Check out our virtual robotics curriculum, machine learning simulator, and co-robotic games!

The Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy provides Virtual EV3 and Virtual SPIKE Prime curricula that allow students to follow along using a coding environment and virtual robot built right into the web pages of the CS-STEM Network. This Technology Showcase includes sample activities from the full curricula. More details are available at the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy website. 

In the Machine Vision Primer, you'll learn how Machine Vision can be integrated into robotics systems to automatically perform tasks such as image detection and quality control. 

Program your co-robotic partner to help you as you play the Player-Programmed-Partner Games!

Coding and Computational Thinking with LEGO SPIKE Prime provides a structured sequence of programming activities in real-world project-based contexts. The projects are designed to get students thinking about the patterns and structure of not just robotics, but also programming and problem-solving more generally. This curriculum includes videos, animations, and step-by-step lessons designed to help beginners learn behavior-based programming using the LEGO SPIKE Prime hardware and Scratch-based programming software.

The Introduction to Programming with Virtual LEGO EV3 curriculum features a programming interface and virtual robot embedded directly within the curriculum. Teachers and students can follow along with the included videos, animations, challenges, and step-by-step lessons designed to help beginners learn coding and computational thinking - and they can do so using a virtual LEGO EV3, the physical LEGO® MINDSTORMS EV3 hardware, or even a combination of both.

The curriculum is broken down into 5 major units:

Introduction to Programming with Virtual LEGO EV3 is designed to encourage independent learning and problem-solving in pursuit of a goal. All lessons are self-contained, require a minimum of instructor supervision, and include many built-in opportunities to self-assess progress. The curriculum includes over 70 virtual environments so that students can follow along with all lesson content. The curriculum contains all of the material for both physical robots AND virtual robots, so educators that need to balance both (as is the case with many hybrid learning implementations) don’t need to also balance multiple curricula.

The virtual robot itself contains simulated versions of the programmable motors, sensors, and other components. A built-in sensor dashboard allows students and teachers to quickly inspect the values the robot sees, speeding up the process of developing and troubleshooting their code. Try these exciting tools out for yourself in the Virtual EV3 Sensabot activity included below!

Introduction to Programming with Virtual LEGO EV3 takes a just-in-time and embedded approach. As students make progress through the course (which the CS2N Learning Management System keeps track of), CS2N ensures sure that students are presented with the corresponding instructions, virtual environment, and programming interface. CS2N automatically saves student code progress with each activity so that they never lose it and teachers never have to track it down. Virtual activities can be run as many times as the student needs to foster their understanding, and their completion is automatically awarded so that students know when to move on. 

RoboCamp with Virtual SPIKE Prime is an informal curriculum that teaches basic programming, proportional mathematics, robotics, and other STEM concepts at an introductory level. RoboCamp is designed with carefully scaffolded virtual activities appropriate for both formal and informal educational settings. All of the activities and challenges use a custom virtual SPIKE Prime build in a space-like environment. Get ready for take-off! 

RoboCamp with Virtual SPIKE Prime is perfect for:

RoboCamp with Virtual SPIKE Prime includes virtual environments so that students can follow along with all lesson content, from anywhere in the world. All lessons are self-contained, require a minimum of instructor supervision, and include built-in opportunities to self-assess progress. 

Each section within this RoboCamp includes access to a more open-ended Lunar Level. Here, students can choose how to remix the new concepts that they've learned to explore, create messages, and even send moon rocks flying. These "unstructured play" opportunities create increased engagement even while students deepen their experience in meaningful learning outcomes. 

The virtual robot itself contains simulated versions of the programmable motors, distance sensor, and other components. A built-in sensor dashboard allows students and teachers to quickly inspect the values the robot sees, speeding up the process of developing and troubleshooting their code. 

RoboCamp with Virtual SPIKE Prime takes a just-in-time and embedded approach. As students make progress through the course (which the CS2N Learning Management System keeps track of), CS2N ensures sure that students are presented with the corresponding instructions, virtual environment, and programming interface. CS2N automatically saves student code progress with each activity so that they never lose it and teachers never have to track it down. Virtual activities can be run as many times as the student needs to foster their understanding, and their completion is automatically awarded so that students know when to move on. Once they have a license, teachers and students can use the curriculum whether they’re at home, school, or anywhere else in the world as long as they have an Internet-connected Chromebook, Windows PC, and Mac. 

This curriculum provides a structured sequence of programming activities in real-world project-based contexts. The projects are designed to get students thinking about the patterns and structure of not just robotics, but also programming and problem-solving more generally. This curriculum includes videos, animations, and step-by-step lessons designed to help learners foster Computational Thinking using the VEX V5 hardware and VEXcode programming software.

Introduction to Programming provides a structured sequence of programming activities in real-world project-based contexts. The projects are designed to get students thinking about the patterns and structure of not just robotics, but also programming and problem-solving more generally. This curriculum includes videos, animations, and step-by-step lessons designed to help beginners learn behavior-based programming using the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 hardware and EV3 Classroom scratch-based programming software.

Introduction to Programming provides a structured sequence of programming activities in real-world project-based contexts. The projects are designed to get students thinking about the patterns and structure of not just robotics, but also programming and problem-solving more generally. This curriculum includes videos, animations, and step-by-step lessons designed to help beginners learn behavior-based programming using the VEX IQ hardware and VEXcode IQ Blocks scratch-based programming software.

Robotics Integration introduces students to situations where technicians receive multiple components of a robotics system that require assembly, installation, and debugging. Students learn how to integrate components such as a vision sensor (camera) system, breadboard, servo motors, and embedded microprocessor from multiple hardware vendors. The learner will "unpack and test" components and refine “robot navigation programming" through this curriculum.

Fabrication Foundations introduces students to hand tools to cut, drill, and file down multiple materials to create a robot chassis and motor mount. Students also learn how to use additive manufacturing (3D printing) to create a sensor mount. The skills taught include safety, basic measurement, reading and interpreting drawings, basic hand tool use, and handling materials.

Mechanical Foundations focuses on mechanical concepts such as structural design, weight distribution, drivetrains, fastening, the relationship between speed and torque, and alternate methods of transferring motion such as linear slides and belts and pulleys. This curriculum familiarizes students with the foundational skills needed to understand how components come together and different use cases for creating motion.