Objective: To introduce a process of design that starts with understand how to make the abstract feel real. In this case we will be taking the complex concept of emotions and build and program a robot that can display different feelings based on inputs from the environment.

Overview: In this activity, students will develop sketches to showcase a wide array of feelings and work to create a robot and program that demonstrate at least 2 of these emotions based on inputs from their environment.

The first step in coding by design involves understanding how we share emotions. Then, you can create prototypes that get you closer and closer to the best solution.

Materials:

30 Circle Template

Micro:bit

Computer

Robot created from previous project

Getting started: Think about the emotions we feel? How do we showcase these emotions? How can we tell when someone is happy, sad, excited, or worried?

Take a few minutes and sketch out some ideas on how we display emotions by filling in the circles. Think about different emotions. Think about ways we show emotion besides just our facial expressions.

Now that you have some ideas for emotions here is your challenge:

Design and code your robot to display at least two different emotions based on inputs from the environment.

How do you do this? Here are a few options

Could you remix this Smiley Button Project to showcase emotions using the A and B buttons?

Could you create pixel animation where your robot showcases a heart or other symbol that displays emotion?

Could you hack an old pair of headphones to hear noise from your code? Can you code audio expressions of emotions?

Could you create Brightbill and as your robot moves closer to Brightbill the happier he/she becomes using the compass or by sending messages back and forth using Radio. Add a twist and the farther apart the sadder your robot becomes.

Maybe you could join forces with other groups and combine your Micro:bits into a bigger display to show emotions?