South African schoolchildren from Reddam House Bedfordview recently participated in a robotics competition that focused on using robotics to clean up the environment. The school’s robotics program, which includes both core curriculum and extramural activities, has been thriving. They recently achieved top honors in three age categories at the Inspired Builds Global Robotics Competition.
The winning projects were displayed at Reddam’s interhouse robotics competition. The school actively participates in various competitions, including interhouse competitions to build confidence, interschools robotics leagues where they collaborate with other schools, and global competitions such as the Inspired competition.
The theme of the competition was “saving the environment,” and most of the entries focused on land-based solutions. However, one notable project called Waste Monster, created by Christian Tallarico and Songman Yin in the 9-10 age group, aimed to clean up oceanic waste. Waste Monster features a large rake-like arm that collects waste from the sea and deposits it on the beach for removal.
Another project, called The Rainbow Paper Scooper, won in the 10-11 age group. Created by Leeya Meyet, it is designed to clean up roadside trash with its rotating arm that sweeps rubbish into a large scoop. The project simulates an automated dustpan and broom combination.
In the 11-12 age group, Michael Cole and Kian Bageloo won with their project called Blue Crane. The robot, named after South Africa’s national bird, uses a magnet attached to a long swivel arm to collect metal waste.
The robotics program at Reddam House Bedfordview started in 2018 with the purchase of their first robot. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they increased the number of robots substantially. The curriculum goes up to grade 9, and students interested in furthering their interest can take broader design subjects.
The school uses Lego Mindstorms, a physical robot and programming interface, which challenges students to think from both a physics and design perspective for the robot’s movement and a computational perspective for coding its functionality.
Robotics education provides students with critical skills such as step-by-step problem-solving, collaboration, persistence, and computational thinking. These skills are valuable in various fields, not just technical vocations.
Overall, the competition showcased the innovative and environmentally conscious robotics projects created by the South African schoolchildren, emphasizing the importance of robotics education and its potential in making a positive impact on the environment.
Sources:
– NewsCentral Media