Lego robots challenge young scientists
The auditorium at Governor Simcoe Secondary School in St. Catharines was dark except for a brightly lit stage and the glow of projection screens as students from Princess Margaret school in Niagara Falls — aptly named the Pantherbots — watched their autonomous Lego robot start its course.
But something was awry. The robot was curving its path.
No matter, it was only a practice run, and they still had plenty of time to make adjustments before final competitions later in the day Saturday.
The Pantherbots were one of 13 teams looking to move on after the Niagara Region qualifier of the First Lego League competition.
Organizers said the competition sees close to 300,000 kids from 90 countries around the world compete.
“They get so many different skills,” said teacher Martin Beswick. “It’s teamwork, and it involves tech and science, social, personal skills.
“They had to call the Region to learn about water, they spoke with MPP Wayne Gates, contractors, things that 11-, 12-year-olds just aren’t going to do.”
Tournament director Jeff Sinclair said the competition it’s about more than just building with Lego.
“Students are competing in four different events. One’s a project where they come up with a solution to a real-world problem and present to a bunch of judges. Next, they build a robot that competes on the playing field and how they came up with that concept, which is judged,” he said.
A core value challenge, which is an abstract challenge where students have to work as a team, is another component
Lastly is the competition on the playing field.
Sinclair said it’s about “creating an innovative solution, and at the same time becoming passionate about science and technology.”
“Hopefully, it will inspire them to fulfil a career in this field.”
Three teams would move on to provincial competition in Waterloo, and then from there two teams will advance onto the world stage.
Moving on is the goal of 11-yearold Heath van Hemmen, whose sister had previously been on the team.
“We did really in the core values and our project, we feel confident,” said the Princess Margaret student.
“Our main job was to think about teamwork, we came up with one idea, and one member came up with a better one. We listened to everyone’s and as a team decided on the best.
“The toughest is the robot. Sometimes the programs get mixed up.”
Students must calculate the circumference of wheels to figure out their number of rotations and then program that into the robot so that it moves to an exact spot on the competition field.
“During September we started with a basic robot, but we had to change the whole design,” Heath said.
Undaunted by setbacks, the students packed up the robot and headed back to the pit stop for “modifications.”
Saturday’s daylong competition was organized by First Robotics Canada.