Robbinsville Robotics Rugrat Romp-Around

On December 5, 2009, the Robbinsville Robotics Team 2590 held a funducational camp for young minds prepared to explore the world of underwater robotics! This program was initialized for children from 2nd grade to 5th grade so that they could show off their mad Lego skills! Campers constructed a sturdy and brightly pigmented robot using Lego Mindstorms.

Using lightweight and waterproof motors connected to propellers, their robots shot through the water. The kids attached their creations to small “floaties” which are pieces of water noodle used in everyday pools. Overall, the entire project could be recreated at home with some small purchases, for students that are begging for more. When campers delicately placed their robot in the water of a private pool, they could drive their contraptions, battling with the forces of buoyancy and balance.

Campers are given one of two design challenges: first year campers could either create a robot that could swim across the pool and back in the fastest amount of time possible or create a robot that could swim figure eights.  Second year campers stepped it up a notch and created land robots that danced on the floor.

Through these challenges, our young campers learned the engineering design cycle.  After their initial tests, many found that they had to modify certain aspects of their robot because it couldn’t float or they added gears to make them go faster.  They would test their robot, figure out what was causing the problem, and make more changes.

The Nemesis team members were the consultants to the groups.  “The kids were so smart, they went wild with the Legos and didn’t need much help” said Kiera Wolfe.  Other groups had fun collaborating with their teenage mentor.  The campers came up with different designs for the execution of their robots and the student mentors helped them create the designs.  Some of the campers had to redesign their robots multiple times, but by the end of the day, with the aid of their mentors, the campers went home happy with