Dancing Humanoid Robots Lab Demonstration for the First Year Engineering Students

Abstract

This work addresses an exciting humanoid robots laboratory demonstration developed by students (one senior and two master's students) for the first year engineering students. The goals of the demonstration are to entice the first year mechatronics engineering and industrial engineering students, and to motivate them to continue with their engineering studies. For this task, three robotic kits, Robotis Premium, from Robotis, Inc. are acquired; three humanoid robots (18 Degrees of Freedom each) are assembled, and a three-minute robotic dance choreography is created, programmed, and delivered. The demonstration of the robot dance group is included in the regularly scheduled lab sessions of an introduction to engineering course. Student survey results show that this experience was exciting and that it increased students' motivation for studying engineering.