Two big things this spring!!

• Our summer camps are filling up fast.  We're already half full and 6 weeks of camp are completely full!  
  
• Our spring robot track meets are set for the largest year yet.  With two weeks to the first one (and some likely late registrations coming in) we are at 45 teams and over 320 students.  That makes it the biggest season that we've had since we started the track meets in 2005.

Okay, you've probably seen those silly "Useless Machines" that you can get at Spencer Gifts or ThinkGeek.  But here is one that is made out of an EV3 kit as well as a bunch of additional LEGOs.

BUT you've got to watch this, it is hilarious.  The programmer took it to another step and it is a lot of fun.  Mind you it is funniest because the person in the video KNOWS what the machine is going to do... but acting and hamming it up is really the same thing, right?  And if you follow the link you can get the building directions AND the EV3 software download so you can build this at your house or school.  Tom gives it a thumbs up! <<here for the directions>>

Here is a cool LEGO EV3 Packing machine posted on YouTube!  Very nice modular design for easy modification.  Puts everything you would need to build the EV3MEG mini.

This is a BIG project and uses a LOT of equipment, but it is nicely done.  Just click on the picture to watch the video.

Good question got asked today about robot wires at the track meet events.  A lot of the events require the robot to start between a front and back line.  Since the wires are part of the robot then they would be included in the definition of having to be inside the robot boundaries.

Can you use elastics to bind them up? You could definitely use LEGO elastics, which come with a lot of the kits.  But I'm going to go one step farther.  IF the wires are NON-FUNCTIONAL, then you can use non-LEGO elastics to keep them out of the way.

NON-FUNCTIONAL means they add NO benefit what-so-ever to the robot.  They aren't being used to attach the strongest cart to your robot; they aren't hitting (on accident or purpose) any of the cans on the Table Clearing event; etc.  If the wires are FUNCTIONAL, they really need to be inside the space and bound up with LEGO elastics (if needed).  If the wires are NON-FUNCTIONAL, they can be tied up with regular classroom elastics and may even stick out over the borders/boundaries...  Good luck and keep those batteries charged.

The long awaited EV3 Simple Robot building directions are now available online.  We have them posted to both our References page and on the Track Meet page.  So if you want to participate in the Robot Track Meets in May and build the Simple EV3 robot, now you've got the directions.

There are a couple more pieces than the simple NXT robot, but we think it will be equivalent to the simple NXT robot.

Good luck building them!

We are going to be running a "Save the Planet, Build an App" camp this summer for girls 12 to 16 in Southern Maine.  We have not been able to find a camp leader who would be comfortable running this but it should be a blast.

Click here to see a copy of the job description.  We are looking for someone who has the right spirit to get these girls fired up about technology.  While it would be great if you were a programmer by nature, it is more important that you be able to run the camp and provide the spirit while working with the student staff who are definite techies.
Email or call (207) 866-4340 us if you are interested!

Come to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston on Friday and Saturday to see 40 FIRST Robotics teams compete for the Pine Tree District Championship!  This event is being offered by the Robotics Institute of Maine.
Teams will be here from all over New England to pit their robots against each other on the HUGE playing field.
Ben and Tom will be there helping out and we've got a table set up with LEGO robots, so come visit us!
There is no charge to come visit and watch the robots compete! 

• Friday, April 4th, 10:30 to 7:00 pm and
  
• Saturday, April 5th, 9:00 to 5:00 pm
  

Well the early registration for the Maine Robot Track Meets is going great!  We've already had 33 teams with 268 team members sign up for this year's events.  With over a month to our first track meet, we think we'll be setting a new record for the number of teams and children participating!
So Thank You! and keep spreading the word.  And we'll see you in May.
http://trackmeets.mainerobotics.org

Our own Maine Robotics' Ben Goff is down at Worcester Polytech Institute (WPI) with the Brewer FIRST Robotics Competition team, the Orange Chaos (Team 4564)!
You can watch the events at: www.thebluealliance.com, see the big robots compete!

Check out the Brewer Orange Chaos team at their team website.

We are piloting a new program this summer, for youth aged 12 to 16.  A chance to learn about computer architecture, diagnostics, configuration, and assembly.  Each participant will build a working computer from spare parts and take that computer home at the end of the week!
 
Check out the program at the BYOCC website.
Offered in Bangor and Portland.