The Robots of November - Part Three

Ah the small joys of teaching*.  I have had some students take my robotics class each of the three years of middle school.  After a while you start looking forward to seeing the brighter ones return. You have the luxury of sitting back, looking at what they have done with the knowledge you have imparted to them and with a satisfied sigh say to yourself...

"My God, what have I done!?"

I apologize for holding the camera at the wrong angle but if you crane your neck a bit you will see the testing of a three pound robot, four wheel drive, that has a ping pong ball machine gun.  It has a six shot magazine and can fire single rounds or full auto.  I have never seen anything like it.

Of course it will not actually do any damage despite the impressive muzzle velocity.  I suggested writing insults on the pings.

A close up view.  It operates with two small motors spinning foam disks, sort of like a pitching machine.  Like the paint job too. Also the thumb tack studded wheels.

We are getting far enough along in the process that about half the class is test driving.  An impromptu race, no weapons allowed.

Some fun stuff this year.  All the kids are enthusiastic and the designs are varied.  It is remarkable what can be done with zero shop access and a budget of twenty dollars per student.  Of course the robots are inherently flimsy and will be bashed into little bits under combat conditions.

That is kind of the point.

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* Truth on the internet.  I am not an official teacher.  I do this in my spare time working as an ER doc.  I have never taken an education credit in my life, and have every expectation of never having to do so!