During two weeks in June, a total of 34 students, ages 9 to 12 years old, attended one of two Robotics Camps conducted by CERMUSA as part of Saint Francis University’s Kids’ College summer program.  The camps taught the students about the basics of robotics, guiding them through the processes of conceptualizing, building, and testing robots that accomplish particular tasks.  Two generations of the LEGO Mindstorms platform were utilized because they are kid-friendly yet powerful programming, designing, and engineering tools.  

Working in collaborative teams, the students built a variety of machines, incorporating light, touch, and temperature sensors, as well as servos to allow the robots to manipulate and navigate their environments. 

The teams gave two presentations during the week-long camps.  The first presentation tasked students to imagine fantasy animals, build robots that could imitate the animals’ movements and reactions, and then present their creations to the other teams. The second presentation, which family and friends could attend, tasked the teams to devise crafty solutions and intelligent bots as part of a special projects unit.  The special project involved rescuing a robotic train that had accidently derailed and spilled its automotive cargo.  The teams engineered robots that worked together to upright the derailed toy train and gather the entire Matchbox car ‘cargo’. 

To chronicle their robotics camp experiences, each student will receive a CD.

This is the third year CERMUSA has hosted the Robotics Camp, and the fifth camp overall.  The camp was directed by Jonathan B. Miller, graduate assistant at CERMUSA.