Ruru: A spatial and interactive visual programming language for novice robot programming
Authors:
- B. A. MacDonaldBMB. A. MacDonald
- John G HoskingJHJohn G Hosking
- 1 September 2011
- conference paper
- Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
- No. 19436092,p. 25-32
Abstract
Robots are useful tools for teaching novices programming as real and immediate outcomes of programs can be seen. However robot software development has unique problems making aspects of programming difficult compared with general software development. These problems include the robot platform, the robot's environment and its interaction in three-dimensional space and the fact that events occur in real time. We describe Ruru, a novel visual language that addresses these difficulties through a principled approach to its design. It also visualizes robot inputs intuitively in real time and allows the intuitive amendment of parameters. This improves its usefulness and user friendliness as a tool for teaching novices programming.Keywords
This publication has 8 references indexed in Scilit:
- Visual syntax does matter: improving the cognitive effectiveness of the i* visual notationRequirements Engineering, 2010
- The “Physics” of Notations: Toward a Scientific Basis for Constructing Visual Notations in Software EngineeringIEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 2009
- Choregraphe: a graphical tool for humanoid robot programming2009
- Evaluating the Visual Syntax of UML: An Analysis of the Cognitive Effectiveness of the UML Family of Diagrams2009
- Robots make computer science personalCommunications of the ACM, 2006
- First steps in programming: a rationale for attention investment models2003
- Usability Analysis of Visual Programming Environments: A ‘Cognitive Dimensions’ FrameworkJournal of Visual Languages & Computing, 1996
- A robust layered control system for a mobile robotIEEE Journal on Robotics and Automation, 1986