About
Robotics is an exciting and fun resource for students to learn about the applications of mathematics and science in the world around them. During the RoboWeekend event students will be given several mini-projects in which they will use mathematical and scientific concepts to complete tasks. Students will also be introduced to the basic concepts of programming and logical reasoning. The RoboWeekend event is completely hands-on and utilizes the latest Lego Minstorms NXT robots. These Lego Minstorms NXT robots are used all over the country and have become a standard in learning about robotics. They are simple enough for a child to use and yet complex enough that they are also used in colleges for teaching and research purposes. The goal of this introductory RoboWeekend event is to introduce students to basic concepts used in robotics and provide them with a foundation with which they can explore robotics more at home and in future classes offered. Currently more classes are being developed which will build upon the basics learned in this introductory class.
The introductory class is meant for students with little to no experience in robotics. Students will learn how to not only move the robot but to use their math and science resources to precisely control the movement. Students will also be introduced to sensors and learn how to make the robot “come to life” by reacting to its environment. Students will learn to effectively use the Lego Mindstorms NXT software programming environment to control the robots movements and interactions. All of the concepts learned in the mini-projects will be applied in a team based competition. Here the students will learn to work in a team to come up with a design that is better than the competition. All these concepts are meant to be learned in a fun and exciting environment.