Dec 10, 2007 7:06 pm US/Central
Undergrads Tackle Building A Robot With Only $30
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ―
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Brian Edwardson made what he calls a "multi-mixer." It's made from used car parts to combine liquids.
CBS
Six weeks ago, University of Minnesota engineering professor Will Dufree gave his students an assignment: Build a robot that "does something interesting."
The undergrads were given a small computer, a motor and a handful of electronics. They were not allowed to spend more than $30 of their own money.
"That means the students had to be creative, prowling the back aisles of Target or looking in dumpsters," said Dufree. "There are serious objectives to these limits because, in the real world, these future engineers will have to deal with cost constraints when they design things."
Sophomore Jo Jackson made a robot that brushes your teeth. With the press of a button, the toothpaste is squeezed onto the brush, then powered across the teeth by a motor before a squirt bottle filled with water gives a final rinse.
She hasn't tried it on her own teeth.
Brian Edwardson made what he calls a "multi-mixer." It's made from used car parts to combine liquids.
When asked what he'd use it for, Brian said, "Many reasons. To make Shirley Temples and other drinks."
Michael Ohs made a puppet show complete with a curtain that opens and closes.
"It just kind of amuses me. I just laugh when I look at it and smile," he said.
The machines are evaluated by judges from outside the University of Minnesota. Robots are scored on how well they work and follow the rules, their levels of sophistication, quality and interest.
This Robot Show is not a competition because the organizers believe, "Every student wins from having a first-hand experience with the design process."
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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