I AM A:

TEACHER

SCHOOL LEADER

SYSTEM LEADER

Resources

search

SEARCH

Autobots in Action

By

Karl R.C. Wendt (Carl)

PUBLISHED April 7, 2010

PUBLISHED April 7, 2010

Share this

APPEARS IN Issue 5

In the fall of 2009, HTHMA senior engineering students designed and built autonomous robots, called autobots. Each autobot used a computer and an array of sensors to interact with its environment. Student teams completed five autonomous underwater robots, a router, two remote computer controlled cars and a helicopter. Students worked with local mentors to create these devices, exhibited their products at conferences, and received the Regional Occupational Program Excellence Award for their technical and academic achievements.

To learn more, visit Karl Wendt’s digital portfolio at https://sites.google.com/a/hightechhigh.org/hthma-eng/

A person wearing a black hoodie, standing against a blue background, holds a large transparent cylindrical container. Inside the container are electronic components and wiring, visible through the clear surface. — An Inductive Charging Docking Station transfers power wirelessly underwater.

Two people working on a robotic project with colorful tubes and components, surrounded by storage bins. They are focused on assembling parts at a workspace. — Students designed an autonomous router that can move to any location on the table to drill or cut. Their project will help future HTHMA engineering students build bigger projects.

Two people standing and holding a small underwater robot with propellers. They are smiling and posing on a concrete surface with a blue door in the background. — The HydroPhoenix II can rotate its thrusters, giving it more mobility than other underwater vehicles.

Two people smile while holding a small robot with wheels and transparent cylinders. The person on the left wears glasses and a green striped shirt. The person on the right wears a white and pink hoodie. They stand in front of a blue wall. — The HydroStar features a collision detector that helps it avoid obstacles in its path, a computer-controlled active CO2 buoyancy system, and a dual hydrophone system that seeks out sounds underwater.

Two people holding a transparent underwater drone with multiple propellers on its sides. The drone has visible electronic components and red end caps. They are standing against a blue background. — This autonomous underwater vehicle, the “HY-DRO,” can navigate a pre-programmed underwater course using specific coded directions.

A remote-controlled helicopter sits on a sheet of paper. It is equipped with various electronic components and colorful wires attached to its frame, indicating modifications or customizations. The background is a blurred, blue-colored surface. — This helicopter can fly, hover and land autonomously, using onboard sensors.

Four young people standing side by side, holding a large remote-controlled car. They are dressed casually and appear to be in an indoor setting with a blue door behind them. The car is detailed, showing various components and wheels. — This modified remote control vehicle, designed by students in the Smart Car group, spells out the letters “MA” in spray chalk through a custom-made dispenser.

TAGS

article, engineering, high tech high media arts, issue 5, material, STEM

Most Recent Articles

Reading List: Stories of Improvement with Tangible Results

This collection is called “stories of improvement with tangible results” and we’ve split these stories up by category—chronic absenteeism, on-track rates, and college access—to make it easy for you to find the story you need!

The Group School: An Alternative Working Class High School (originally published in 1981)

In 1971 I started working at The Group School (TGS), an alternative high school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. My connection to TGS started shortly after I ran afoul of the administration at the high school where I had been teaching, for sponsoring an event that included speakers from women’s liberation and gay liberation, and for publicly calling for a school walk-out to protest the escalating war in Vietnam.

Adria Steinberg, D. Monty Neill

More Than Decoration

This collection of curated student work spans the hallways of High Tech High schools. See examples and take the techniques so you can use the ones that will work on your school.

Starting Strong, Staying Strong: Reducing Chronic Absenteeism Through Strategic Communication

Our regional attendance network designed a sequenced communication cadence that rolls out in three waves: a “Start Strong” attendance campaign in the fall, followed by winter and spring campaigns. Early evidence suggests that such campaigns positively impact attendance not only during the campaign but continue to produce positive impacts for a short time afterwards.

Bill Eagle, Ashley Goetz

Reading List: Stories of Improvement with Tangible Results

This collection is called “stories of improvement with tangible results” and we’ve split these stories up by category—chronic absenteeism, on-track rates, and college access—to make it easy for you to find the story you need!

The Group School: An Alternative Working Class High School (originally published in 1981)

In 1971 I started working at The Group School (TGS), an alternative high school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. My connection to TGS started shortly after I ran afoul of the administration at the high school where I had been teaching, for sponsoring an event that included speakers from women’s liberation and gay liberation, and for publicly calling for a school walk-out to protest the escalating war in Vietnam.

Adria Steinberg, D. Monty Neill

More Than Decoration

This collection of curated student work spans the hallways of High Tech High schools. See examples and take the techniques so you can use the ones that will work on your school.

Related Content

Exhibitions Photo Gallery

A gallery of exhibition images to inspire your next exhibition of student learning!

Welcome to Unboxed Issue 26

In 2009 I began an internship at the Innovation Unit in London. It being an internship, I was doing a little of everything, but my main project was Learning Futures, whose goal was to make school more engaging for students.

Welcome to Unboxed Issue 24

The Unboxed Issue 24 letter from the editor

Making Game Controllers Accessible to Everyone

Teachers Corey Clark, Curtis Taylor & Matt Gottilla designed the AbleGamerz Project...

Corey Clark, Curtis Taylor, Matt Gottilla