Kids learning to design robots
Robots are the future, say a group of Taupo¯ children who are designing small plastic machines to complete tasks.
The five boys, who are homeschooled, have been using LEGO Mindstorms kits to make small machines which can move around and react to their environment.
Eli Phillips, 10 years, said the robots weren’t remote controlled; they followed pre-set coding, written on a computer.
’’For example, when the robots bumped into an object, touch sensors tell the robot to rotate 90 degrees and then go forward.’’
Another sensor can determine between different colours.
‘‘So when it comes to the black line, it will see the colour and then just 10 degrees and keep going,’’ Eli said.
The boy spent three months testing their robot and re-writing their code.
In early September, they took their robot to the ‘‘First LEGO League’’ competition in Auckland.
In the competition, teams build robots which can navigate a course and complete tasks, such as lifting and carrying LEGO blocks. Teams earn points for how well the robots complete tasks.
Fourty-five teams from primary schools and colleges competed in the league, which was open to children under 16.
The Taupo¯ boys, aged between 10 and 14 years old, came fifth.
The boys also won an innovation competition with their concept design for a sea-cleaning drone, which is shaped like a whale.
‘‘Microplastics are a big problem, clogging up the oceans,’’ team member Billy Lipp said.
‘‘The robot sucks in microplastics through the grill at the front and filters them out of the water.’’
‘‘We’re advancing in technology all the time so why not use it to help the planet.’’
Billy said he planned to keep learning code.
‘‘NASA are definitely looking for people to code their space stations. Then there’s WETA Workshops, who are making 3D models with coding [for movies].’’
Billy said children could try animation coding for free at http:/ /scratch.mit.edu
* Holiday workshops: Parents Chris Lipp and Latifah Phillips are running workshops for all children over the holidays. Parents with children interested in learning to design and programme LEGO robots should enquire via the ‘‘Taupo Robotics’’ Facebook page.