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This collection of badges showcases some of the Virtual Robot Curriculum, Digital Cobot Coding Games, and other interactive learning technologies from the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy.

Learn to code using the Virtual SPIKE Prime, VICE, and EV3 curricula which feature a programming environment and virtual robot embedded within the site. The lessons available within the badges here are a free demo portion of the full curriculum. Visit the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy site for more information on the full curriculum.

In the Player-Programmed-Partner Games badge, you will find a collection of games where you can program a collaborative robot (aka "cobot") to help you succeed! When properly programmed, these cobots can help you to fend off baddies, pull off stunts, reprogram troublemaking robots, and even stay on beat!

Robot Operations with CoDrone EDU is designed to contextualize operator roles and build habits of mind aligned with relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs). This course involves daily ~30-minute tasks designed for high engagement under both routine and non-routine conditions. 

Applied AI and Robotics with NVIDIA Jetson Nano provides a hands-on, project-based introduction to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, machine learning, perception, and autonomy within real-world contexts. 

This course leverages a scaffolded series of interactive labs and the NVIDIA Jetson Nano on the JetBot platform to cover core AI and ML techniques – Classification, Regression, Transfer Learning, and Reinforcement Learning – applied to robotic tasks like Collision Avoidance, Path Following, and Autonomous Racing. Learners gain a generalizable understanding of how AI enables robots to perceive and autonomously interact with their environment. 

Coding and Computational Thinking with LEGO SPIKE Prime (3.0) 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 the 3.0 version of the Scratch-based programming software.

Fundamentals of Coding with SPIKE Essential teaches coding and STEM concepts to elementary school students using the LEGO SPIKE Essential kit. The curriculum will cover topics such as basic coding, creating algorithms, conditional statements, and loops. Students assemble robot designs with the SPIKE Essential kit based on real-world robots, which helps to foster creativity, problem-solving skills, and an understanding of how coding and robotics are used in the real world. Fundamentals of Coding with SPIKE Essential is designed to develop a foundation in coding that will prepare students for more advanced programming concepts in the future.

This badge is a free preview of the Coding and Computational Thinking with Virtual SPIKE Prime (3.0) curriculum. Learn how to access the full curriculum here.

Curious about the changes between 2.0 and 3.0, check our post here!

Coding and Computational Thinking with Virtual SPIKE Prime 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. 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. The scope and sequence of this virtual curriculum are very closely aligned to our Coding and Computational Thinking with SPIKE Prime (3.0) curriculum for physical robots, allowing teachers to leverage both physical and virtual robots to suit their needs best.

The Coding and Computational Thinking with Virtual SPIKE Prime curriculum is broken down into 8 units: Getting Started, Programming the Hub, Robot Movement, Wait Until & Sensors, Loops, Discrete Decisions, Capstone: Subterranean Challenge, and Continuous Decisions. Over 75 programmable virtual environments are embedded throughout, allowing students to learn big ideas in robotics, coding, computational thinking, and mathematics.

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. 

Coding and Computational Thinking with Virtual SPIKE Prime takes a just-in-time and embedded approach. As students make progress through the course (which the 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 Ma

This badge is a free preview of RoboCamp with Virtual SPIKE Prime. Learn how to access the full camp here.

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 badge is a free preview of the Coding and Computational Thinking with a Virtual Robot curriculum. Learn how to access the full curriculum here.

 Coding and Computational Thinking with a Virtual Robot 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. 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.

Coding and Computational Thinking with a Virtual Robot features a brand-new bot designed by our team, lovingly dubbed "VICE" (short for Virtual-Integrated Curriculum Environment). VICE packs a wide variety of sensors (touch, color, distance, gyro) to detect its environment, outputs (pixel display, speaker, LCD, LED) to communicate with you, and motors (drivetrain, arm, claw) to navigate its environment and manipulate objects. Robotics educators that use robotics kits with similar features and form factors (VEX, Arduino, Cozmo, Vector, and many others) will find productive overlap in the programming concepts the physical and virtual robots can be used to teach; the scope and sequence of this virtual curriculum are very closely aligned to our Coding and Computational Thinking with VEX IQ curriculum for physical robots, allowing teachers to leverage both physical and virtual robots to best suit their needs.

 

The Coding and Computational Thinking with a Virtual Robot curriculum is broken down into 9 units: Getting Started, Programming the Hub, Robot Movement, Digital Sensors, Analog Sensors, Loops, Discrete Decisions, Capstone: Subterranean Challenge, and Continuous Decisions. Over 75 programmable virtual environments are embedded throughout, allowing students to learn big ideas in robotics, coding, computational thinking, and mathematics. 

Coding and Computational Thinking with a Virtual Robot takes a just-in-time and embedded approach. As students make progress through the course (which the 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. 

Coding and Computational Thinking with VEX IQ (2nd Generation) 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 2nd Generation hardware and VEXcode programming software.

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.

Autonomy Foundations equips learners with a practical understanding of how artificial intelligence shapes robotic perception and autonomy. Using the NVIDIA Jetson Nano and JetBot platform, this course offers a hands-on approach to core, real-world robotic capabilities, including Networking, Collision Avoidance, Path Following, AprilTag Navigation, and SLAM. Autonomy Foundations provides a comprehensive foundation for operating and maintaining intelligent robotic systems.

Mechanical Foundations provides participants with knowledge and hands-on experiences with a variety of tools and hardware components. By understanding the foundational mechanical principles that underpin robotics, participants develop the ability to design, construct, and maintain these systems with increased confidence and efficacy. The course covers topics such as structure, power transmission, motion, and mechanisms using hands-on activities with REV DUO kits.

As part of the SMART Robotics Technician Program, Mechanical Foundations is aligned to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that robotics technicians need to be successful. The SMART Robotics Technician Program is endorsed by the ARM Institute. 

 Mechanical Foundations provides participants with knowledge and hands-on experiences with a variety of tools and hardware components. By understanding the foundational mechanical principles that underpin robotics, participants develop the ability to design, construct, and maintain these systems with increased confidence and efficacy. The course covers topics such as structure, power transmission, motion, and mechanisms using hands-on activities with VEX V5 kits.

As part of the SMART Robotics Technician Program, Mechanical Foundations is aligned to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that robotics technicians need to be successful. The SMART Robotics Technician Program is endorsed by the ARM Institute. 

Software Foundations is an introduction to core robot control concepts with a focus on navigation, sensing, and machine vision. Participants learn to adapt and validate code through an iterative software engineering process. Using the ShieldBot and PixyCam, they iterate on increasingly complex control algorithms that incorporate loops, conditionals, and sensors to solve real-world challenges.

Software Foundations is an introduction to core robot control concepts with a focus on navigation, sensing, and machine vision. Participants learn to adapt and validate code through an iterative software engineering process. Using the ShieldBot and HuskyLens AI camera, they iterate on increasingly complex control algorithms that incorporate loops, conditionals, and AI-driven perception to solve real-world challenges.