Seventh Grade, Robotics Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 2)

Build a Simple Steerable Robot

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Beginner robotics projects like the Art Bot and Bristlebots are fun, but the robots wobble around randomly and cannot steer. If you are ready for a robotics project that is a little more advanced (that does not require any programming), try this one out! You will build your own steerable robot with a wired remote control. Read more

Design and 3D-Print Your Own Robot!

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Science Buddies has several fun robotics projects, like the Art Bot: Build a Wobbly Robot That Creates Art and Make a Robot Hand Using Drinking Straws, where you use arts and crafts materials to make part of a robot. Have you ever wanted to design a more-advanced, sturdier, or fancier looking robot? Then computer-aided design (CAD) and 3D printing might be for you; both are simpler than you think! The directions on this page will give you an introduction to these technologies so you can design… Read more

Squishy Robots: Build an Air-Powered Soft Robotic Gripper

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When you think about robots, chances are they are contraptions that you have seen on TV, in movies, or even in real life — and they are usually made of metal. What if you could make a soft robot that could bend, twist, or squirm like an octopus or an earthworm? Researchers at Harvard University have done exactly that, developing soft robots made of rubber and powered by air instead of electricity. In this project you will use their designs to build a soft robotic gripper of your own. Read more

Build a Motion-Activated Guard Robot (BlueBot Project #1)

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Do you ever wish you could hire someone to guard your favorite toys, or keep certain people from coming into your room? What if you could make a robot to do it for you? This project will show you how to build a simple security robot controlled by a motion-detecting sensor. When someone comes near your valuables or enters the room, the robot will spring to life and (hopefully) scare them away! Read more

Build a Speedy Light-Tracking Robot (BlueBot Project #2)

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Have you ever seen a cat chase a laser pointer or a flashlight beam? What if you could make a robot do that? In this project, you will build a robot that can automatically drive toward a bright light source. The robot uses a simple electronic circuit to track light, so there is no computer programming required! You can also do three other robotics projects using the same kit of parts, so this is a great way to get started with robotics before moving on to more advanced projects. Read more

Build a Light-Tracking Bristlebot

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Sometimes engineers get ideas to build robots from animals in nature. There are robot dogs, robot snakes, robot birds, robot cheetahs, and even tiny robotic insects! In this science project, you will build a robot insect of your own. The robot will automatically drive toward a light source, mimicking a behavior called phototaxis, seen in some insects. You will build your own robot and then make adjustments so it can reliably drive toward a light. Read more

Exploring the Uncanny Valley

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What do you consider creepy? Clowns? Zombies? Video game characters with jerky movement? In 1970, a roboticist by the name of Masahiro Mori suggested that people are "creeped out" by robots that are almost, but not exactly, humanlike. He called this phenomena the uncanny valley. But researchers are still exploring and defining the uncanny valley. In this science project, you can do your own exploration—just try not to creep your friends out too badly! Read more

Make a Magnetic Slime Robot

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Could you use a magnetic slime "robot" to retrieve a battery accidentally swallowed by a small child? Scientists think so! Watch this video to learn about magnetic slime that, when driven by external magnetic fields, can squeeze through small spaces and even grasp objects. Can you make your own magnetic slime robot that can accomplish some of the same tasks demonstrated by the researchers? You can start by adding iron filings to slime to make your own magnetic slime (see this Science Buddies… Read more

Squishy Robot Simulator

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What do an octopus, an elephant's trunk, and an earthworm have in common? They are all squishy, bendable and flexible because they do not have any bones inside. You might not typically think of robots as "squishy," but scientists are increasingly trying to create soft robots that look and move like animals. In this project you will use a "soft robot simulator" to design and race your own squishy robots. Can you come up with the fastest design? Read more

Build a Solar-Powered Bristlebot

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You have probably heard about using renewable energy sources like wind and solar power to provide electricity to homes and buildings, as well as hybrid or fully electric cars that use less (or zero) gasoline. But what about solar-powered robots? As robots become more common, it is increasingly important to use "green" energy sources to power them. In this project, you will build and test a popular robot called a bristlebot — a tiny robot made using toothbrushes—that can operate on… Read more

Seventh Grade, Robotics Projects, Lessons, Activities (46 results)

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