Browsing articles from "November, 2011"

Camp Eureka Winter 2011: LEGO NXT

Nov 15, 2011   //   by mtakemoto   //   News  //  No Comments

Hilo Viking Robotics will be holding a Camp Eureka on December 19th – 23rd

FAQ and signup info from the camp eureka page as follows.  Camp fee will be posted as soon as it’s determined.

What is LEGO NXT?
LEGO NXT is a robotics system designed around the classic plastic building blocks that everyone knows and loves.  The NXT kit makes it possible for kids to create things using ordinary LEGOs, then make their designs come alive using motors, sensors and programming.  They can build a car that will find its way through a maze, or a powerful sumo-bot that will compete with other bots for the ring.  LEGO NXT is a great way to introduce your child to the world of robotics and the many opportunities it has to offer.

Who can sign up?
Children ages 8-12

How do I sign my child/children up?
Contact one of the following people, and then fill out the signup form which will be posted as soon as it’s available.

Ashley Chen (Camp coordinator) at (808) 238-6658, msashleychen@gmail.com
Dylan Giardina (Camp coordinator) at (808) 987-8724, giardinaski@gmail.com

The following are also avalible for contact in the event the people listed above cannot be reached:

Matt Pearring (Club president) at (808) 964-8688, mpearring@hilovikingrobotics.com
Ryan Nakasato (Club advisor) at (808) 974-4021 x2255, r_nakasato@yahoo.com

How much does it cost?
To be determined.  Will be posted as soon as possible.

How may I pay for it?
Cash or check, sent to Hilo High School, 556 Waianuenue Ave 96720 Hilo, HI.  Please make checks payable to Hilo High School with the subject/note as “Robotics”

Where is the camp held?
At Hilo High School, 556 Waianuenue Avenue in room C-205

 

FIRST LEGO League

Nov 14, 2011   //   by Paragon   //   News  //  No Comments

Last week the Hilo Viking Robotics team volunteered in FLL (FIRST LEGO League) by setting up the table elements and provided commentary during match play along with the help of  HELCO.

The best way to summarize FIRST LEGO League is to say that it is a robotics program for 9 to 16 year olds (9 to 14 in US/CAN/MEX), which is designed to get children excited about science and technology — and teach them valuable employment and life skills. FLL can be used in a classroom setting but is not solely designed for this purpose. Teams, composed of up to ten children with at least one adult coach, can also be associated with a pre-existing club or organization, homeschooled, or just be a group of friends who wish to do something awesome.

Every September, FLL releases a Challenge, which is based on a real-world scientific topic. Each Challenge has two parts: the Robot Game and the Project . Teams of up to ten children, with one adult coach, participate in the Challenge by programming an autonomous robot to score points on a themed playing field (Robot Game) and developing a solution to a problem they have identified (Project). Teams may then choose to attend an official tournament, hosted by one of our Operational Partners

If you would like to find out more about FLL click here!

 

Thanks!

Nov 7, 2011   //   by mpearring   //   News  //  No Comments

The folks over at 2mcctv.com helped out our ROV team by donating a great underwater camera!  We were delighted to receive a donation from them as they have such a great selection of cameras and camera systems.

Cameras are a huge factor in ROV.  During the competitions, the drivers are guided only by the vision of a camera mounted on a ROV.  The high-resolution waterproof camera that 2mcctv.com has donated to us is going to be a big help!

Please, check them out at: http://www.2mcctv.com

You can see the camera we received here: http://www.2mcctv.com/product_info-KTCKPCEJ230NUWX.html

 

Thanks guys!

Outreach

Nov 4, 2011   //   by Paragon   //   News  //  No Comments

We are currently planning on doing an outreach and are looking for more schools interested in participating with us.

 

Outreach is a robotics program that Hilo Viking Robotics provides for elementary schools in Hilo. It is usually a 10 week after-school program (meeting one or two times a week). The program provides an opportunity for kids to learn the basics of engineering and technology through the application of robots. We use the NXT Lego Mindstorm to teach our program. It is both kid-friendly and very enjoyable for the children. An activity many of our past kids liked was building and programming a bot that moved in a maze. Not only does our outreach program teach the basics of engineering, but we also improve critical thinking and teamwork.

 

If you have any questions or comments about outreach for your school please email me at mevolous@gmail.com.

 

VEX

Nov 3, 2011   //   by Paragon   //   News  //  No Comments

So, we are currently planning out the trip to Pan Pacific while doing our last minute touch ups to prepare us for the up comming competition. We have been doing well so far. In Kona we got 2nd place.

The Camp Eureka  of Fall 2011 was a blast and I would like to thank Matthew Takemoto for teaching the camp this season.