A hybrid learning environment for collaborative learning in architectural robotics

Abstract

We present a Hybrid Learning Environment (HLE) that supports collaborative learning in architectural robotics. The demand for robotics education has been growing owing to changes in related industries. This education requires specific physical equipment and skilled instructors, making it both time- and resource-intensive. To address this issue, new teaching methods and technologies are needed to make them more accessible using scarce resources. We introduced an ongoing project that responds to this need by integrating Virtual Reality (VR) and Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) technologies in an educational context. This project addresses educational activities in study programmes in which hands-on design thinking is fundamental, such as architecture, building technology, and product design studies. These programmes involve courses in which students use tangible tools and materials to develop, analyse, and present their ideas. They built physical models and prototypes to explore the spatial and material qualities of a design concept and to understand how a design would work in the physical world. These models are tools for students to think and interfaces for communication between fellow students and educators. [...]