~project's proposal~

Project’s Name: The Recycle Robot

1) Introduction
Recently, robotics has become a phenomenon especially in the education context. Thus, robotics technology and robots are being used by a lot of educators in schools and colleges as well. In schools, students and teachers have been introduced to a new set of robotics tool called LEGO Mindstorms. This kit has been used in schools in order to give basic education to students about robots and robotics technology. For this semester, we were asked to create a project that uses the robotics components. We were asked to come out with a robot that uses the principles of robots and robotics. It has to be related to the primary schools students’ syllabus as they also have to come out with the same project at the end of the lessons. After a few further discussions, we came out with this idea: Recycle Robot.

2) Problem Statement
We found out that there are not so many people especially in schools are aware about the importance of the recycle bins. Some of them especially the primary school students do not know how to use the recycle bins maximally. The government has put the recycle bins at almost all of the schools all over Malaysia. Unfortunately, the recycle bins are not filled with the things that can be recycled, but with banana skins, tissue paper, chewing gums, and the worst of all, the cans weren’t emptied. Due to this problem, we came out wit an idea to create this recycling robot. Generally, this robot will help people in putting the garbage in the particular bins.

3) Problem Solving
In order to create this robot, we have a set of tasks that need to be completed. The tasks are:
a) identify problems
b) investigation and research upon the project
c) brainstorming – giving ideas and solutions
d) sketching and design the robot
e) product development – programming and making the robot
f) testing and evaluation
g) documentation

4) Objectives
Every product created has it own purposes or objectives. The recycling robot is created to:
• To show the principles of robots and robotics.
• To show the functions of LEGO MINDSTORMS components; (motors, gears, NXT brick, sensors)
• To give exposure to students about design and technology in life so that they can create something that is more advance than this
• To educate students about the importance of putting the garbage into its particular bin.

5) Project Functions
The robot will use the robotics components like the gears, motors and sensors. The robot will manage to detect different types of garbage and put it into a particular bin. For example, if the robot detects a can, it will grab the can, bring it to the particular bin and put it into it. The procedures are same to any other materials detected. The important components that used in the robot are the sensors; ultrasonic sensor, light sensor as the robot will be able to detect the garbage to put it in the recycle bins.

quotes of the day:
"put your ears down close to your soul, and listen hard"