The technology classroom at the Morris School was filled with laughter one Friday afternoon recently with students from grades 7 to 11 surrounded by computers, robotic kits and backpacks.
A group just returned from an away match against Niverville where Morris robotics students competed students from the Niverville high school team.
Robots are pitted against one another, and whoever touches the ground outside the ring first loses, explained teacher JP Jamieson.
“Sometimes the judges get right down to see if the [robot] tires are off the ring,” he said. “There are two rings operating at the same time. Students have ten seconds to get their robot ready after their name is called, otherwise they forfeit their round.”
Students are ranked on an individual basis, scoring points for each win.
“We’re not quite sure what students’ points are after the match today because the computers went offline, and we had to write everything down by hand,” laughed Jamieson.
The team can feel success however, in the number of wins they had over the Niverville team, and it is an initiative that tis really engaging the students.
A base robotic kit weighs about 200g and is made up of a palm-sized body covering a gearbox that sits on a wheel set, and the whole kit is tethered by a controller with two toggles.
Four types of base kits are available to robotic teams. One kit is all about speed, another power, one powerful with slight speed and one the most powerful but slow.
Students are encouraged to add improvements to their base in the form of plastic 3D-printed material to a maximum 500g.
“Strategy to win is 50 per cent about robot capability and improvement and 50 per cent my driving ability. You can only drive to the abilities of your robot,” noted Samantha Storck, 14.
What Storck loves about the Wednesday lunch time hobby is figuring out problems that exist in the design of her robot and looking for ways to fix them.
“I get to use my brain in a fun way and experiment with techniques and angles. The design is my idea, my choice.”
“As long as no metal is on the attack surface [anything goes],” said Hassan Mustafa, 14.
The main strategy of a faceoff is to get under the opponent and push them off the ring.
“The students go from the idea phase to implementation and test phase, make mistakes, fail and try it all again,” said Jamieson. “They come at [new designs] with a better understanding and a new approach.”
Kayden Grattan, 14, loves the trial and error component of robotics. Since September, he has designed, tested and 3D printed 12 different prototypes in looking for improvements in his design.
“It’s fun to think of new designs and compete against classmates,” Grattan said.
Jamieson enjoys seeing the development and progression of the students’ designs over the school year.
“Some students over think and bring in a new idea every week but end up with nothing. Other students have a rough plan and end up trying many things that constantly need work.”
With the help of Jamieson, students can develop skills in many areas of technology.
“Some students enjoy the repair aspect more than the robotics,” said Jamieson, opening the drawers of a large plastic toolkit. “This mobile pack-out unit, graciously donated by Sun Valley Co-op, will help us when we get on the road next season. Unfortunately, the 2024 Manitoba Robot Games were postponed until next year.”
Mustafa also enjoys a unique perspective of his hobby: 3-D design.
“Using Tinkercad, a 3-D design platform, I can play with design aspect and solve general problems,” he said, adding that going to matches allows him to find inspiration in others’ designs.
Jamieson noted what the students have accomplished so far would not be possible without the support of numerous sponsors including Morris Build-All and Kohltech Windows, who bought the team t-shirts. Through alphaplay.ca, they also received a refurbished 3-D printer.
“We are currently exploring a [robotics] course offering for the Morris School in September 2024, although nothing has been confirmed yet,” Jamieson noted.
The students’ smiles widen when speaking of the potential class, hopeful yet always knowing they will have at least Wednesday lunches to hypothesize and hone their techniques.
