Robotics

IT-Clubs that indicate interest in the robotics track are given instructional materials via DVD, as well as the robotic equipment needed to practice what is discussed and demonstrated in the "mini" lectures contained on the DVDs. No previous knowledge of programming or robotics is required to participate in this content area.

A new IT-Club receives a Lego Mindstorms NXT base education kit, the education resource kit and the Lego Mindstorms NXT software. The IT-Club also receives one copy of the book "Building Robots with Lego Mindstorms NXT", as well as each of the DVDs "Robotics Engineering Vol. 1" and "Robotics Engineering Vol. 2."

This year the IT-Adventures program will not provide computers. All IT-Clubs are responsible for acquiring computers for practicing writing Mindstorms NXT programs and viewing the learning cds at their own schools.

In Robotics this may mean you just have to ask the IT tech support person for your school to install the software in your school's lab(s) that run a Windows environment.

If you opt to find computers, these computers DO NOT need to be new! Used computers from a local company will work.

Since many companies wipe their computer information from donated machines, you may request 1 Windows XP license and the installation CD to install an operating on one of the used computers you get.

We have provided a list of what you get in the venue and the base computer specifications needed to run the software we provide.

In addition to learning materials and software, a corporate mentor is provided to each IT-Club through the help of Technology Association of Iowa. This mentor helps the students understand the use of robotics and how to get their robot to respond to their coding commands.

High school students in this content area have the opportunity to bring the robot they have been given to the IT-Olympics to compete in a Lego Mindstorms NXT Sumo event. The details of this primarly competition are in the IT-Olympics Venue Document. However, during the IT-Olympics there will also be real-time challenges where students are asked to design parts or programs for an additional base robot. The specifications of these challenges are only given to the students at the competition.

While there is no cost to forming the club nor obtaining the materials, each IT-Club is required to perform a community service project related to their content area(s). Any team that competes in an IT-Olympics venue must submit a multimedia presentation and oral description of their IT community service project for judging. The multimedia presentation will be available for all attendees to view. The community service score will contribute to the overall standings in the robotics competition.