InstMC donates robot for ECS student activities

The School’s latest recruit is a Lego Mindstorm robot, gifted for student activities by the Institute of Measurement and Control, Wessex section.

The Lego Mindstorm system, which has sophisticated capability and functionality, has been given to the School by the Institute of Measurement and Control (InstMC). It will be used on undergraduate final-year modules in Biorobotics, but it will also help inspire young engineers of the future in local schools.

A group of students in ECS have recently begun a Student Robotics Club with the aim of involving local sixth form schools and colleges in robot-building competitions. ‘This is very much the kind of activity we are aiming to encourage,’ said Cevn Vibert of Silchester Controls, who is an Education Officer for the InstMC. ‘Part of our mission is to interest young people in engineering, and we have a programme of giving these robot kits to universities and colleges in the local region, where we know they will find enthusiastic users. They are not a toy, in fact they are highly customizable, and can do some amazing things.’ The £240 kits comprise a Programmable Robot Block, sensors, motors, PC Software and extensive additional building components.

‘This is an excellent addition to the School’s equipment,’ said Dr Klaus-Peter Zauner, ‘and we look forward to seeing the inventive ways that our students will find to use it in the future.’

Pictured: Cevn Vibert (centre left) and Dr Klaus-Peter Zauner, with Kisan Visavadia and Richard Ashley-Smith, and in front, Rob Spanton and Stephen English of the Student Robotics Club, and Philip Bennett