My Emotional robots article was published in the 5th edition of RISE Magazine. Click here to view.
This article about emotional robots was written before I knew that I would be creating a children's book based on the concept. I created these robots with my students in mind. I wanted them to have a lesson (see the lesson here) that was rich with art concepts and social emotional connections. The article explains the steps for creating and animating expressive robots that can then be showcased through augmented reality.
The original set of robots are hanging in my office right now. Take a look at how they come to life right off the walls as I view them through eyejack app (free to use).
Before we remodeled the office space, I hung the emotional robots as a mood meter/ color spectrum over my head while I taught my students remotely. I could point to my robots to show my students how I was feeling. Later, when we went back to teaching in-person. I had the robots made into posters that I hung in my art room to connect color, emotions, and augmented reality for my students.
These robots were hanging on the wall behind me when I pitched my book ideas to TeacherGoals Publishing. I pitched the Snow Flurry Fairy, a story that has been in my mind for over 25 years. But, Brad and Amanda said, "Tell me about those robots." That's when we started to talk about a second book idea based on the concept of robots becoming emotional. I returned a couple weeks later with a first draft of PETER o'Meter , a programmable, empathetic, touch-sensitive, eMotion Robot who becomes emotional when his buttons are pushed. Follow my journey here.