The ReFiBot makers guide: Fostering academic open science and circularity with a robotic educational kit

Area of Science:

• Robotics Education
• Open Science
• Sustainable Engineering

Background:

• Integrating robotics into education is crucial for developing technical skills.
• There's a growing need for accessible, sustainable educational tools in STEM fields.
• Promoting open science principles enhances collaborative research and learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present ReFiBot, an educational robot designed to enhance technical literacy in robotics.
• To increase awareness and adoption of open science practices in university curricula.
• To provide a sustainable and easily replicable robotics kit for educational purposes.

Main Methods:

• Developed ReFiBot using open-source hardware and software components.
• Integrated a chassis constructed from recycled plastic derived from fishnets.
• Designed for easy assembly with off-the-shelf electronics and programming via Arduino IDE.
• Created a supporting software library and comprehensive tutorial for educational integration.

Main Results:

• ReFiBot successfully serves as an educational tool to boost robotics technical literacy.
• The robot facilitates greater awareness and engagement with open science principles.
• The open-source nature and recycled materials contribute to a circular economy model in education.
• The kit is adaptable for various educational levels and research applications, including swarm robotics.

Conclusions:

• ReFiBot offers a practical, sustainable, and accessible solution for robotics education.
• The project champions the integration of open science and circular economy principles in academic settings.
• The provided resources (CAD files, software, tutorials) enable widespread adoption and replication of the ReFiBot kit.