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Client: Karen Knight, Art Educator, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
Sponsor: Kids Making Miracles Inc.
Team: John Owens, Andrew Pasek, Allison Morgan, David Nwokolo, Dylan Lebedin, George Heltz, and Josh Kolosick
Project Overview:
The Robotic Drawing Assistant is a system that gives students of varying abilities to participate in art class with a variety of mediums. Art education is essential through primary and secondary education, giving students the ability to express themselves and be creative. Limited range of motion and other physical disabilities inhibit participation with traditional art utensils. Currently, hand-over-hand methods and different adaptable grips, such as adding tennis balls to markers, are used to include students. These methods are not always successful and offer limited independence to the student. This robotic device will help students with varying physical abilities engage in many forms of art.
Solution Overview:
The goal is to deliver a complete and functional prototype for use in art class. It will allow students to create physical artwork with some independence. The device will be compatible with multiple interfaces such as easy-touch buttons and joysticks to give students control of the drawing strokes. This device will be safe, portable, and compatible with many art mediums, including pencils, markers, and paint. A physical piece of artwork for the student to bring home will be the end result.
Overall, the Robotic Art Assistant will increase inclusivity in art education and allow for students of varying physical abilities to be creative and have similar opportunities in the arts to those of their peers.
Overview Video:
Poster:
Paper: