Robotics is a branch of engineering which combines the concepts of various disciplines of science with technology to create machines which are useful in daily life. So, this week in robotics class, students of class VII decided to create something which has a practical application. Seeing the filthy surroundings of their city, they decided to create a garbage truck which can be used to collect small quantities of waste and haul the collected waste to a solid waste treatment facility.
With this objective in mind, they set about their task with tremendous excitement and concentration. With little guidance in the form of a presentation illustrating the process, they used the components of the robotics kit to design and create a unique model of a garbage truck which even had a customized container made of cardboard and paper. The model of the truck was equipped with automated forks which the handler carefully aligns with sleeves on the waste container using a remote control.
After building the structure, the students assembled a remote control device and began testing the model by placing crumpled newspapers at different places in the Robotics Lab. During the trial run, the whole lab was teeming with models of garbage trucks and teams of students operating them with a remote control.
Finally, the session ended with a brief lecture on the actual working of the garbage truck and a resolution to keep the surroundings clean.