Themes

Want to build a robotic bumper car? Now you can create, build and program your own bumper car.  Imagine that you and your friends' bumper cars driving within a field, bumping into each other and see whose bumpers last the longest without falling apart.  

Our Robo Mailmen are out delivering, BUT!!! Here comes the maniac robodog!  The mailmen need to be smart enough to run away from the robodog!    

This workshop may be divided into several segments from as simple as building a simple  "RoboDog", to a complex strategy about how to identify the presence of the "RoboMailman', chasing after him.

Are you brave enough to join this roboteam to navigate around treacherous terrain filled with debris after an earthquake?  Your job is to build a robust robot and program them to seek out injured persons in the building to rescue them.

Wants to be the conductor who will lead a team of robots to play your favorite tune? Or program your robots to create waves of movements or dancing with your favorite music.  This involves multiple levels of complexity.  The complexity will depend on length of the workshops and individual participant's ability.

F(orce) is the Fun part. You will build a super strength LEGO bot and compete in our SR Sumo Ring. You will see how mass and acceleration contribute to your Sumo success.  How about getting full speed ahead with an automated Go-cart? You will find it amazing how different the design in the mechanics of the robot.    This workshop is filled with various activities to engage participants in learning the concepts of acceleration, mass, and gravity.

Make your own Mindstorms Sentry System.... security monitoring robot.  Learn to equip your robots with multiple sensors to make your security bot one of the best and smartest.

An experiment at the Koonawonga Robogenics Facility has gone terribly awry.  A nightmarish robotic beast is on the loose.  Spawned from the secret labs of KRF, he is free in the city, stomping and crushing with reckless abandon.  He is your robot, Botzilla.

Build and program an unmanned vehicle that will race  on a predefined course as fast as possible and then stop without crashing.  For the older group, they may use the steering mechanism as well.

Participants will be instructed the basic elements to gain speed, but keep their vehicle strong enough to survive if it happens to crash into the wall.

Build yourself a clever robot which can flirt with disaster by running along the edge of a cliff.

Build the world's strongest LEGO sumbo robot!   We shall provide instruction in the important building tips which will help you to build a strong bot.  Along with the programming tips, you will use your design skill to demonstrate the strength of your Sumo Bot.

If you are up to the challenge, you may even compete against another Sumo Bot in the same ring, see whom will be pushed out of the ring. 

We are looking for a brave young man or woman to drive his/her extreme robot to be able to go up the extremely steep hill to collect some top secret device.

Learn: motion control, light sensor, programming.

The RoboMailman has had enough of being chased by the Robodog. He’s back to capture that pesky mutt. If you are assigned to the mailman, you must find a way to detain the RoboDog. But be careful, you cannot harm the dog. If you are the RoboDog, you have two options, you can attack the maruading mailman or run to the safety of your doghouse.

Explore bot-to-bot communication!  As squadron leader, you command a fleet of interactive robots, capable of following, helping, or even preventing others from being sabotaged by enemy robots!  During the mission, you will experience how to make your robot  perform lasertag! 

Software: use C-like programming software or Robolab
Hardware: NXT or RCX.

This is your chance to build and bring home your own built mechanical roboarm created by an expert LEGO Mindstorms builder, (over $150 value).

This workshop consists of two major portions, building the mechanical model,  as well as programmable model.  At the end of the workshop, students will demonstrate how to automate roboarms to react to environment as well.

They will  bring home the mechanical model which includes effector and actuators so their can further their experiment at home.  With these major components you can create a customized base at home to make a displayable roboarm if they wish.  They will also bring home two battery boxes to enable movement without the programmable brick.   

Students will also learn how to write programs with a true programming language to automate the arm in order to react to environment. It is intricate and fun. 

Note:  In order to make the workshop affordable, and come with high educational value, we created a mechanical model which students will bring home. This is our unique creation, NOT a cookie-cutter kit which you can purchase from hobby shops.  You can even customize your own UNIQUE roboarm.

Software: use C-like programming software or Robolab
Hardware: Mindstorms.

What makes it even more fun is to take over your enemy robots and make them your own.  In this challenge, you will submerge your robot in a dangerous mission into a secret tomb, find your way out and delivery a top secret message to your leader!!!

Software: use C-like programming software or Robolab
Hardware: NXT or RCX.

Robo Soccer (6th grade & up)

Find the soccer ball!!!  Run toward to the goal!!   GOAL! Come to gain expert assistance and obtain further hints while learning how to program all major details to get a robot to play soccer. This is genuinely challenging and intricate, but great Fun!  

Workshops are divided into 2 phases. The first phase involves 1-on-1 game using various sensors to assist detecting the ball as well as recognizing the goal.  The second phase involves 2-on-2 game which may involve using compass sensor.

Software: use C-like programming software.
Hardware: NXT.

Participants will be given the opportunity to understand the FUN to create your own game is much more rewarding and enjoyable than playing one. During the creation process,  they will receive exchange structural review with classmates. This process has been proven to help students to improve their quality and fun of their creation.

In addition, students will be given a glimpse of what Artificial Intelligence may involve via computer gaming.

Students will be able to bring home the game created by themselves. 

Note: No violent themes, such as firearms.

You will build two separate robotic units and program them to pass top secret information to each other and find the secret tunnel.  Watch out... There may be a lot of hazardous debris along the way!

From this class, you will learn how to enable wireless communication between multiple Mindstorms robots or other device like a cell phone.  With this workshop, you will explore the Bluetooth technology and take a glimpse of the communication protocol.  You will get a head start if you wish to have your Mindstorms to communicate with another  device.  You can even wirelessly control another robot in another room. 

Have you ever wondered how the popular Wii Remote Controller works?  What kinds of technology allows you to interact with and manipulate items on the video game via your own movements?

With this workshop, you will:

• program your own motion sensing controller with NXT to remotely control another robot.
• make a robot to move along with your hand or fingers.
• explore the micro electro-mechanical System (MEMS) technology.

Recommendation: Although it is not a pre-requisite, it is recommended that you will take the "Learning Bluetooth Communication" module before this workshop.

Have you ever wondered how the military spot a precious location via satellite communication? How about you will program your robot to interface with a GPS device to monitor your opponents' location at all times? 

As GPS technology has started to become more popular in the mainstream, won't it be cool to understand how the technology works. Even better yet, you will program your robot to interface with a GPS to simulate some of the cool things which even military did too. 

Just like most of our summer workshop, this program will facilitate the needs for both  novice and expert.  For novice, there will be enough sample programs and assistance to guide you. For experts, you will be enough a lot of extended challenges.  You can't Beat That!!!

Build a mechanic Catapult and explore  the fundamentals of simple mechanics. Then, you motorize it with a battery box and motor. Bring home your contraption. Can't beat that!

Build a mechanic robodog and explore  the fundamentals of simple mechanics. Then, you motorize it with a battery box and motor. Bring home your contraption. Can't beat that!

Participants use computer-control concepts with our electric fun House.  They will work with engaging computer-interfaceable LEGO building set that simulates the advanced security and comfort technology.  Come to join the team to automate modern home lights, appliances, burglar and fire alarms, the garage door, ceiling fans, locks, and more.  

Amusement Park  (2nd & 3rd grade)

Participant will build an amusement park filled with various motorized activities with programmable bricks.  Activities may include Merry-go-round, Ghost Ride, Crazy Tour Bus, and Bumper Car.  The complexity is only limited to what the child can do.  For those who are up for the challenge, they will have the opportunity to even program to automate the constructions.  They will also learn about programming with  sensors.  You will be amazed what these little children can accomplish under our well-built curriculum, and help from the trained instructors!!!

Amusement Park consists of many different components (demonstrating simple machines and conceptual physics).  It may be divided into separate different Modules, such as Amusement Park I, II and III.  They all focus on different sub-themes.