Storytelling with Machines: Innovative Approach of Developing Creative Mindset and Teaching About Mechanisms Through Stories

Abstract

The historical ancestors of computers and robots have interesting stories to tell.From abacuses to tea-serving karakuri puppets, "automata" have long been used as tools for explaining scientific principles and for amusing entertainment.To tap into the use of automata for explaining scientific principles, an undergraduate-technical elective course was developed that explored the engineering principles of mechanisms in an innovative way: by adopting automata for creative storytelling.The details of this course are described in this paper.The objective of this course was to teach students about mechanical elements with the context of storytelling.Students learned about the basic elements of mechanical systems while emphasizing the underlying physical principles.Students also developed an understanding of the working principles of elements such as linkages, cams, and gears, which generate and convey mechanical motion.In addition to studying these physical elements, the students investigated the mechanics of storytelling, and they explored the historical and creative relationship between automation and narrative.Through hands-on projects, students designed and fabricated basic automata that give life to stories of their own design.From the project deliverables and student reflections, the author finds that incorporating storytelling and automaton creation had three major impacts on student learning.First, it allowed students to create connections between elements of storytelling and engineering and provided a new perspective to approach engineering problems.Second, it allowed students to think out-of-the box and fostered their creativity.Finally, this pedagogical approach also had broader impact on students' attitudes towards their professional career.