Alexandre Trilla, PhD - Data Scientist |

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Robotics at La Salle with Prof. Chris Rogers

28-Jun-2011

Professor Chris Rogers, from Tufts University, gave a speech promoting creativity and innovation with pre-college engineering education, a kind of mirror talk wrt his probably more renown Talk at Google entitled "LEGO Engineering: From Kindergarten to College". Although I've traditionally been more keen on using Meccano (it's more heavy metal), I must admit that LEGO is astonishing (it's lighter and it doesn't oxidise), especially regarding the more "technical track" available with the use of the NXT microcontroller. Truly enticing.

Prof. Rogers makes use of robotics (as an integrating engineering field) to teach a wide range of students considering the level of their school science subjects. Indeed, a Segway built out of LEGO pieces is a remarkable feat of engineering by itself, with all the control theory underneath. And this might even go further, say, if pneumatics had a role in the play (despite not being considered in his speech, they are also available from LEGO, with the compressors, pistons, valves and so on). Surely we all remember studying the Industrial Revolution through the steam engine. So it's like those beautiful Stuart Models (long live steampunk), in plastic, and with electronic control to play with. It's amazing. Definitely, microbotics is the new (geek) hobby of the 21st century. And always bear in mind that a Tux Droid never dies!