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April 2014
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Bruin Bots Charge Ahead Bob Psalmonds Staff Writer Bruin Bots is a challenging program meeting out at the Regional Manufacturing Technology Center, RMTC for short. Kimberlee Andrews-Bingham is both the person charged with coordinating this fascinating club and one of the driving forces behind it as the Training Coordinator for Workforce Solutions. Bruin Bots fits under the Industrial Technology Center’s function and educational arena. Started in the fall of 2012, the faculty and students have already shown success by making the state tournament the first year. The team made regionals last fall even though the number of competing school teams state-wide greatly increased on the robotics battle field. Increasing the number of schools and a broader community capacity is something the program supports wholeheartedly. The program both encourages and assists with any school or organization interested in developing or already running their own club. The main focus is not on the high schoolers as one would expect. It is geared to draw in middle schoolers from the sixth through ninth grades from public, private and home school environments. As Andrews-Bingham explained with enthusiasm, this is for many reasons. "The robotics club introduces the children at a younger age to a wide range of Industrial Trades and STEM (science technology, engineering and math) skills. Robotics is only going to become more important to industry in the future, so engaging them in growing career fields at a younger age just makes sense. It also sharpens their skills so they have an edge when moving onto the high school or college teams. A big plus is it gives them an idea of what types of things they might like to do for a living. The program also gets them connected to higher learning institutions, such as KCC, which has already shown them the training is available, meaning they have had a relationship long before sending out those college applications. Add in those driven enough to do dual enroll at KCC while still in high school, and it’s a winwin." Robotics opportunities like the Bruin Bots is championed by F.I.R.S.T., which stands for First for Inspiration, Recognition of Science and Technology. This is a national organization vested in improving the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics abilities of our youth. Robotics touches all of these. Lego Education provides kits used by the clubs throughout the nation. If a part is needed to enhance or build something unique, the students and faculty out at the RMTC will help create it for the team. This means the kids get a demonstration of the necessary steps and
machine operations involved. Again, a fun and educational way to draw their curious young minds toward the Industrial Trades and STEM side. Andrew-Bingham stressed that one of the biggest impacts of Bruin Bots is the development of leadership abilities and social skills as students work as part of a team. There is also an intentional effort to engage more youth of color and female students as they are traditionally underrepresented in the STEM pipeline from classroom to career. So far about ten percent of participating students represent these groups and Andrews - Bingham and all the other leaders involved would like to see this change. The potential broadening of each child’s future makes this desire important, so is supported by the Urban League, VOCES, the Burma Center and the American Association of University Women. Bruin Bots normally averages around twenty kids on their team but engages over 100 annually through other activities. One of the best results is it teaches youth to embrace their intelligence and creativity as a path to a successful future. The large number of middle schoolers involved on the team is due to the fact there are more roles than just two robot drivers and a coach for each match. In September, a challenge is released to the clubs for the competition season which will give specifics about what kind of functions and abilities the robot must have. Just like engineers build a vehicle for what kind of terrain or driving is required, the club’s young artists have to draft workable blueprints of their creation that will fit the needs of the challenge. Kids who like computer programming and want to write the coding hit the keyboards. Engineers do the actual structural planning and work out the physical issues of the plans. Finally, the industrially capable and those interested in prefabrication, metal shop, welding, and the other aspects begin to build. Of course, anything beyond using the Lego kits such as operating machinery at the RMTC is handled by older KCC students or faculty.
Finally, three people put the robot through its paces during the competition. Driver one controls the mobility issues such as forward, back, turn, etc. Person two controls the levers, arms, and required functions operations. The third person is the match coach, giving the two operators instructions as to what’s needed to complete the mission, such as raise the arm an inch or bring the claw forward. Often the team might build
Members of Bruin Bots construct robots at the KCC sponsored club
The Bruin Bot team
two robots but will present the best at the competition itself. The judges want to also see an Engineering Notebook which is the portfolio, journalized progression, and images involved in creating the robot. Once the competition is over, the club analyzes any challenges and learning experiences. From January till May, there’s an after-school club that allows the kids to refine their skills or try hands-on experiences somewhere new in the program. There is exposure to STEM career options to excite the youth or further refine their likes and dislikes. Intensive workshops are also scheduled often and spring break robotics camps are offered to all those wanting to sign up. The theme this year is Destination Lego Mars where the robots have to traverse Mars like terrain in the morning from 8 till 12. Andrews-Bingham stated that to help in bringing more girls into the program, a second camp in the afternoon (12:304:30) would be just for girls and set up as an introduction to robotics. Both are scheduled from Monday, April 7 through Thursday, April 10 and have a registration fee of $125. Think how much of a jump the girls would get if they did both. There are also summer robotics camps
photo by Bob Psalmonds
photo by Simon Thalmann
and the income generated through these helps cover the expenses of other program areas. There are a few scholarships available so check into this option if funding is going to be an issue for your child. Hopefully, a grant application currently being reviewed by the United Way will come through and make this less of an issue. Currently, the scholarship monies are coming from a few of the local business sponsors and the Battle Creek Community Foundation. Sponsors are always welcome and would mean more underprivileged or financially strapped families could allow their child to spread his/her mental wings. Those KCC students interested in or needing a Service Learning placement should also consider the Bruin Bots. Even those not interested in the STEM fields would be of great help while having fun with a fantastic group of youth. In fact, there is even a one credit KCC Service Learning class that to develops leadership skills through service with the team. Those in many other classes can also easily point to the Bruin Bots being an applicable Service Learning option and getting their professor to sign off. For more information, contact Kimberlee Andrews-Bingham, KCC Workforce Solutions, Phone Number (269) 565-2802 or emal her at andrewsk@kellogg.edu. The Kellogg Community College Regional Manufacturing Technology Center is located at 405 Hill Brady Rd, Battle Creek, MI.