Sometimes described as “smart toy blocks,” cubelets are small but useful keys to learning robotic science. As demand for technological advancement in robotic fields increases, small tools like cubelets can be crucial jumping-off points for any roboticist hoping to make a progressive difference.
Cubelets are, in essence, the “building blocks” of robots, and can serve different functions depending on how they are assembled. Eric Schwuikardt and his Modular Robots team at Carnegie Mellon University developed cubelets after receiving a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research program. Time Magazine gives one example of three cubelets with three distinct purposes—one cubelet responds to light, one cubelet drives and one cubelet is a battery. When combined correctly, the assembly will move toward or away from a light source, essentially performing the function of a robot.
"Cubelets come in three categories: sense, think and act,” Schwuikardt explains. “That's our working definition of a robot—any mechanical device that senses, thinks and acts.” Because cubelets can be assembled easily and serve as a general demonstration of how robotics work, instructors often use them as teaching tools for students without a programming background.
Although cubelets are currently priced at around $160 per set, this price diminishes due to the product’s durability and usefulness. Despite the initial cost, classroom teachers are purchasing sets to help teach about robotics in science classes to great effect. Because of cubelets’ simplicity, these tools can help students as young as fourth, fifth, and sixth graders learn robotics in a simple and hands-on way.
Multiple video on cubelets have become available on YouTube and other social media sites. The example below, produced by modrobotics, reaches out to children and offers a simple explanation of cubelets’ purpose, function, and utility.
