Back to Robotics Summer 2015

With the hectic schedule we had all April, I was only able to get Miro into his favourite summer camp for a 5-day package in May. I was worried that this was too short. But, as always, First Robotics did not disappoint. Those 5 days were gold!

Always a stickler for instant gratification, First Robotics gave my boy the fulfilment of building a robot, programming it, and accomplishing a task in less than two hours each day. A new thing thrown into the program was the concept of teamwork. My boy had to work with a partner in designing and programming a robot --which, to be honest, was an entirely unnerving thing for him at first. He likes pouring his personal mojo on his creations. But, he did get the hang of the new work style and managed to pick up a few new friends along the way.

Here are some of his team's summer robots:

Miro with SteamWheel

Bridgewalker

BumperBot

The Grabber

Killer Windmill

And a couple of them in pure, badass action:

Of course, I just had to add First Robotics official summer workbook where my bots down all these science stuff! :P

The good news is that First Robotics isn't just a summer gig. It runs for the whole year. And their summer specials are up 'til August.
So if you want your kids to experience something different and something that's so up there with the times, take them to First Robotics. I'm sure it doesn't surprise you the slightest that we're coming back.
GO, GEEKS!

Real Steel: Robotics' Real Deal

Miro liked it for the science.  Kenji liked it for the carnage.  Jing liked it for the testosterone bonding.  I liked it for Hugh Jackman. <3

Real Steel.  It surely made this family real happy.  Although the slogan did nothing to help and can easily make an acceptable appearance on a soda commercial, the film absolutely packed a fistful of goodness.

The happiest camper of the bunch is Miro who just realized the incredible future his Robotics Summer Camps hold.  Ok, the very far future but it did inspire the hell out of him.

"When I grow up, I will make bigger, stronger, killer Battlebots!  Mwahahaha!!!!", he says maniacally.  Thanks a lot, Hollywood.

Back to the movie... all the destruction comes from the concept of Robot Boxing.  The premise of which is that in the shiny and deadly tomorrow, mankind will eventually tire of human boxing and will thirst for more butchery and annihilation in the ring.  This is man going back to his barbaric roots using technological means.  I love the irony!

With all the metal massacre going about per frame, the movie still gave out warmth with the bond shared between the father and son characters.  A bond borne out of violence (the duo worked as robot boxing promoters/trainers --how cool is that!).  My husband thinks this is just awesome.  With Miro's robotics intel and his street fighting prowess, they can easily be the 'real' 'Max and Charlie'!  I'm not putting a cork on that dream sequence.  The idea had the boys giddified and, heck, anything is possible, right?

Real Steel.  It's that perfect testosterone boost a father and son bonding time needs.  But moms will love it, too.  I mean... HUGH JACKMAN... Come on!

Lego Mindstorms: Attack of the Robots

You see this?
It's a robot.  A fully-functional, sensor Lego Mindstorms robot.  And who designed, built, and programmed this beast to do his bidding?  Miro!  At the Tech4Kids Robotics Camp.

So this is me biting my tongue and kicking myself in the shin for saying I wouldn't put Miro in such a mega high-tech program.  Pester power beat old school.  And thank goodness for that because Miro had the time of his evil genius life!

Open to kids 8-14 years old, you start off as a Mechanic, then an Engineer, work your way up to Advanced level, and then Athlete Tech Guy Superhero God!  It's perfect for summer camp but the program runs all year.

All Miro needed was creativity, a damn load of patience during construction, and MY laptop.  The Tech4Kids guru taught the class the basic commands, but the kids have to do the computer-to-robot programming on their own.  What followed was a series of daily heart-thumping, nerve-racking competitions.

Just to mention a few, there's the Maze Maneuver Match.

The Bumper and Slasher Battle.

The Windmill War.

The Crane Quest.

The Cable Car Competition.

The camp doesn't have that gigantic, graduate-and-celebrate-my-ass-off culminating event in the end unlike most summer programs.  But screw that!  Tech4Kids and Lego Mindstorms give kids daily fulfillment!

Now, allow me to chew my previous Tech4Kids blog to shreds.  Tech4Kids kicks ass!  It's the real, bad ass, hardcore robotics deal.  Perfect for future mad scientists like mine.