Kids build for the future at Lego robotics championship
From: Edmonton Journal - 01/19/2013
By: Dave Cooper

While hundreds of avid robotics enthusiasts descended on NAIT for the
provincial Lego League Championship on Saturday, the event was much more than
kids playing with toys. It was fun and very noisy in the gym, with 45 teams
trying to make their rolling contraptions do the assigned tasks in the
allowed time — such as pushing tiny balls to knock over miniature bowling
pins. 

But there was also a purpose to this madness, with points awarded for
teamwork and how the young engineers handled this year's theme - Senior
Solutions - which meant building a separate Lego machine. 

"My grandpa came in and we asked him, 'What is your most difficult problem?'"
said Ken Martens, aged nine.  

The answer was getting up from a kneeling position, so teammate Soroush
Masoud, 10, said the team devised a cane that would push up with the touch of
a finger.  

--- 

Robotics helps disabled children play and learn. 

"We have several researchers who are using robotics in rehabilitation, and I
work with kids who have physical disabilities - perhaps they can just use
their thumb, or just move their head," said U of A assistant professor Kim
Adams, who has a dual position at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. 

"We thought, 'We have this fabulous lab with lots of space, so let's share it
with the community,'" she said. 

The offer went out to parents of autistic children, students who are
home-schooled and also students who did not have a school team. 

"We got 12 kids and formed two teams. This goes beyond programming and
mechanics to teamwork and socialization for all the students," she added. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Kids+build+future+Lego+robotics+championship/7844996/story.html

Links:
University of Alberta’s Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
http://www.rehabilitation.ualberta.ca/

Robot challenge inspires kids to help seniors 
http://www.rehabilitation.ualberta.ca/en/Faculty%20of%20Rehabilitation%20Medicine%20News/2013/January/Robotchallengeinspireskidstohelpseniors.aspx

Getting Your First Points at FLL 2012 Senior Solutions (video 2:01)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt_fsAXaDSI

Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital
http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/facilities.asp?pid=facility&rid=7822

Alberta Youth Robotics Society
http://abyouthrobotics.tripod.com/

First Lego League
http://firstlegoleague.org/

Submitted by Kim Adams