Antes do tijolo amarelo RCX da gama LEGO® MINDSTORMS® (1998), o MIT Media Laboratory com o apoio da LEGO Group e da National Science Foundation, desenvolveu durante largos anos investigação (Programmable Brick project), quer em software quer em hardware, para o ensino da robótica. Tendo por base a investigação/liderança do Dr. Seymour Papert e Mitchel Resnick, os investigadores Fred Martin, Randy Sargent e Brian Silverman, desenvolveram cerca de 40 tipos de tijolos programáveis para crianças, os quais foram testados nas escolas americanas parceiras (figura 6, alguns exemplares). O tijolo 6502 (anos 1987/89), foi o primeiro protótipo de uso nas escolas. De difícil manutenção e extremamente ruidoso a nível dos sensores. O tijolo eletrónico (1989/91 - figura 1), já possibilitou o uso de cablagens para imputs e outputs. Contudo o tijolo de bolso programável, conhecido como "Pocket brick" (1993/95, figuras 2 e 3) foi um dos melhores produtos desenvolvidos embora tivesse um custo de produção relativamente elevado. Por fim, surgiu o modelo 120 (1994) o qual era recarregável em termos de energia, com vários imputs e outputs, e programado com a linguagem LogoBlocks. Estes dois últimos tijolos, foram sem dúvida passos extremamente importantes cujo sucesso levou a LEGO® a criar o RCX, o seu primeiro tijolo programável. Vale a pena mergulhar nos anos que antecederam este produto educativo. Foram 12 anos de grande inovação e de partilha. Em baixo fotos dos protótipos testados e as últimas referem-se a alguns dos inúmeros Cricket.
Before the RCX yellow brick of the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® range (1998), the MIT Media Laboratory, with the support of the LEGO Group and the National Science Foundation, developed for many years research (Programmable Brick project), both in software and hardware, for teaching of robotics. Based on the research / leadership of Dr. Seymour Papert and Mitchel Resnick, researchers Fred Martin, Randy Sargent and Brian Silverman have developed about 40 types of programmable bricks for children, which have been tested at partner American schools. Brick 6502 (years 1987/89), was the first prototype to be used in schools. Difficult to maintain and extremely noisy at the sensor level. The electronic brick (1989/91 - figure 1), has already made possible the use of wiring for imputs and outputs. However, the programmable pocket brick, known as "Pocket brick" (1993/95, figures 2 and 3) was one of the best products developed although it had a relatively high cost of production. Finally, the model 120 (1994) appeared, which was rechargeable in terms of energy, with several imputs and outputs, and programmed with the LogoBlocks language. These last two bricks were undoubtedly extremely important steps, the success of which led LEGO® to create the RCX, its first programmable brick. It is worth diving into the years leading up to this educational product. It was 12 years of great innovation and sharing. Below are photos of the prototypes tested and the last ones refer to some of the numerous Crickets.
figura 1
figura 2
figura 3
figura 4
figura 5
figura 6
This period was also recorded in theses and other documents. Following are some documents (in English) with relevance for understanding this research process, both technological and pedagogical.
Behavior Construction Kits
Mitchel Resnick
Epistemology and Learning Group
The Media Laboratory
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"To mindstorms and beyond: evolution of a construction kit for magical machines"
Computer Science
The Programmable Brick Handbook
Frédérick Martin
Engineering
1997
(sobre o Pocket Programmable Brick (1993 to 1995))
The programmable LEGO brick : ubiquitous computing for kids
J. R. Sargent
Engineering
1995
(sobre o Electronic Bricks (1989 to 1991))
Microdevelopment of co-construction of knowledge during problem solving : puzzled minds, weird creatures, and wuggles
1993
(sobre o 6502 Programmable Brick (1987 to 1989))
Using LEGO Robots to Explore Dynamics
(sobre o 6502 Programmable Brick (1987 to 1989))
Using LEGO Robots to Explore Dynamics
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