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Abstract Robotics is an ideal tool for illustrating connections between multiple disciplines such as computer science, electrical and mechanical engineering. It is also a wonderful way to get young people interested in, involved in, and excited about the possibilities of STEM. However, there are some challenges that may limit the ability of some diverse or resource limited communities from being able to access the benefits of robotics education. These barriers include the excessive cost of educational robotics platforms and lack of a knowledge base for novice educators to access. The "Robotics for the Streets" initiative was implemented in 2022 through the generous support of the Open-Source Hardware Association and Sloan Foundation to diversify STEM by using open-source robotics to increase access to and visibility of STEM technology. There was also a goal to illustrate to academics how to use open-source robotics to support their teaching, service, and professional development goals. Open-source robotics builds on the principles of open-source hardware and software. They both encourage publicly available models that afford collaboration through modification, making, selling, improvement, and distribution. This represents a shift in the traditional method that academics use for research and publishing but a necessary one to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in STEM. By not putting work products behind journal pay walls or conference registrations, resource-limited communities are not blocked from accessing them. The open-source robots described here are comprised of half 3d printed parts and half commercially available off the shelf parts. All the CAD files, printer files, code, and videos for these robots are available online on YouTube, GitHub, HacksterIO, and Instructables. In the past, the open-source robot platforms, Flower∞Bots, have been used by organizations such as Black in Robotics, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Club as well as university professors, graduate students, undergraduate students, K-12 teachers, K-12 students, and STEM enthusiasts around the world. This paper highlights the modularity of the Flower∞Bots and suitability for users with varying expertise.
Berry et al. (Sun,) studied this question.