Written by Benedict Sutherland (Annandale)

I first really found out about robotics when I stumbled over an open computer lab when I was searching for a computer. Inside was the Robotics group, a teacher and two Year 8 boys. In the end, after the confusion, they asked me if I would like to join and hesitantly I said yes. As it turned out it was absolutely brilliant with about 10 boxes full of Lego, wires and who knows what else!

Unfortunately the weeks were slow and the two Year 8 students started to not turn up. This gave me the idea of getting other Year 7 students to join Robotics. At first I was criticised with some sentences such as ‘are you serious’ or the sarcastic ‘nice hobby’. But eventually I came across a few friends that were willing to join the group. Brandon Zhao (Bomaderry) was very enthusiastic and soon was getting way ahead of me with his robot. Sooner or later Bayley O’Donnell (Hong Kong) decided that making robots would be pretty cool and he started to help me make mine. He started saying ‘put this on’ or ‘but that would look really cool if we stuck that on’. It was even more of a perfect group when Luke Jolly (Freshwater) turned up with a year 9 student soon following.

Anyway my teacher and I had to explain the rules to Bayley and Brandon for the upcoming competition. I explained that there were two comps to enter, one being the Robot Dance and the Robot Rescue.

Robot Rescue involves you having to follow a black line with a colour sensor and reach a tin foil can. Once you get there, you have to get the robot all the way back with enough power with a timer of 90 seconds for the whole thing. The Robot Dance sounds easy but you have to keep the robot in time with the music that is playing. Good news is that you can choose your own music.

The great thing about Robotics is that the teacher only gives you small slices of help such as how to programme the robots’ movements. Once you know how to programme it and build it you are on your way to making a great robot. Another great thing is that you don’t have to know that much on robots because you just learn as you go.

To sum it up Robotics is a great and fun way to spend your afternoon instead of wasting time on the computer and I’m really glad I accidentally found it otherwise I wouldn’t have it to look forward to in the afternoons. It really is a ‘nice hobby’.

Pictured in Photo:  Bayley O’Donnell (Hong Kong), Luke Jolly (Freshwater), Brandon Zhao (Bomaderry) and Benedict Sutherland (Annandale)