Robot Rescue Responder: Learning Robot Programming through Playing Computer Games

The overall objective of the project is to introduce high school students to various levels of programming by designing a series of interactive computer games with simulated robots.
The proposed games have two educational aims:

• To teach students the fundamentals of robotic programming and related mathematical concepts (e.g. vectors, problem solving, etc.) in an engaging interactive manner.
• To increase student interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

The games intend to teach students how to "think" like a computer scientist rather than simply teaching them the syntax of a computer programming language.

This project is in collaboration with Moai Technologies LLC, LudasLabs LLC, and Edina Public High School. Moai Technologies LLC is a small, Minneapolis-based company dedicated to bringing the most advanced and innovative technologies to market.

Screenshots from sample games

Prototypes for the games are designed using MORSE, an open source simulator for robots which is built on Blender for modelling and 3D rendering and Bullet for physics simulation.