3/25/2010
On April 24, youth from across Illinois will travel to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to participate in the 2nd Annual State 4-H Robotics Challenge. Teams of youth ages 9 to 19 were given the challenge to build a small robot that can successfully navigate a unique “RoboBall” course, also designed by the team.
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On April 24, youth from across Illinois will travel to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to participate in the 2nd Annual State 4-H Robotics Challenge. Teams of youth ages 9 to 19 were given the challenge to build a small robot that can successfully navigate a unique “RoboBall” course, also designed by the team.
“This event provides an excellent opportunity for Illinois youth to learn about robotics while interacting with others who also have an interest in this exciting field of engineering, science, and technology,” said Lisa Bouillion Diaz, U of I Extension 4-H specialist.
The youth teams are engineering their robots to transport a small plastic ball from one end of a 96-inch table to the other while using sensors to avoid obstacles along the way. Upon finishing the course, the robots are to perform a victory dance to music.
“We expect to see a lot of creativity in the designs of these robots,” Bouillion Diaz said. “Last year, 11 junior teams of youth, aged 9 to13 years, and five senior teams of youth, aged 14 to 18 years, participated in the competition. This year, we expect an even greater turnout.”
In addition to being judged on the performance of their robot, teams will be asked to discuss the computer program their robot used for the challenge and to complete an unrelated teamwork activity to show their ability to work as a team. The two top-scoring junior teams will receive a $350 scholarship from the Illinois 4-H Foundation to attend the FIRST LEGO League competition in fall 2010.The event will also be used to select 4-H senior division members to represent Illinois in the robotics competition at the National 4-H Engineering Challenge, to be held at Purdue University on September 26 to 28.
The event is sponsored by Illinois 4-H in partnership with the U of I College of Engineering, and the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES). Undergraduate and graduate students from these programs will serve as volunteer judges and provide participants with the opportunity to interact with U of I students who are pursuing careers in robotics and engineering.
Illinois 4-H introduced its robotics curriculum three years ago and has since seen a steady increase in enrollment. Nearly 2,500 Illinois youth, representing 92 percent of the counties across the state, engaged in 4-H robotics during the 2008-09 program year.
“4-H programs give youth the opportunity to investigate like a scientist, design like an engineer, and create like a technologist,” Bouillion Diaz said. “These skills are important for today’s workforce and also prepare youth to be active and informed citizens.”
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Contact: Lisa Bouillion Diaz, U of I Extension 4-H specialist, 217/333-0910.
Writer: LeAnn M. Ormsby, communications specialist, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, 217/244-4786.
If you have any questions about the College of Engineering, or other story ideas, contact Rick Kubetz, Engineering Communications Office, 217/244-7716, editor.