Description:

Students will explore the science and technology of robotics in an open workshop environment. They will work in pairs by experience level and interests to plan, conceptualize, build, program, and test a robot of their own design. Student partners will set their own design and performance criteria for their robot. Will it be one that plays a game, gathers data, or completes a mission using custom code that the team has written and tested? This laboratory is open to beginners as well as returning students with prior experience.

The class will focus on construction and programming, with the goal of having functional robots by the end of the semester. There will be an emphasis on the engineering-design process with repeated build-test-redesign iterations until the robot performs as expected. Student pairs will be encouraged to think creatively and apply problem-solving skills to find unique solutions to their scenario. Groups will move at their own pace, and completed robots may have different levels of complexity depending on the experience of the team.

An experienced robotics competitor will serve as a mentor and facilitator during the lab. He will not teach formal lessons but will instead circulate among the partner teams to trouble-shoot and offer advice on hardware and software issues, spending more time with newer builders and programmers. Students will enjoy the collaboration and camaraderie that comes from watching the successes, missteps, and eventual solutions of other teams. They will build with Tetrix Prime metal robotics components, incorporate sensors [such as, ultrasonic distance, infrared (IR) proximity, mini-LIDAR (laser radar), touch, line-following, color- sensing, or sound sensors], electronics, and motors from Tetrix Prizm, and code using the Arduino IDE. Please note: Prior experience with robotics and coding are not required. Also, students do not get to keep finished projects.

This is a 15-week course that will begin on January 22.