Robotics Resources Guide
Robotics, first developed in the mid-20th century, is a fascinating field that has many practical applications in the present and future world. Over decades, advancements in the field have revolutionized healthcare, manufacturing, space exploration, the military and public safety operations. As a society, we can expect to continue to see progress in robotics that will make profound impacts on our personal lives, such as fully autonomous cars and mobile, human-like robots that function among us. Below you will find 40 resources that are organized in sections to appeal to teachers, students, blog or podcast enthusiasts and those who are simply intrigued by this exciting, ever-changing field.
General Robotics Resources
Within this general resources sections, discover links to industry events, online communities and historical information in the field of robotics.
Robot Events.com – The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation’s goal is to connect students, mentors and schools with competitive events, workshops, camps and conferences that foster technical and interpersonal skills.
National Robotics Week – Find out about National Robotics Week, which celebrates the United States’ status as a leader in the development of robotics technology through its educational and research efforts.
Robot Café – Visit this site to find a community of others who are intrigued and inspired by robotics and are committed to its advancement.
Timeline of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics – This informative and interesting timeline starts with Elektro, the robot, at the 1939 World’s Fair and ends in 2015 with Bill Gates sharing his opinions about the negative effects of AI on our future society.
10 Amazing Real Life Robots – These aren’t movie star robots. Instead, they are real creations – some who even solved big problems.
Robotics Teaching Resources
Teaching robotics isn’t something that requires a captive audience. Instead, it’s a subject that lends itself to well to the inquiring minds of students. Find plenty of ideas and plans below to help you get started.
Robotics Lesson Plans – Find lesson plans with math, science and technology components for students from K-12, courtesy of NASA.
STEM Robotics Repository for Educational Materials – Teachers, afterschool coaches and other educational faculty members can apply for a free account to access all the educational materials this resource has to offer.
LEGO EV3 Online Courses – This site offers 10 links to free online courses that are specifically for the LEGO EV3 system.
Robot BASIC – Two retired college professors authored this free robotics resource that serves to teach young students to program.
How to Teach Robotics – This informative article from The Guardian offers several teaching ideas and links to robotics resources for different grade levels.
Robotics Study Resources
Discover valuable resources for educational robotics courses, e-books and tutorials below. Best of all, they are free.
Begin Robotics – If you begin and complete this 12-hour course in 14 days, it’s free! Use it to explore the history, anatomy and intelligence of robots.
21 Free Robotics Courses – Choose from 21 free courses that are divided into the following categories: Introduction to Robotics, Drones and Aerial Robotics, Movements, Sensors and Actuation, Learning and Cognition and Applications and Programming.
Robotics Tutorials – Browse this site to find tutorials for people with beginning, intermediate and advanced robotics skills.
Robotics EBooks – Browse seven pages of free robotics e-book selections for downloading and reading at your leisure.
Educational Robots for Absolute Beginners (Lego NXT Edition) – This self-paced course allows anyone interested in learning or teaching about LEGO NXT robotics to do it for free.
Kid’s Robotics Resources
With the world of robotics rapidly becoming more relevant, giving kids opportunities to become involved and informed is a great idea.
Robots for Kids – Discover games, projects, quizzes, videos and facts about exciting robotics topics that are geared for kids.
State-Based Robotics Camps and After School Programs – Follow this link to locate robotics-based camps or after school programs by state. To get the most up-to-date information, contact the organization that is facilitating the camp or program.
DIY.org – This online community for kids allows them to learn tons of new skills – including robotics-based ones – via various projects and experiments.
Cool Coding Apps and Websites for Kids – From Common Sense Media comes this list of coding apps and websites for children of different ages and abilities.
Stem Works – Browse this interesting collection of robotics activities such as making a smart umbrella or engaging in a virtual robotics lab.
The following organizations vary in their mission, but all have something in common, which is
an interest and dedication to the field of robotics.
KISS Institute for Practical Robotics – With a mission of improving the general public’s understanding of topics in science, tech, engineering and math, our nation’s schools and communities can’t help but benefit from the KISS Institute for Practical Robotics.
IEEE Robotics and Automation Society – This society provides access to the most current information in robotics and automation. Opportunities to connect with peers are also offered.
Robogames – Robogames is the world’s biggest open robot competition. It’s held annually in San Mateo, California and features over 50 events.
The International Federation of Robotics – Established in 1987, this organization’s goal is to connect the world of robotics internationally. It also serves as the primary global resource for robotics data.
Robot Hall of Fame – Explore the landmark achievements in robotics technology via this hall of fame established in 2003 by Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science.
NASA Robotics for Alliance Projects – This organization strives to create resources that will advance the implementation of future robotic space exploration missions.
FIRST – FIRST seeks to inspire young people to pursue science and tech careers via mentor-based programs that will help them build important industry-specific skills.
Robotics News and Information Resources
Browse this section to discover one or more robotics news resources that you can rely on for current and well-reported information.
Science Daily – Since 1995, this American news website has provided articles on hundreds of science topics including robotics.
Robot Magazine – Enjoy the intrigue of robotics by keeping up to date on the latest advances, events, techniques and more in the world of robotics.
MIT News – Check out over 120 news articles based on robotics on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology website.
Live Science – With comprehensive articles and interactive features, what’s not to like about this robotics news resource?
Phys.org: Robotics News – Phys.org is a favorite news resource for over 1.75 million researchers, engineers and scientists. Check it out to see why.
Learn about the latest information and news in the robotics field via one of these helpful blogs.
Let’s Make Robots – This community site offers you the ability to learn about robots and technology and ask questions of others.
Automaton – As the IEEE Spectrum’s robotics blog, you can expect reliable information in the form of news, articles and videos.
Robotenomics – This blog explores the deeper issues that concern the robotics industry and the way the industry continues to evolve.
The Robot Report – Keep yourself informed regarding robotics industry news with The Robot Report as your guide.
Stay on the cutting edge of what’s happening in the robotics industry by making a standing commitment to listen to one or more of these podcasts each week.
Terrifying Robot Dog – Hosts Jonathan Stark and Kelli Shaver explore how technology is changing our relationship with our world.
Robots Podcast – Want news and opinions on robotics? Tune in to this podcast that features perspectives from leading pros in the field.
Robotics Trends Podcast – Join leading experts on this podcast to learn about current news and insights on robotics and AI.
This Week in Machine Learning and AI – Every other week, this podcast releases a new episode featuring an interview with an AI industry expert.