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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
Not enough students are earning bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science, which is shocking as computing jobs are growing by the thousands (Zampa, 2016). These jobs have high-paying salaries and are not going to fade from the future any time soon, that is why the falling rates of computer science graduates are alarming. The working hypothesis on why so few college students major in computer science is that most think that it is too hard to learn (Wang, 2017). But I believe the real reason lies in that computer science is not an educational subject that is taught before university, which is too late for most students because by ages 12 to 13 (about seventh to eighth grade) they have decided that computer science concepts are “too difficult” for them to learn (Learning, 2022). Implementing a computer science-based education at an earlier age can possibly circumvent this seen development where students begin to lose confidence and doubt their abilities to learn computer science. This can be done easily by integrating computer science into academic subjects that are already taught in elementary schools such as science, math, and language arts as computer science uses logic, syntax, and other skills that are broadly applicable. Thus, I have created a introductory lesson plan for an elementary school class that incorporates learning how to code with robotics to promote learning computer science principles and destigmatize that it is “too hard” to learn in university.
Not enough students are earning bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science, which is shocking as computing jobs are growing by the thousands (Zampa, 2016). These jobs have high-paying salaries and are not going to fade from the future any time soon, that is why the falling rates of computer science graduates are alarming. The working hypothesis on why so few college students major in computer science is that most think that it is too hard to learn (Wang, 2017). But I believe the real reason lies in that computer science is not an educational subject that is taught before university, which is too late for most students because by ages 12 to 13 (about seventh to eighth grade) they have decided that computer science concepts are “too difficult” for them to learn (Learning, 2022). Implementing a computer science-based education at an earlier age can possibly circumvent this seen development where students begin to lose confidence and doubt their abilities to learn computer science. This can be done easily by integrating computer science into academic subjects that are already taught in elementary schools such as science, math, and language arts as computer science uses logic, syntax, and other skills that are broadly applicable. Thus, I have created a introductory lesson plan for an elementary school class that incorporates learning how to code with robotics to promote learning computer science principles and destigmatize that it is “too hard” to learn in university.
Not enough students are earning bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science, which is shocking as computing jobs are growing by the thousands (Zampa, 2016). These jobs have high-paying salaries and are not going to fade from the future any time soon, that is why the falling rates of computer science graduates are alarming. The working hypothesis on why so few college students major in computer science is that most think that it is too hard to learn (Wang, 2017). But I believe the real reason lies in that computer science is not an educational subject that is taught before university, which is too late for most students because by ages 12 to 13 (about seventh to eighth grade) they have decided that computer science concepts are “too difficult” for them to learn (Learning, 2022). Implementing a computer science-based education at an earlier age can possibly circumvent this seen development where students begin to lose confidence and doubt their abilities to learn computer science. This can be done easily by integrating computer science into academic subjects that are already taught in elementary schools such as science, math, and language arts as computer science uses logic, syntax, and other skills that are broadly applicable. Thus, I have created a introductory lesson plan for an elementary school class that incorporates learning how to code with robotics to promote learning computer science principles and destigmatize that it is “too hard” to learn in university.
The purpose of this project is to improve upon the passive ankle foot orthosis originally designed in the ASU’s Robotics and Intelligent Systems Laboratory (RISE Lab). This device utilizes springs positioned parallel to the user’s Achilles tendon which store energy to be released during the push off phase of the user’s gait cycle. Goals of the project are to improve the speed and reliability of the ratchet and pawl mechanism, design the device to fit a wider range of shoe sizes, and reduce the overall mass and size of the device. The resulting system is semi-passive and only utilizes a single solenoid to unlock the ratcheting mechanism when the spring’s potential force is required. The device created also utilizes constant force springs rather than traditional linear springs which allows for a more predictable level of force. A healthy user tested the device on a treadmill and surface electromyography (sEMG) sensors were placed on the user’s plantar flexor muscles to monitor potential reductions in muscular activity resulting from the assistance provided by the AFO device. The data demonstrates the robotic shoe was able to assist during the heel-off stage and reduced activation in the plantar flexor muscles was evident from the EMG data collected. As this is an ongoing research project, this thesis will also recommend possible design upgrades and changes to be made to the device in the future. These upgrades include utilizing a carbon fiber or lightweight plastic frame such as many of the traditional ankle foot-orthosis sold today and introducing a system to regulate the amount of spring force applied as a function of the force required at specific times of the heel off gait phase.
