Unit 1: Introduction to Robotics

The Definition of a Robot: The difference between a "dumb" machine (like a toaster) and a robot (like a Roomba).

The Sense-Think-Act Cycle: The fundamental loop of robotic behavior.

Core Components: The basic roles of sensors (input), processors (brain), and actuators (output).

History & Impact: A brief overview of how robots have evolved from industrial arms to autonomous systems.

Analyze Real-World Tech: Categorize everyday objects as "Robot" or "Not a Robot" based on specific criteria.

Deconstruct the Loop: Identify the sensing, thinking, and acting components in a variety of modern robots (e.g., self-driving cars, surgical bots).

The "Human Robot" Exercise: Act out precise, line-by-line "code" instructions to perform a simple task (like making a PB&J sandwich) to understand the logic required for programming.

The "Robot Anatomy" Pitch: Students will work in pairs to select a hypothetical problem (e.g., "I hate folding laundry" or "We need to clean ocean plastic"). They must design a conceptual robot "blueprint" that labels:

1. Sensors: What data does it need from the environment?

2. Logic: How does it decide what to do with that data?

3. Actuators: What physical action does it take? Students will present their blueprint to the class to justify why their design qualifies as a true robot.