This unit consists of several downloads. The entire unit is available as a zip download. A README file is available as an Adobe PDF document or Microsoft Word document. Please see the README for a description of all component with in the unit.

Lesson Plan

1. Introduction to Robotics, Design and Arduino | Lessons 1–4
   Time: 4 x 80 Minutes (320 Minutes)
   • 4.1: Introduction to Robotics
     Generate discussion on robots by asking students the question: “What is a robot and why do we need them?” Students should be able to identify the different types of robots and ways they are used during the discussion.
   • 4.2: The Engineering Design Process
     Students learn about best practices in engineering design as well as what it means to work as a team.
   • 4.3: Microcontrollers and CPUs
     Student learn about the fundamental hardware that allows for the function of robots; this is the central processing unit (CPU).
   • 4.4: Arduino Microcontroller board, Applications and Examples
     Following the previous lesson students learn about the Arduino microcontroller board.
2. Review of Electric Circuits & Arduino Board | Lessons 5–8
   Time: 4 x 80 Minutes (320 Minutes)
   • 4.5: Electricity, Voltage and Current
     Review of the basics of electric circuits and the different approaches of coupling external circuitry with the Arduino devices through breadboard experiments.
   • 4.6: Fundamentals of Circuits
     Students learn how to build circuits and to follow basic rules using these components.
   • 4.7: Continuation of Electric Circuits Voltage Dividers
     Students learn about voltage dividers and potentiometers.
   • 4.8: Continuation of Electric Circuits (I/O)
     Students review concepts learned and in particular the differences between Arduinos’ Input and Output (I/O), and between analog and digital signals.
3. Computer Programming - Arduino Software | Lessons 9–12
   Time: 4 x 80 Minutes (320 Minutes)
   • 4.9: Arduino Software–Hello World Program
     Overview of basic computer programming and the use of Arduino software.
   • 4.10: Variables, Arithmetic Operations, logical Operations
     Students learn how to define variables and different data types (e.g., int, string, float, etc.).
   • 4.11: Conditional Statements, Loops and Iterations
     Students learn the use of conditional statements when programming.
   • 4.12. Functions and Calls
     This lesson introduces functions, an especially useful tool in programming.
4. Robot Design & Build | Lessons 13–16
   Time: 4 x 80 Minutes (320 Minutes)
   • 4.13: Robot Skeleton Chassis
     Students learn the various chassis designs and how they differ from robot to robot depending on the primary function of the bot.
   • 4.14: Sensors, Actuators, and Controller
     Students learn how the controller of their robots operate and learn how robots’ “sense” the world around them as well as make physical maneuvers.
   • 4.15: Gears and Mechanical systems
     Students are introduced to gears an important engineering element.
   • 4.16: Robot Mechanics and Design Models
     Overview of the design models for different types of robots.
5. Robot Design &l; Build––Advanced Topics | Lessons 17–20
   Time: 4 x 80 Minutes (320 Minutes)
   • 4.17: Robot navigation
     Students cover topics regarding robot navigation (sensing distance and direction.
   • 4.18: Line Following Algorithms
     Students learn algorithms allowing for automated guided robots capable of following a visual line or pattern.
   • 4.19: Reading external voltages into Arduino Demo
     Students are shown how Arduino can be used to read in voltage from a hand crank generator.
   • 4.20: Review and Closing
     Students engage in discussion and questions related to course topic of electromagnetism and its applications as explored through the various course projects and what they have learned about its current in the real world and future possibilities.

Unit 4 Teachers Guide (PDF of all Unit 4 lesson plans)

Translational Application of Nanoscale Multiferroics (TANMS)
Engineering Research Center (ERC)

TANMS ERC Leadership Team

University of California, Los Angeles

• Rick Ainsworth
• Jane Chang
• Maria del Pilar O’Cadiz

Mathematics Engineering Science and Math (MESA) Curriculum Specialist

University of California Office of the President’

MESA Programs Curriculum Specialist, UC Riverside

• Carlos Gonzalez

High School Teachers

• Nicole Ciccarello
• Veronica Galang
• Lyn Genota
• Daniel Pilloff

TANMS ERC Graduate Students

• Adrian Acosta
• Cai Chen
• Victor Estrada
• Kevin Fitzell
• Malcom Jackson
• Matthew McIntosh
• Shreya Patel
• Michael Sheng
• Stephen Sasaki
• Maggie Xiao

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

• TANMS UCLA (2023), "TANMS/MESA Electromagnetism Unit 4: Arduino Design Project Focused on Application of EM," https://nanohub.org/resources/37270.

  BibTex | EndNote

1. Arduino
2. design project
3. electromagnetic fields
4. electromagnetics
5. magnets/magnetics
6. Programming
7. Robotics
8. TANMS