Two students with a talent for robotics have taken out prizes in this month’s RoboCupJunior Australian Open National Competition in Melbourne.
The event is a project-oriented educational initiative that supports local, regional and international robotic events for students.
It includes competitions for youth, with the aim of providing an exciting introduction to science and engineering through robotics.
Participants challenge themselves to design, build and program their robots to dance to music.
Competitors are encouraged to decorate their entries and motorise robot limb movements, to give their robots character.
Caringbah High School student Daniel Slachov and Grays Point Public School pupil Michael Malyshenko participated in RoboCup Junior OnStage Performance division as team ‘robot makers’.
They designed, created, and programmed two minion robots.
The boys turned into Gru and Dr Nefario from Despicable Me. The robots were controlled by Arduino and communicated using radio signals.
The team placed second in their division and qualified to represent Australia at the international competition in July in Sydney.
