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Controlling the Competition

BY SCOTT FITZGERALD, THE SOUTHERN

Saturday, July 14, 2007 12:14 AM CDT

CARBONDALE – Competition is key in the world of robotics.

Peter Huh, 14, and Nick Owen, 13, who will enter Carbondale Community High School this fall as freshmen, got a leg up on their peers in that regard as they captured first place Friday at the conclusion of this year's advanced robotics camp sponsored by the College of Applied Sciences and Arts at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

"Competitions are a trend. This is our second year of competitions for this level of camp," said Martin Hebel, camp director and assistant professor at SIUC.

Hebel, with assistance from Ed Callico, who teaches robotics on the high-school level, organized this year's competition at University Mall during the noon hour.

Each team of two people guided their VEX robotic machines in three-minute intervals to perform an unappealing, arduous task for many teenagers: Pick up clothes off the floor.

Nine clothing items were scattered within a 6-by-12-foot box.

"It's like cleaning up your bedroom," Callico said.

Huh guided skillfully the VEX that he and Owen constructed earlier in the week.

"We had to learn about mechanics, programming and designing robotics," Huh said about the week-long camp.

Owen said he had attended the camp previously.

"We couldn't think of a way to pick up the bugs," Owen said about maneuvering the VEX to pick up small bug toys.

Hebel said competitions and camp participations in robotics helps young people develop an interest in technology.

"This is a good way to get started in technology and engineering," Hebel said. "There are a lot of scholarships available out there in these fields."

Electronic systems technologies offered through the SIUC College of Applied Sciences and Arts is a four-year program in applied electronics.

Students learn electronics, interfacing and theoretical systems to prepare them for industrial, biomedical, communications and computer networking careers, Hebel said.

scott.fitzgerald@thesouthern.com

351-5076