Building Character through ...
Robot Building!
by Robin Lemieux
I Know Absolutely Nothing About Robots ... Well, Almost!
For the last two
decades, I've been
surrounded by robots
and electronics. Could
I recite Ohm's Law?
Could I tell you what
a capacitor does? Do
I know the difference
between servo and
stepper motors? Is there
a difference? Do I know
how to design and build
an autonomous robot?
This last April marks 20 years of
working at T&L Publications for me
— publishers of Nuts & Volts and
SERVO Magazine. I have proofread
literally thousands of technical
articles, but probably couldn't tell
you what most of it was about.
(I just have to remember to keep
my Ps and Qs straight … literally!)
We have been going to robot
events since 1997, when we took
our three-year-old son to watch
Robot Wars in San Francisco, CA.
It was one of the top three best
behavior moments for him because
he was completely hypnotized
watching the sparks and flying
carnage. It was the first combat
event we had ever been to and we
all thought it was pretty darn cool.
92 SERVO 05.2008
After that, we attended and
sponsored Battle Bots in Long
Beach, CA and continue to be a
part of many events, ranging from
larger ones like FIRST to smaller
club competitions that are held
across the US. (I even judged the
Robot Bartender competition at
RoboGames last year.) I've also
watched a lot of women participate
in combat robotics, both as drivers
in the ring and welders in the pits.
(All the really hot chicks know
how to weld.) The different
competitions really bring families
together.
The impact we've seen on kids,
from participating in these different
events, is phenomenal. Two of my
top writers — Evan and Bryce
Woolley of Twin Tweaks fame —
came up through the ranks of
robot competitions and are now
attending college, armed with a
plethora of information that
they wouldn't have started with
otherwise. Read their column in the
March 08 issue to see what I mean.
I tell you, these two writers
are some sharp kids that have it
together. It's obvious in the style
and tone of their writing. They
have truly benefited from the
challenges that arise when
participating in this sport. And, in
our current climate of political
correctness where "everyone's a
winner, no one's a loser" which only
breeds more losers (in my opinion),
it is downright refreshing to
see that having to deal with a
time-sensitive goal, hard work,
frustration, and disappointment
actually builds character. What a
powerful message it is for kids
to see other kids work towards
something they might otherwise
feel is impossible and then obtain
some level of success.
I grew up with the message
from my folks that you have to
work hard to get the things you
want in life. That not everyone is
the same and those who are willing
to put the time in will reap the
most benefit.
Nuts & Volts monthly Personal
Robotics columnist, Vern Graner,
wrote an excellent Appetizer in the
August 07 issue of SERVO about
recovering our technical literacy and
the lack of school curriculum in
areas like metal/machine shop,
wood shop, electronics, or ham
radio clubs. Check the number of
US college students studying to be
engineers as compared to Asian
countries.
Just a couple months ago, we
visited the Bay area in northern
California and stopped in to see
the guys at TechShop. In case
you're unfamiliar, TechShop is
"a fully-equipped open-access
