People with disabilities of different types may have problems playing alone or with companions even without disabilities. A laboratory is proposed to make small robots or electronic objects that can be used by these people (children, but not only) to play, using resources made available by the course. The laboratory takes place in the second half of the year and must lead to functioning objects capable of being safely evaluated on the field. The technologies used can include Arduino or ESP32, Raspberry PI, apps on the phone, sensors, and actuators. The aim of the laboratory is to provide the possibility of operating in a practical way with sensors, actuators, and microprocessors to achieve a defined, socially useful goal. The learning process is constructivist (Papert) based on learning by doing: students, who must have basic programming or design skills, will receive a two-hour introduction related to the use of sensors and actuators, two hours relating to the design of movable objects, and two hours relating to disability issues that will have to be addressed, starting the co-design activity with end users. Participants will be free to organize themselves in groups of 5 people maximum. During the whole activity they will be supported by the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory (AIRLab), which will be accessible to them every evening and on the weekend. There will be two moments of formal intermediate verification of the project (mid-March) and the first prototype (in early May). Furthermore, every week, as scheduled, on a day defined it will be possible to interact with the teacher and assistant for feedback and suggestions. On the final day, the objects that will have reached a maturity will be taken to a facility where they will be tested on the field. The quality of the prototype will be assessed by a panel of experts for 50% from a technical point of view and for 50% from an application point of view and awards will be given to the first three classified. In the end, the works will be left with the end users who have participated in the definition of the specifications and in the final test. Objects that pass this evaluation will be able to participate in national and international competitions on the subject of disability technology, and may be exhibited at fairs and events. The activity is part of the Playbot4All activities ( playbot4all.polimi.it )

dal February 2020 a May 2020