Have your class use the engineering design process to program a vacuum robot. Using computer engineering concepts, teams program an automatic floor cleaner to traverse designated patterns. 

Concepts

legos, prototypes, robots, computer software, computer code, engineering design, biomedical engineering, robotics, technology resources

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Instructional Ideas

• Encourage teams to design multiple programs that will meet the criteria and then choose the best one

Classroom Considerations

• The activity uses Lego Mindstorms robots
• Requires floor space to create the paths on the floor
• The challenge is the final activity in a series of four

Pros

• An outline provides a timeline for the different aspects of the activity
• The team packet acts as an organizer for the teams' procedures through the design process

Cons

• LEGO Mindstorms kits can be expensive