Pictoblox robotic – Expression Mimicking Robot (teachers)

Yann KIDSHAKER 19 mars 2025

Expression Mimicking Robot

Objectives

After this lesson, students will be able to:

Create a project that combines face expression detection with robotics.
Write a script that detects their face expression and mimics those expressions/emotions on their Quarky robot.

Introduction

In this session, students build a fun activity called ‘Expression Mimicking Robot’. In this activity students write a script that detects their face expression from the device camera and mimics those very emotion/expression on the LED screen of Quarky robot.

The script has been divided in two different parts for ease of understanding. In the first part, students write a script that enables face expression detection from the device camera, and in the second part, they write a script where those very expressions are mimicked on the Quarky’s LED matrix.

Activity

Quarky robot mimics the face expression that it detects and recognizes from the camera

Teaching Resources

PicoBlox Code

Title	Description	File
Expression Mimicking Robot	Quarky robot mimics the face expression that it detects and recognizes from the camera	https://ai.thestempedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/session21_Expression-Mimicking-Robot.sb3

Timeline

Title	Approximate Duration	Procedure	Reference Material
Introduction to Expression Mimicking Robot	5	Explain the students about making quarky robot mimic the same expressions as their facial expressions.	Lecture Slide
Activity: Expression Mimicking Robot	30	Ask students to open a new file in PictoBlox on their devices. Demonstrate the procedure given in the *Expression Mimicking Robot Activity Sheet* to the students. Ask the students to follow the instructions to create the project. At the end of the activity, the teacher must check if all the students have created the project and provide feedback accordingly.	Lecture Slide, PictoBlox File and Activity Sheet
Concluding the session	5	Make sure that all the students save their script properly before closing PictoBlox. Give a summary of all the points covered in the lecture, and clear doubts if any.	Lecture Slide

Title

Approximate Duration

Procedure

Reference Material

Introduction to Expression Mimicking Robot

Explain the students about making quarky robot mimic the same expressions as their facial expressions.

Lecture Slide

Activity: Expression Mimicking Robot

Ask students to open a new file in PictoBlox on their devices.
Demonstrate the procedure given in the Expression Mimicking Robot Activity Sheet to the students.
Ask the students to follow the instructions to create the project.
At the end of the activity, the teacher must check if all the students have created the project and provide feedback accordingly.

Lecture Slide, PictoBlox File and

Activity Sheet

Concluding the session

Make sure that all the students save their script properly before closing PictoBlox.
Give a summary of all the points covered in the lecture, and clear doubts if any.

Lecture Slide

Things to Remember

Before Class

Make sure each PC has the latest version of PictoBlox installed and running.
Make sure all the Quarky robots are in working condition and are fully charged.
Make sure all the Quarky robots have a working USB cable with them. If you are using Bluetooth to connect Quarky with PictoBlox, make sure that you have downloaded the PictoBlox Link and it stays well connected.
Make sure that all the devices running PictoBlox has a working webcam as well as bluetooth.

During Class

If the students are unable to find a block, point them to the color of the block on the block palette.

After Class

Make sure students save their codes/scripts.
Make sure they shut down the PC/Laptops.
Make sure they return Quarky and USB cable in good condition.