Monterey

This past summer I spent an amazing week at the MATE center in Monterrey learning all about underwater robotics. This is some of the best professional development I've ever had. They take you from novice to knowledgeable in one week. Besides all the great training you get to be in Monterrey for a week...one of my favorite places. BUT...remember to bring a sweater. Sunny California is pretty cold in certain places on the coast, even during the summer.

The upshot of these past several years of researching this subject is that on April 9 of 2011 we will have a MATE underwater robotics competition at the American School in Japan.

One great event to keep an eye on is the World Robotics Olympiad. This year the event will take place in Manila. This event is on Nov. 6 and 7, 2010.

Get more information about this event from:

http://www.wroboto.org/

When we went it was really a successful event with 19 countries involved from around the world. It has only grown since then.

One tip! Use RobotC to program your Lego robots...your NXTs. RobotC is available on a trial basis from:

http://www.robotc.net/

Check out robotC for mindstorms and suddenly your lego mindstorms set becomes a serious programming teaching tool.

Just download the firmware to your NXT and your in business. There are over 150 sample programs you can download. Have the kids download them and change the numbers in them to see what happens. In my opinion this is the most effective way to teach programming.

RobotC is every bit as easy as the Mindstorms tile program!

The Following looks like a really great opportunity to break into microrobotics.

You are invited to join us at the ...
First Hawaii International Micro Robot Conference and Tournament.
July 16-19, 2010
'Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai'i, Hilo Hawai'i

Contact Art Kimura of the NASA Space consortium for applications and further details.

art@higp.hawaii.edu

While your at it you might take a look at this:
http://www.hanahou.com/pages/Magazine.asp?Action=DrawArticle&ArticleID=790&MagazineID=50