A group of students recently plunged into science at an underwater robotics camp.
The week-long camp, one of nearly 20 science and technology-related programs offered at Velocity Jr., allowed students to build and test a working underwater robot.
"I hope the students are taking away from this program an enthusiasm for science and a love of exploration," said Barb Land, of the Square One Education Network, which coordinates the program in conjunction with Utica Community Schools.
Called "ROV in a Bucket," the program allowed students to spend a week building a hands-on, fully functional underwater robot from scratch.
Students create their robots out of pieces given to them in a big bucket. The students used PVC pipe in various lengths, foam for buoyancy, connectors and plastic parts like propellers and motors to end up with a unique vehicle of their team’s design.
Land said the program stresses physics principles such as buoyancy, force and motion, and basic design engineering principles: brainstorming, designing, building, testing, modifying, and perfecting.
In addition to creating their own robot, Land said a mounted camera on their equipment has been a favorite feature of the students. The students are learning about the importance of underwater exploration to help understand invasive species - a lesson not lost on students participating in the camp.
"Without underwater robotics we would never even know there were invasive species," said Malow eighth-grader Nathan Valdenor.
