratios torque vs. speed
• Traction tracks vs. wheels
• Friction tires vs. skids
• Programming techniques linear vs. loops vs.
  subroutines

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Foundation Mechanics

• Robot basics have team build 2-3 different
  robots with instructions
• e.g. one per meeting
• Discuss , - of designs
• Team decides/combines for challenge robot
• Gives team general robot building and design
  tradeoff experience
• Build Field Kit
• Dedicate 1 meeting, divide up elements
• Ad hoc extra meeting for leftovers

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Foundation Divide and conquer

• Three basic robot functions
• Locomotion how the robot moves
• Concepts motors, gears/pulleys, wheels/tracks,
  friction, steering
• Navigation how it knows where to go
• Concepts time, sensors (rotation, touch, light,
  ultrasonic)
• Robotic Action function it performs
• Concepts pushing, grabbing, lifting , dumping

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Foundation Programming

• Introduce basic programming
• Can use Workshop handouts
• Introduce sensors
• If meetings start before Challenge is announced,
  can use mini-challenges to introduce concepts
• Calibration of light sensor

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Foundation Structured Problem Solving

• Teach them elements of structured approach to
  solving large problems
• Defining problem
• Brainstorming
• Evaluating alternatives
• Choosing alternative
• Implementing
• Evaluating testing

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Address the Challenge

• Pick up all information about the challenge from
  FIRST website when details announced in September
• Missions
• Rules
• Field setup
• QA (grows during the season)
• Project

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Address the Challenge

• Team must learn mission and rules
• Send home copy and learn missions and rules
• Discuss and test understanding at later team
  meetings
• Can overlap with build foundation meetings
• You might want to find a rules expert among
  your team members

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Address the Challenge

• Have team group missions
• Members brainstorm/generate prioritized list
• Can prioritize group by ease, location, or points
• Can group by program or trips out of base
• Individuals present and team selects which to
  start with
• Refer to team goals for how many to try
• Can add more if finish 1st set and still have time

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Address the Challenge

• Team decides how to divide responsibilities
• A) Builders / Programmers
• B) Mission based (build/program by mission)
• C) ??
• Need duplicate coverage for illness/absences
• Probably want area specialists (build, program,
  research, etc.) BUT
• Recommended ground rule Everyone contributes to
  all aspects of teams work

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Get It Done

• Considerations
• Introduce design rule concept
• Shared, agreed upon design constants e.g.
• Motors B/C drive and motor C is on right
• Which end is forward
• Light sensor is always in port 3
• Programs need to share inputs/outputs
• Attachments need to go together
• Base robot with quickly interchangeable
  attachments, or
• Attachments cant interfere with those for other
  missions
• Target being done early (time for debug/rebuild)

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Practice Like the Tournament

• Field Competition Runs (tournament rules)
• Start with individual missions/groups, then all
  together
• 2 ½ min, 2 members at the table at once
• Practice working under time pressure
• Switching between missions, programs
• Try to limit big last minute changes to
  missions/robot

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Practice Like the Tournament

• Judging Panels (Technical, Presentation,
  Teamwork)
• Use Coach Handbook rubrics
• Parents as judges
• Work on smooth, clear delivery
• Ask a variety of questions
• Practice teamwork exercises

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Budgeting Resources

• Physical resource effectiveness limits
• No more than 2 (3 max) at one keyboard
• No more than 2-3 building one item
• Cant research presentation and program robot on
  same computer at same time
• Consider time sharing
• 2 computers, one robot kit divide team
• 1/3 building, 1/3 programming, 1/3 researching
• Rotate during meeting

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1st Team Meeting Getting Started

• Set Team Goals
• Decide responsibilities
• Can rotate, especially near beginning
• Usually will want to be fixed as near tournament
• Need backup roles due to absences
• Set milestones use project management analogy
• Set dates for each phase of project to keep on
  track
• Include design, build, test, REWORK, practice

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Sample Team Goals

• Scale to experience level of team
• Samples
• Learn to program (...learn to use subroutines)
• Learn about (topic of year)
• Participate in tournament
• Complete at least 1 mission (more for experienced
  teams)
• Everyone participates
• HAVE FUN!

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Set Expectations For a Positive Tone

• Encourage risk taking
• Its OK to fail they are learning opportunities
• Key is to manage the risk
• Encourage experimentation
• Expect failure focus on what is learned as a
  result
• Problem solving takes time Edisons experience
  with light bulb filament

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Final Advice

• Keep Meetings Fun
• Usually means hands on LEGO? building every
  meeting
• Be flexible
• Help keep them on task, but ultimately it is
  their project
• The journey is as important as the result
• Watch for teaching moments
• Engineers need hard skills
• Mechanical Design, Programming, Analysis, Problem
  Solving, Experimentation, and Documentation
• AND soft skills
• Timeliness, Teamwork, Tact and Compromise,
  Confidence, Courtesy, Perseverance, and Planning

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With All the Focus on the Robot and the Challenge

• Dont Forget the Judging

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Technical Judging 25

• Panel of experts interviews teams
• Robot design Creativity and robustness
• Programming Creativity and robustness
• Prepare the team to
• Explain their design of the robot and its program
• Demonstrate at least one mission on the challenge
  field
• Bring a printout of the program

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Presentation Judging 25

• Dont ignore it
• Another good learning opportunity
• Research skills and presentation skills (remember
  the marketing kid? ?)
• Good engineering requires research and
  communication
• Format includes setup time
• 5 minute presentation, 5 minute interview
• Posterboards, skits, models, Powerpoint, . . .

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Teamwork Judging 25

• A separate 10 minute judging session
• No presentation is expected
• Teams will do a surprise teamwork activity
• Judges interact with teams to evaluate their
  teamwork abilities

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Sources of ideas

• Constructopedias/Manuals/Guides
• NXT Software Tutorial
• Books http//ortop.org/fll/res.htmbooks
• Web http//www.ortop.org/fll/res.htmlinks
• LEGO? website
• FIRST
• INSciTE -- Minnesota FLL
• Tufts University Inventor of Robolab
• Not all resources are NXT specific still useful
  for general techniques

• Art of LEGO?
• CMU (Carnegie Mellon University)

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Our Mailing Lists

• ortopvol
• All volunteers you can opt out
• One way from ORTOP to our volunteers
• We add you when you volunteer
• ortopcoaches
• You are added when you register your team with
  FLL
• Communication from ORTOP to registered coaches
  very important channel

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Next Steps

• Take Dale Yocums NXT Tutorial
  http//www.ortop.org/NXT_Tutorial/
• Sign-up for another workshop
• III. Robotics Techniques Workshop
• Registrationhttp//ortop.org/fll/res.htmwork

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Contact Us

• Web site http//www.ortop.org
• Email questions_at_ortop.org
• Phone [phone]