http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate...s/10802517.htm
LEGO ‘engineers’ compete to help the disabled
Can you picture an Albert Einstein poster hanging on your child’s wall?
After the annual FIRST LEGO League tournament this Saturday, you just might have to hunt for one.
“Kids never see scientists and engineers as role models,” said John Weidner, a professor of chemical engineering at USC.
These were the frustrated sentiments of inventor Dean Kamen, the creator of FIRST (“For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology”). The nonprofit organization collaborated with LEGO’s robotics program “MindStorms” to create the tournament.
Ninety-nine teams of 9- to 14-year-olds from around the state will program robots to perform certain tasks. This year’s theme is “No Limits” — students are challenged to help those with disabilities.
“The challenges are kind of everyday things that we take for granted,” Weidner said, including setting a table, pushing in chairs and feeding pets.
The teams have just three tries, 2½ minutes each, to program their robots to perform as many tasks as possible for the most points.
They also have to do a research project based on the theme. Weidner said kids typically used this opportunity to do a skit.
“They tend to be quite creative in that aspect,” he said.
The winning team will receive the Director’s Award and the opportunity to go to the World Festival competition in Atlanta in April.
Elementary school students will showcase their models of public buildings in need of accessibility changes for people with disabilities. The students have worked up small redesigns of the buildings using LEGO pieces.
Ms. Wheelchair America 2005 Juliette Rizzo and Columbia Mayor Bob Coble will be special guests.
The event will be at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. It will begin with a parade of the teams. Competition will start at 10:30a.m. Audience admission is free. For more information, call (803) 777-5400 or go to fll.engr.sc.edu.