Wall•E gets physical

By Cathy Spaulding
Phoenix Staff Writer

July 28, 2008 12:28 am

— It’s a battle of wills as Angela Bumgarner’s SumoBot and Abby Cunningham’s SumoBot push each other out of the ring.
However, it’s not wrestling tactics Angela and Abby are learning, it’s mecatronics, a high-tech combination of electronics, computer engineering and mechanics.
Angela and Abby spent last week studying mecatronics, welding, computer design and other design skills at the M.E. 2 Camp at Indian Capital Technology Center. M.E. 2 stands for manufacturing exploration and experience. Sponsored by a grant by the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, the camp introduced 15 students from area schools to various types of workplace technology, said Indian Capital curriculum specialist Johni Wardwell.
The students’ lesson in mecatronics involved assembling SumoBots — cubes made of circuits, wires and wheels — and getting them to push other SumoBots out two-foot-wide rings.
“This is very complicated, but it is working,” Angela, a Hilldale student, said as she adjusted a wire on her cube.
“There are a lot of electronics in it,” said Abby, a student at St. Joseph Catholic School. “You have to put everything together exactly where the instructions say or it will not work.”
Angela called her SumoBot Wall•E, after the lonely movie robot. Abby said she was going to name her SumoBot after her horse but decided to name it Eve, who is Wall•E’s girlfriend in the movie.
The girls’ cubes bumped each other out of the ring before Eve wheeled down the hall of the ICTC Muskogee campus.
Indian Capital mecatronics instructor Cindy Franklin said the SumoBots have an infrared sensor that turns a light on when the SumoBot crosses out of the wrestling ring.
“I never thought making a robot would be fun until now,” Angela said.
Cody Hauser of Oktaha and Noah Kaulay of Checotah armed their SumoBots with screwdriver spears. Another student put tape on the wheels to weigh it down and give it more traction.
“It’s their way of learning elementary physics,” Franklin said. “They’re finding out that just because something is high tech doesn’t mean you can’t use old-style low-tech stuff.
Though she liked robotics and mecatronics best, Angela said she found welding to be most challenging. She said she had trouble controlling the welding torch.
“I kept hitting the table” with the arc, she said. “I almost welded a rod to the table.”
Checotah math teacher Jennifer Campbell helped teach mathematics applications and teamwork.
Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.