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Loki inpage Meet one of the newest members of the BHCC community: Loki, a Nao (pronounced “now”) robot made by Aldebaran Robotics. The humanoid robot, which is being used in a variety of BHCC classes, is named for the shape-shifting Norse god of mischief, but Loki is a serious, sophisticated little machine. It can play music like an MP3 player, speak and respond to voice commands and sense when it’s lying down and right itself without human assistance. Loki can be programmed with a laptop and controlled remotely.

Loki arrived at BHCC with the help of a grant from the National Science Foundation and
the Broadening Advanced Technological Education Connections (BATEC). Loki was used by students last spring in the “Introduction to Computers” class, taught by Professor Robert Cronin. See link below to the students’ final project in which they programmed the computer to speak Spanish and to perform a few moves of capoeira, a form of Brazilian martial arts. 

Loki is also used to help students learn important mathematical and engineering concepts. This summer, Loki was incorporated into “Robots, Computers, and Engineering,” a class for BHCC students and veterans.  “Robots, Computers and Engineering” will be offered this fall and Loki is hoping for more students to sign up.

Loki now has a friend: Niki, a second Aldebaran robot purchased for BHCC with the help of a Perkins Grant.  This fall, Professor Cronin will use Niki and Loki in his CIT-216 “Visual Basic” class, and CIT-120, a C++ class.  A robotics class is also being planned.

For a complete story on Loki and other innovations in BHCC’s technology education program, download “Love at First Byte” from the summer edition of BHCC Magazine.

In this video, Loki introduces himself to the BHCC Community.

In this video, BHCC students Alejandra Marin, Guthemberg Teixeira and Lewis Taveras demonstrate their programming abilities with Loki, whom they dub “Robocito.”