Curio: A Cost-Effective Solution for Robotics Education

Student engagement is one of the key challenges in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) education. Tangible learning approaches, such as educational robots, provide an effective way to enhance engagement and learning by offering real-world applications to bridge the gap between theory and practice. However, existing platforms often face barriers such as high cost or limited capabilities. In this paper, we present Curio, a cost-effective, smartphone-integrated robotics platform designed to lower the entry barrier to robotics and AI education. With a retail price below $50, Curio is more affordable than similar platforms. By leveraging smartphones, Curio eliminates the need for onboard processing units, dedicated cameras, and additional sensors while maintaining the ability to perform AI-based tasks. To evaluate the impact of Curio on student engagement, we conducted a case study with 20 participants, where we examined usability, engagement, and potential for integrating into AI and robotics education. The results indicate high engagement and motivation levels across all participants. Additionally, 95$

@article{ayranci2025_2505.18437,
  title={ Curio: A Cost-Effective Solution for Robotics Education },
  author={ Talha Enes Ayranci and Florent P. Audonnet and Gerardo Aragon-Camarasa and Mireilla Bikanga Ada and Jonathan Grizou },
  journal={arXiv preprint arXiv:2505.18437},
  year={ 2025 }
}