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Build Your Own Robot Friend: An Open-Source Learning Module for Accessible and Engaging AI Education

Zhonghao Shi, Allison O'Connell, Zongjian Li, Siqi Liu, Jennifer Ayissi, Guy Hoffman, Mohammad Soleymani, Maja J. Matarić

TL;DR

The paper addresses the need for accessible AI education by introducing an open-source, affordable learning module that lets learners build a social robot and study AI, ML, robotics, software, and mechanical engineering with a strong emphasis on human-centered AI and ethics. The approach combines a modified Blossom robot (reduced to 20 3D-printed components), detailed documentation, and a three-part curriculum covering robotics, human-centered AI, and software engineering with AI/ML libraries. Key contributions include affordability and customizability, a social interaction focus, and an open-source, end-to-end learning pipeline validated in a two-day workshop with 15 participants, showing improved engagement and learning intentions. The work has practical impact for K-12 and college settings by enabling hands-on, ethics-aware AI education with lower barriers to adoption and broader accessibility.

Abstract

As artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in our society and global economy, AI education and literacy have become necessary components in college and K-12 education to prepare students for an AI-powered society. However, current AI curricula have not yet been made accessible and engaging enough for students and schools from all socio-economic backgrounds with different educational goals. In this work, we developed an open-source learning module for college and high school students, which allows students to build their own robot companion from the ground up. This open platform can be used to provide hands-on experience and introductory knowledge about various aspects of AI, including robotics, machine learning (ML), software engineering, and mechanical engineering. Because of the social and personal nature of a socially assistive robot companion, this module also puts a special emphasis on human-centered AI, enabling students to develop a better understanding of human-AI interaction and AI ethics through hands-on learning activities. With open-source documentation, assembling manuals and affordable materials, students from different socio-economic backgrounds can personalize their learning experience based on their individual educational goals. To evaluate the student-perceived quality of our module, we conducted a usability testing workshop with 15 college students recruited from a minority-serving institution. Our results indicate that our AI module is effective, easy-to-follow, and engaging, and it increases student interest in studying AI/ML and robotics in the future. We hope that this work will contribute toward accessible and engaging AI education in human-AI interaction for college and high school students.

Build Your Own Robot Friend: An Open-Source Learning Module for Accessible and Engaging AI Education

TL;DR

The paper addresses the need for accessible AI education by introducing an open-source, affordable learning module that lets learners build a social robot and study AI, ML, robotics, software, and mechanical engineering with a strong emphasis on human-centered AI and ethics. The approach combines a modified Blossom robot (reduced to 20 3D-printed components), detailed documentation, and a three-part curriculum covering robotics, human-centered AI, and software engineering with AI/ML libraries. Key contributions include affordability and customizability, a social interaction focus, and an open-source, end-to-end learning pipeline validated in a two-day workshop with 15 participants, showing improved engagement and learning intentions. The work has practical impact for K-12 and college settings by enabling hands-on, ethics-aware AI education with lower barriers to adoption and broader accessibility.

Abstract

As artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in our society and global economy, AI education and literacy have become necessary components in college and K-12 education to prepare students for an AI-powered society. However, current AI curricula have not yet been made accessible and engaging enough for students and schools from all socio-economic backgrounds with different educational goals. In this work, we developed an open-source learning module for college and high school students, which allows students to build their own robot companion from the ground up. This open platform can be used to provide hands-on experience and introductory knowledge about various aspects of AI, including robotics, machine learning (ML), software engineering, and mechanical engineering. Because of the social and personal nature of a socially assistive robot companion, this module also puts a special emphasis on human-centered AI, enabling students to develop a better understanding of human-AI interaction and AI ethics through hands-on learning activities. With open-source documentation, assembling manuals and affordable materials, students from different socio-economic backgrounds can personalize their learning experience based on their individual educational goals. To evaluate the student-perceived quality of our module, we conducted a usability testing workshop with 15 college students recruited from a minority-serving institution. Our results indicate that our AI module is effective, easy-to-follow, and engaging, and it increases student interest in studying AI/ML and robotics in the future. We hope that this work will contribute toward accessible and engaging AI education in human-AI interaction for college and high school students.
Paper Structure (20 sections, 3 equations, 5 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 20 sections, 3 equations, 5 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Related Work
  3. Platforms for Robotics Education
  4. Accessible Machine Learning Education
  5. Learning Module Design
  6. Part 1: Robotics
  7. Build your own robot friend.
  8. Be creative with your robot friend's outfit!
  9. Maybe give your friend a superpower?
  10. Part 2: Human-Centered AI, AI ethics and fairness
  11. Train your robot friend to see you.
  12. Help your robot friend learn about ethics and fairness.
  13. Part 3: Software Engineering with AI/ML and Robotic Libraries
  14. Teach your friend how to see you.
  15. Teach your robot to imitate you.
  16. ...and 5 more sections

Figures (5)

  • Figure 2: Enabling Better Affordability: Based on the robot platform proposed in suguitan2019blossom, we simplified the robot's open-source hardware design for ease of assembly (reducing the number of fabricated components from 63 to 20) with only 3D-printed components. These improvements shorten the robot assembly time and make the robot more affordable and accessible.
  • Figure 3: Enabling Better Customizability: Detailed documentation and video tutorials were created with the updated open-source software and hardware materials in the learning module, helping learners build their robot and be creative with its customizable design. A variety of exterior design tutorials and ideas to extend the platform gives students agency in their Blossom's design.
  • Figure 4: System architecture of the final program that students develop in this learning module, where the robot is programmed to recognize the user’s head pose and imitate the user’s head movements.
  • Figure 5: Human-centered robotic learning component: By designing the learning module around a socially assistive robot, we aim to engage the students in learning about topics on human-centered and social components of AI.
  • Figure 6: Our quantitative results indicate that our learning module is effective, easy-to-follow, engaging, and increases the students’ interests in further studying robotics and AI in the future (* = $p$ < .05, ** = $p$ < .001).