HOW TO GO:
What: Robots + Us
Where: Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, 2600 DeWeese Parkway, Dayton
When: Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. The exhibit will be in Dayton through Jan. 4.
Admission: $13 for adults, $11 for seniors and $10 for children (3-12), Children under 3 and members are free. (937) 275-7431. Admission to the exhibit is included with regular admission.
For information: (937) 275-7431. www.BoonshoftMuseum.org
ALSO: “Voyage on the Parkway,” an afternoon aimed at preschoolers and their families, is slated for noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26. Admission is free for the first 400 guests. From art, music and storytelling, to live animal presentations and giveaways, the event encourages parents to interact with their kids and promote kindergarten readiness.
VIDEO: For a closer look at the Robots, see MyDaytonDailyNews.com
“Robots + Us,” a new exhibit at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, is a playful look at what machines and humans are learning from each other, and how biology and engineering are coming together to close the gap between reality and our robot dreams.
The touring exhibit takes visitors on a technological tour that introduces visitors to the machines that make our lives easier. On the day we visited, Erica Davis of Springboro was watching her 8-year-old son, Noah, build and manipulate a robot by himself — changing its wheels to see how how various “legs” would allow it to climb a little hill.
“He’s really into this,” said his mom. “Just look at his face, he’s so intent!”
Susan Pion, the Boonshoft’s vice president of education, says whether we are talking about ‘bots from classic science fiction films that have engaged viewers for years, or simple kits that can be made at home, there is a fascination with making life-like, animated things that seems to transcend age barriers.
What you’ll see
The new exhibition, housed in the Main Exhibit Hall at the Boonshoft, covers four areas that allow learners to explore the basics of robot design: Moving, Sensing, Thinking and Being. In each section, hands-on stations allow visitors to see what technology looks like, and then give it a try themselves. Parents and grandparents will enjoy the look at historical “robots” — from the Tin Man in the “Wizard of Oz” to “Pinocchio” and “Data.” The kids will get a kick out of bumping into Furby and Robodog.
You’ll learn how simple organisms have been used for inspiration for robot designs. The exhibit includes some interesting videos as well as animated cartoons that incorporate robotic characters.
Blaire Bartish, the museum’s new manager of Family and Community Programs, comes to the Boonshoft from Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry and believes the exhibit will appeal to all members of the family.
“Kids have seen robots in movies, video games, on television, and this exhibit will give them more scientific background in understanding that robots have a place in society,” she said, explaining that a robot is technically anything that has a sensor and adjusts its actions based on what that sensor says.
When you think about it, Bartish said, robots are already being used to cut grass, vacuum and clean pools.
“Dishwashers are a robot because they have heat and drying senors and cars are often robotic as well.”
Hands-on opportunities explore the ways in which building artificial life can teach us about the real thing. Some examples:
- Step up to the exhibit's Robot Arena, the home of different "species" of light-sensitive mobile robots, and watch the impact that beams of light and other obstacles have on the paths they take from point to point.
- Race the robot arm. Who can put a simple puzzle together faster? You or the robot arm?
- Meet Lena, a computer-generated character, and discover the factors that influence her mood.
- Visit the Garden of Sensory Delights and use your body to control the motion of its wacky robotic flowers.
- Experiment with walking machines in the Robot Leg Lab and learn how simple changes in their anatomy can affect how they walk, run and handle obstacles.
- Learn how a computer can be programmed to recognize the features of the human face, then try to trick it by disguising your own face with a fake moustache or a goofy mask.
The Gerth family, from Columbus, regularly visits the Boonshoft and says they make the most of their membership.
“The thing I like most in this exhibit is learning what it sounds like to have a cochlear implant,” said 12-year-old Natalie. Her mother, Debby, agreed.
“I learned that a cochlear implant is a robotic ear,” she explained. “I have a friend who has one, and I always thought it was just like a hearing aid but it’s not. It sounds robotic, and the more channels you have the better the sound is.”
Noah Davis said: “I think it’s cool —all the robots you can make!”
Robots + Us was produced by the Science Museum of Minnesota, and its creation was made possible by the National Science Foundation.
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