Robotics

Article and Photos by: Maddie Kim and Courtney Scoufis, M&M TIPsters

While for most students robots are something of the future, this class sees robots are a normality. These students actually build their own robots! Programming, designing, and testing are all a part of the process. Out of all of the classes, this is potentially one of the most hands-on. “The hands-on technique of learning, and it’s not really all about taking notes,” says Julie Hubschman when asked about her favorite thing about the class.
David Swanson(instructor)and Derry Roberson(TA)lead the class in exciting activities. Both are knowledgeable people with Robotics backgrounds. For the past few days they have helped the students research technology related to Robotics. These topics include electric cars, robots for the army, a robot that mows your lawn, EMILY- a motorized lifesaving device, and a new addition to the Xbox family. These projects are interesting to listen to because they seem like things of the future, but in actuality, some already exist and some are coming out as soon as the end of this year. Students talked about improvements that could be made to the products, costs, release dates, and functions of the products.
This class isn’t all work though. The students took a fieldtrip to Georgia Tech in Atlanta to study the robotics program. “It was very interesting and fun, seeing the humanoids,” says Julie Hubschman, Robotics TIPster and Fourth Year.They saw some of the robots that they are working on like the Robo-lawnmower. Devon Myers said, “I had so much fun on the fieldtrip, it was really neat.”
The students learned a lot throughout this course. “I’ve learned things I never thought a robot could do,” says Julie Hubschman, a Robotics student. Not only have students learned, but they’ve also had fun. “Most of the time you’re just messing around with a robot, trying to make it better,” says Luke Portera, a Robotics student. A lot of students would say that Robotics is the future.
No one knows where the Robotics students will be in several years.“I want to do something with technology and robotics,” says Max Kennard, Robotics student. Thanks to the instructor and TA, these Robotics students will go far. “It’s very lucky that I’ve been here because, you know, I get to play with toys all day,” jokes Kai Charles, a Robotics student.