International Collaboration to Increase Access to Educational Robotics for Students.

Smart Motors is a low-cost, low-barrier-to-entry trainable robotic system enabling playful learning with technology in various classroom types. Many kits and online tools have been developed as educational resources for children to learn about robotics, enabling an increasingly widespread integration of engineering and robotics into classrooms. Despite the positive features of many existing technologies, however, issues of equitable access for students in under-resourced classrooms have emerged: the high costs of many of the kits and the need for internet connectivity, computers, and technical expertise on the part of teachers all limit their adoption. Smart Motors offers a low-cost solution based on readily available materials, enabling students in diverse educational contexts and ages to gain exposure to robotics and artificial intelligence. Users can train this type of motor to run to various positions corresponding to different sensor inputs, enabling students to bring their engineering projects to life. The underlying shift from coding to training robots eliminates the need for access to computers and the internet for students to engage in hands-on robotics activities. Furthermore, the system can be developed with locally available materials, enabling its adoption in diverse and international settings. In this paper, we describe the international collaboration in developing Smart Motors, detail various prototypes built with locally on-hand materials, describe the issues we have faced in this endeavor, and outline future plans. We are creating an international community of engineers and educators developing new designs and testing various materials available in local settings. This global network enables a wide range of educational contexts to be at the core of the development process. Studying students' engagement with the system at workshops further ensures that the product is accessible and contributes to students' and teachers' learning in various settings.