Robot Map Diagram for Artificial Intelligence Careers group Empowerment Activity

Robot Map

Robot Map

Topic: Artificial Intelligence Careers

Empowerment Lesson Video: Explore Careers in AI

Supplies:

  • Tape measures - enough for each pair of students to have one
  • Paper
  • Pens/pencils
  • Optional - Graph paper or gridded paper

Video Discussion:

Tell students they will be watching the video Explore Careers in AI. Briefly describe AI. One possible definition is ‘the ability of a computer program or machine to think and learn’. Explain that the video features role models discussing their jobs in the field of artificial intelligence.

After watching the video together, invite students to share specific things they learned about different AI careers featured in the video and to reflect upon their observations e.g., ‘I liked knowing that there were so many different careers in AI, and that even careers that I didn’t think used artificial intelligence like doctors or lawyers use AI tools.’

Use the following questions to prepare students for the activity:

  • What did the Data Operations Manager in the video do?
  • Why are maps so important to self-driving vehicles?
  • What types of information would a self-driving car or robot need to navigate through a room or down a street?

Activity Instructions:

  1. Divide students into pairs.
  2. Tell students that they will be creating a map of the room that could help a robot navigate through it.
  3. Working with the whole group, determine which measurements would need to be taken for a robot to navigate safely through the room. For example, the width and length of the room, the location of various features such as the door and large items of furniture, etc.
  4. Instruct each group to move around the room, take these measurements, and record them.
  5. Using paper – graph paper or another type of gridded paper will make this easier – have the teams create a map, using their measurements, that the robot could use to move around the room. Maps should include “hazards” such as large items of furniture that we wouldn’t want the robot to navigate into. If using graph or gridded paper, 1 square=1 foot is a simple scale. If using standard paper, 1 inch=1 foot will likely be easiest.
  6. As time allows, students can map a safe path for the robot to move from one area of the room to another and ask another team to practice using their map. For example, “Walk straight for four feet. Turn right and walk straight for two feet.”