Institute of MERIT Robotics Engineering Class for 2024-2025

The Institute of MERIT (http://instituteofmerit.com) initiated a Robotics Engineering Program for ICPS Graduates in September 2019. The program consists of 12 Saturday morning sessions from 9:00 to 11:30 starting in September and ending before the winter vacation.

The objective of the program is to introduce students to the fundamentals of robotics including practical electronics, mechanism design, and programming to build problem solving skills, advance critical thinking, broaden creative and innovative reasoning and to encourage a love of mathematics. Students work in small groups to foster personalized direction by the instructors and enable collaboration in a comfortable environment. No prior experience is required. To see a detailed description, eligibility requirements, sample constructions, and our expectations, visit us at: https://sites.google.com/view/icps-robotics/home.

Eligibility in the robotics program is based on successful completion (certificate), of one year at the Institute of Creative Problem Solving for Gifted and Talented Students (ICPS). You can learn about that program at: http://institutecreativeproblemsolving.org/index.htm. You must be a Long Island resident living in Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens, or Brooklyn and entering either 8th or 9th grade in September 2024.

The cost of the program is $500, which includes the complete SnappyXO Robot kit which consists of 2 sub kits: (Note: Eventbrite charges an additional $34.79 for their service and processing fees.)

(1) Mechatronics kit: contains components, such as motors, sensors, wires, LEDs, switches, Arduino Uno, etc.

(2) Hardware kit: contains plastic components, such as connectors, clips, mounts, beams, plates, gears, etc.

In addition to the SnappyXO Robotics kit, each student will receive access to a web-based software program for developing computer simulations of their robot motions before constructing the robot. In addition, students will be able to access the ArduinoBlue Bluetooth application which will interface with the connected sensors and actuators. The SnappyXO Robotics kit, software applications, and curriculum were invented by one of our instructors, a professor at Stony Brook University with funding from the National Science Foundation. Learn more about SnappyXO Robotics product and curriculum at http://www.snappyxo.com.

This program is designed for students serious about learning robotics. It is an intense program and will demand time and effort at home as well as during class time. Consider applying if you have the time and desire to build a working robot. All participants need access to either a Windows/Mac laptop with an internet connection and have administrative permission to install software. The program ends with a robotics project finale, where each student will present their robot to the members of the class. This past year we had a battle of robots, in an open forum, so parents could watch the event. Students who satisfactorily complete all the activities receive a certificate of completion.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Arthur L. Kalish