November 20th was a special day - my 29th birthday. I spent it at the school where my wife works, planning to spend the day with the kids. Over lunch, I chatted with the school director, Mr. Anand. He mentioned that the students would participate in the First Lego League competition, sponsored by Caterpillar. Interestingly, the Caterpillar coordinators, lacking an electronics background, sought a mentor with expertise in electronics. Mr. Anand asked if I'd be interested.
I glanced at my wife, who usually teases me about my electronics hobby. I gave a subtle, ambiguous nod - what we Indians call a "so-called Indian nod." Mr. Anand was unsure if it was a yes or no. But to my surprise, my wife smiled, conveying a firm "yes."
To mentor the kids, I would need to dedicate my weekends for about three months. Normally, I'd spend this time tinkering with electronics projects. Instead, my wife happily accompanied me, a welcome change from her usual gentle complaints about my weekend preoccupations.
Our first weekend began with a visit to the students' home, where they were enthusiastically building models with Lego blocks.
I glanced at my wife, who usually teases me about my electronics hobby. I gave a subtle, ambiguous nod - what we Indians call a "so-called Indian nod." Mr. Anand was unsure if it was a yes or no. But to my surprise, my wife smiled, conveying a firm "yes."
To mentor the kids, I would need to dedicate my weekends for about three months. Normally, I'd spend this time tinkering with electronics projects. Instead, my wife happily accompanied me, a welcome change from her usual gentle complaints about my weekend preoccupations.
Our first weekend began with a visit to the students' home, where they were enthusiastically building models with Lego blocks.
I sat with Rajkumar, the Caterpillar representative, as we tackled the daunting 100-page document outlining the competition rules. In today's digital age, who reads manuals? We opted for a more engaging approach and watched this video to grasp the rules: ( http://youtu.be/Hb5xj0FUSPY) (for those with patience).
First Lego League Challenge: Robot Design and Innovation
The play-field mat features pre-built properties, and our task was to design a robot that solves the following challenges using these properties:
- Collect and reunite scattered pets and kids with the community.
- Remove a tree branch threatening a high-voltage line.
- Deliver milk and emergency supplies to designated areas.
- Safely land a flight in its final stages.
- Simulate tsunami and earthquake responses.
- Relocate a movable building to a non-earthquake-prone zone.
- Navigate obstacles and return to base.
To accomplish these tasks, we divided them into five missions, utilizing a common base robot with interchangeable attachments for each mission.
Robot Design and Technology
Our robot employs:
- Lego Mindstorms sensors (ultrasonic, touch, and color).
- Servo motor locomotion.
- A CPU-controlled brick programmed using a visual tool similar to LabVIEW or Scratch.
Challenges Overcome
- Tracking and locating the robot using line tracking, wall following, and PID algorithms.
- Compensating for mat friction through continuous corrections.
- Designing mechanical add-ons (leveraging childhood Lego experience).
The Journey
Over two weekends, I taught students:
- First Lego League rules.
- Lego Mindstorms usage.
- Programming software.
- Physics and math concepts (friction, color sensing, circumference, radius, car steering).
The students grasped concepts quickly and contributed innovative ideas. Our initial design required revisions, particularly adding a second light sensor. However, with only one sensor available, we faced delays due to overseas ordering.
Fortunately, a Lego enthusiast associated with the school loaned us the necessary sensor.
Success and Videos
With the final design complete, our robot successfully completed missions. Watch our robot in action:
Interested readers can request more details, and I'll be happy to share.
The play-field mat features pre-built properties, and our task was to design a robot that solves the following challenges using these properties:
- Collect and reunite scattered pets and kids with the community.
- Remove a tree branch threatening a high-voltage line.
- Deliver milk and emergency supplies to designated areas.
- Safely land a flight in its final stages.
- Simulate tsunami and earthquake responses.
- Relocate a movable building to a non-earthquake-prone zone.
- Navigate obstacles and return to base.
To accomplish these tasks, we divided them into five missions, utilizing a common base robot with interchangeable attachments for each mission.
Robot Design and Technology
Our robot employs:
- Lego Mindstorms sensors (ultrasonic, touch, and color).
- Servo motor locomotion.
- A CPU-controlled brick programmed using a visual tool similar to LabVIEW or Scratch.
Challenges Overcome
- Tracking and locating the robot using line tracking, wall following, and PID algorithms.
- Compensating for mat friction through continuous corrections.
- Designing mechanical add-ons (leveraging childhood Lego experience).
The Journey
Over two weekends, I taught students:
- First Lego League rules.
- Lego Mindstorms usage.
- Programming software.
- Physics and math concepts (friction, color sensing, circumference, radius, car steering).
The students grasped concepts quickly and contributed innovative ideas. Our initial design required revisions, particularly adding a second light sensor. However, with only one sensor available, we faced delays due to overseas ordering.
Fortunately, a Lego enthusiast associated with the school loaned us the necessary sensor.
Success and Videos
With the final design complete, our robot successfully completed missions. Watch our robot in action:
Interested readers can request more details, and I'll be happy to share.
My wife, a civil engineer turned school teacher, stepped in to train the kids for the presentation. (I'll revisit this point later.) The kids chose to focus on storm rain and its aftermath, a familiar topic for Bangaloreans, who know all too well the infamous "potholes."
With preparations complete, we arrived at Caterpillar Chennai for the event. The first half consisted of presentations and robot design explanations. When asked if they were comfortable speaking English, the kids' confidence impressed both the judges and me.
The judges may have underestimated the students, assuming their school's humble background (funded by German aid) would hinder their language skills. However, our kids proved them wrong.
Next, the robot tackled the actual mission on the play field. Unfortunately, our robot struggled with the old, rough mat, reminiscent of India's young cricket team facing bouncy overseas tracks. My engineering background had led me to over-engineer the robot with multiple feedback mechanisms, optimized for a smooth mat.
I feared our chances of winning were slim. Our team's silence during the next few hours was palpable.
Then, the final results were announced. As our kids sat with worried faces, the emcee revealed the winner of the Best Robot Design award... and it was us! The room erupted in cheers as we collected the trophy. Until that moment, we were unaware of this category, thinking awards were only for Best Presentation and High Scoring Team
I'm sure you recall the places I asked you to note earlier. Now, let's reconnect the dots.
Consider the improbable events:
- Visiting the school on my birthday (1/100)
- A "crazy, stupid electronics engineer" spending his birthday with kids (1/100)
- Acquiring a second light sensor (1/100)
- Finding a presentation mentor who's a civil engineer turned school teacher (1/100)
- Winning an award in an unintended category with an over-engineered design (1/100)
The cumulative probability of these events? 1/10^10.
Pause for a moment – what made this possible?
I firmly believe: "God puts the right people in the right spot at the right time to help the right people."
Reflecting on life, I've often regretted missed opportunities, only to realize later that those "misses" helped me in unexpected ways.
To quote Shakespeare: "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players."
Do you agree? Was I too philosophical?
