by Laura Hart-Special to the Sun
It was a rescue scene at the Kern River Valley campus of Cerro Coso College last weekend as heavy equipment moved away some boulders to make way for a temporary bridge to allow rescue personnel to remove a fallen tree from a victim pinned underneath. However, the vehicle used to remove the tree repeatedly dropped the tree trunk back onto the victim.
Fortunately, this was all in miniature. It was a scene created by robotics professor Debby Kilburn during a three-day workshop at the college. No humans or animals were harmed in the process – just a three-inch-high character from a Legos robotic kit, known affectionately by the students as “Lego man.”
Kilburn, who teaches the Legos Robotics I class at the Ridgecrest campus, brought her program to the valley last week, introducing local students to the process of building and programming specialized robots.
On the first day students were divided into teams and given a scenario where they would have to build a piece of equipment that would accomplish a certain part of a task created by Kilburn.
In this case, students had a tabletop model of a mountain scene where the famous Lego man was hiking before a huge storm hit, knocking a tree down on top of him.
With large boulders in the way and a rushing river to cross, students were given instructions to create equipment that would remove the obstructions; make a temporary bridge that would give access for vehicles to cross the river; and then build some type of machine to lift the tree and carry off the injured victim.
But the students were not given blueprints or a design; just parts and pieces and access to a computer. Kilburn said this is what makes the class different and special. Students have to think through the problem and sort out what is the most effective way to accomplish the task. And with many variables involved, this can require a lot of planning and experimenting.
“The devil is in the details,” Kilburn told the students prior to the demonstration on the final day of the workshop Saturday.
To build these robots and program them to carry out designated assignments, students incorporate methods from various disciplines such as science, technology, engineering, and math (Kilburn calls this “STEM.”
Most people are familiar with Legos, which a lot of us have used as children to construct various items. They can fit together into almost any form. But Kilburn’s classes utilize the Lego’s Robotics RCX yellow brick in addition to the familiar snap-together Lego parts. These are programmed on a computer and transferred through infrared technology to the robotic pieces.
“That’s a very sophisticated microcomputer that they use to build around,” Kilburn said.
The workshop attracted students of varying ages and backgrounds, but it was obvious everyone was having fun.
“This learning thing is pretty cool,” said Jim Burke, who said he was so excited about the class he showed up a day too early.
Although Kilburn runs a full semester-length class on robotics at the Ridgecrest campus, students at the KRV campus were given a taste of the experience in the three-day workshop. Although students didn’t have as much time to prepare their robotic creations, on the final day the output of the students was impressive.
The first team had a snowplow-looking vehicle which crashed into the boulders, pushing them to the side, leaving room for the next vehicle.
Sean Rundell brought out his bridge-building creation which utilized eight motors. The vehicle compliantly moved to the edge of the river, stopped; and with amazing timing, dropped a platform over the chasm.
Rundell, a student at the campus, said he really liked the hands-on approach of the class. He said it was much different than any other class he has taken.
And he liked the added benefit of playing with his school work.
“I like to play with Legos – just don’t tell anyone.”
It was obvious on the final day that the students didn’t want the class to end. They hesitated in breaking down their temporary camp at the college.
Student Ruth Berkemeier said she hopes that the KRV campus will soon have its own full-semester robotics class.
“We’re so excited to get these programs up here; it would really make a change,”she said.
However, students will have another chance at a three-day robotics workshop if they sign up for CSCI 101, Intro to Computer Info Systems, a class being taught this semester by Daniel Johnson. The class will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:20 to 5:51 p.m.
And the robotics classes aren’t the only high tech courses available on site in the KRV campus. The Media Production Center, located in the Kern Valley Shopping Center, will be bringing in 22 new high end digital animation computer work stations to bolster the technology at the center, said Cerro Coso Media Arts Chairman Jim Kiggens.
The center, being funded by the Kern River Valley Education and Cultural Foundation, will be offering three classes this spring. Cinematographer Chuck Barbee will be continuing his video production classes with MAC 140, Production Management; which is a continuation of his documentary project, “Wild West Country,” based on the books of the late Bob Powers. That class will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:10 to 8:41 p.m.
New to the center this semester will be MAC 180, Creating Motion Graphics with aftereffects, taught by Lisa Darty. This class will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 8:31 p.m.
And Kiggens will be teaching MAC 230, Game Prototyping, which will be held the last eight Saturdays of the spring semester, beginning March 17. The class will run from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Kiggens said they are planning some community classes and workshops that will include such topics as DVD authoring workshops to help local businesses create their own videos.
And in the summer, middle school age students will have the opportunity to join in on a digital media youth camp.
For more information on the many opportunities available through Cerro Coso College and the Media Production Center, call 379-5501 for the campus; and 379-4960 for the MPC.
To learn more about the robotics courses; contact Debby Kilburn at 384-6171; or email her at DebbyK@gmail.com. Additional information can be found on the robotics website; Collegeteacher.org/robotics
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http://www.kvsun.com/articles/2007/01/10/news/011007-8-robotics.txt
