Lego Mindstorms Robotics Course at the YJCC

Technically-adept students in grades nine through twelve will be challenged to expand their knowledge of robotics and computer programming while developing their creative problem solving skills in an eight-session course at the Bergen County YJCC. The course will be held twice a week, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., on Mondays and Wednesdays, April 30 through May 23 at the YJCC, 605 Pascack Road, Township of Washington.

The instructor is Steven J. Paley, inventor, entrepreneur, author, teacher and founder of Arise Technologies, which teaches robotics and engineering to gifted and special needs students. Mr. Paley has over 25 years of experience in business and technology.

This project-based course utilizes Lego® Mindstorms® NXT 2.0 as the robotics platform and RobotC, a C based robotics language. Students will work in groups to solve problems involving designing and programming a robot, with each problem having multiple solutions; creativity and imagination will be called into play to find the optimal solution. Students will be encouraged to work on their projects between sessions, as well as during class. This is an advanced course; a working knowledge of algebra, geometry and trigonometry is highly recommended and students should have some previous programming experience (not necessarily in C). Students should bring their own laptops to class.

Fee for the course is $550, including Lego® Mindstorms® NXT 2.0 kit (approx. $280 value), storage container and batteries. For more information, contact Wendy Fox at (201) 666- 6610, ext. 5820 or wfox@yjcc.org.