2015 Michigan Robotics Day at the Capitol

Wednesday, some students on the Stockbridge Underwater Robotics team took a trip to Michigan's capitol for Michigan's Robotics Day for students. There the students got to meet, and present to representatives such as Tom Crochran, and senators like Curtis Hertel. The Camera team got to present their camera system that they're using to collaborate with The Great Lakes Fisheries Commission. Palau team talked about what they're using their ROV for. They also got to talk about their previous trips to Palau, Alpena, St. Clair river, along with their upcoming trip to Palau.

State Representative Adam Zemke with the team.  

State Representative Tom Cochran talking with the team.

Our InvenTeam with State Senator Curtis Hertel Jr.

Team members on the steps of the capitol.

Sturgeon Project 09/15/15-09/16/15

09/15/15

The day started off a little late, but when we got on the water we got right to work. We started off with testing our buoyancy by adding weights, and also added a GoPro Camera next to the electronic housing. Once we were anchored we checked our coordinates and started sinking the ROV. It took a few times in and out of the water to get it right. We first realized we had to turn off the dive lights to be able to have more clarity on the live feed. Then we had to take off all of the buoys on the tether in order for the ROV to be able to sink to the bottom.

Finally we got the ROV to the bottom to search for sturgeon. We looked for awhile and didn't find anything but gobies. Meanwhile I asked a few of our team and the crew members some questions. When I asked “What is your view on what we’re doing for this project?” Jake Chapman responded with  “Its alot more of an interesting project than I expected  it would be, and no matter what we are working on the project will prove to be a learning experience for all of us.” I then asked the Captain, David Brooks the same question he responded with “I think it's great! Its an amazing program and for us to be able to collaborate together is a great learning experience for both of our teams.

After two more times of changing our location and not finding anything we decided to pack up for the day and go home.

-Kelly Cool

Robotics Team Member.

09/16/15

Having the experience from the day before helped the team for day two get on the boat and right to work unpacking and setting up our stations. The team from the day before helped us by getting the buoyancy right so that we didn’t have to mess with that and take up our valuable time for the day. When we got anchored we had a few issues with the live feed GoPro and the time that was showing up on the screen, it was a simple fix by switching out the GoPro.

We added another 2 pound weight to see how that would help the robot handle the strong current that we had been trying to work around. Once the robot was in the water we had some confusion with the controls but quickly solved that and got the robot down to the bottom easily. We had clear visibility of the bottom and found some vegetation, round gobey’s (predators to the young of the year), and a mystery object. Overall not a bad dive but we didn’t find any young of the year.

We deployed the robot for a second time after adjusting the placement of the live feed GoPro and adding another 2 pound weight, we deployed once to test motors and pulled it back out again but once the ROV was deployed for a second time we realized that the live feed camera had only one bar of battery left so we had to surface again in order to switch out the GoPro’s. Once we reached the bottom again the current was stronger so it became harder to focus on the screen do to the kick up from the silty bottom. The ROV was resurfaced for a final time and we began to pack up and move on to some trolling with Joe, the PHD student. Over the two days we didn’t find any young of the year but we did learn from this experience and became more prepared for future trips and those who are going to Palau this year got a small taste of what they will be experiencing.

-Poppy Cox

Robotics Team Member.

A big thank you goes out to Joe, and the University of Michigan for supplying the fuel as well as bringing us together for this mission. We would also like to thank Dan for letting us use his boat, the Nancy Kay for this mission as well.

Atlantis: The Lost Island

Before leaving for Key Largo, we first traveled over to Mr. Nichols 5th grade classroom to teach his students what we would be doing. The six girls that were going to stay in the Undersea Lodge are the ones that helped the students build it. To demonstrate the concept of the underwater lodge to them, we did the Atlantis: The Lost Island project with them.  The project was designed by Kevin Hardy. The basic idea of the project includes a mason jar, serving as the simulated habitat. When the mason jar is tipped upside down and pushed down in the water it comes out dry. Why? Because air is lighter than water. This is the basic idea on how the Jules' Undersea Lodge works.

The Jules' Undersea Lodge

The girls presenting to the class

The students used a mason jar, added some nuts and bolts, hot glued some adapters and airline hose into drilled holes and placed a plant inside.

Putting plants in their jar

The finished product

The mason jar represents the lodge and the plant represents a human. Before placing the jar in the water they had to turn the air pump on, the plant needs some source of air. After turning it on they placed the jar in the water. If they were to look closely they would have seen little bubbles blowing out of the adapters. This happens because the plant is receiving air and releasing oxygen, the little bubbles.

The results

The students made a total of 9 simulated habitats

Mr. Nichols and his class now plan on using the habitats to grow different plants and vegetables inside of them. They are going to measure them and take data on which ones grow the best.

Maddy Armstrong helping put a
jar together

Jamie Cool helping the boys build
their jar

Mr. Nichols' student then had the opportunity to communicate with our team while we were staying in the Jules Undersea Lodge and MarineLab. (Continued in the next blog post.)

Stockbridge Robotics Team Travels to Key Largo, Florida

Last week, the Robotics team traveled to Key Largo, Florida with the Advanced Placement Biology class. (AP Bio) The Robotics team, consisting of six female engineers, spent the first four days with the AP Bio class scuba diving the Keys. They had labs and class discussions about the Sea Grass, Mangroves, and the Marine Life.

The Robotics Team along with the AP Bio class

                               

AP Bio and Robotics Team discovering facts about the Marine life in one of 

the labs. 

                                      

AP Bio and Robotics students interacting with the Marine life.

Chloe Hypes, Becca Ensign, Jamie Cool, Emma Morris, Karly Kruger, and Maddy Armstrong made up the team of six female engineers from Robotics. 

  

They stayed an additional three days, an extension to the trip, to be able to test their self-designed and self-engineered underwater camera system. The girls dove down 23 feet into the Atlantic Ocean to place their cameras to shoot a time lapse over next 24 hours. To the left you have Mr. Richards, Chloe Hypes, Becca Ensign, Jamie Cool, Maddy Armstrong, Emma Morris and Karly Kruger suiting up for their dive adventure. To the right, you can see Chloe Hypes making final adjustments to the underwater camera before descending down in the Atlantic.  

While underwater, the girls had the opportunity to become certified Aquanauts and stay underwater for 24 hours. They stayed in the worlds first and only Jules' Undersea Lodge and Underwater Jules' Marine Lab. Here, you can see the girls being taught a lesson in the Underwater Hotel by Chris, a scientist, on how the history of the Underwater Marine Lab.

When underwater, the girls studied marine life under a microscope, dived the ocean floor to I.D. fish, drove a Video Ray ROV, and even Skyped back to their elementary school in their hometown. While skyping, the 4-5th graders got the opportunity to drive the ROV located in Key Largo via the internet. Her,e you can see the view from the 4-5th graders' class in Stockbridge,  Michigan, skyping to Maddy Armstong and Chloe Hypes at the time in Key Largo, Florida. Below is a copy of the URL address to the interview with the girls on WKAR.

http://wkar.org/post/stockbridge-students-dive-marine-biology#.VN5U6DpeauE.facebook

The girls also were interviewed by many news channels and radio stations throughout the 24 hours while underwater in the Jules Marine Lab. Below is a copy of the URL address to watch the girls live interview with David Andrews WILX news. 

http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/Stockbridge-Robotics-Team-Talks-Live-while-Underwater-in-Florida-291831941.html

ROV In a Bucket Kits

About 3 years ago, the Advanced Underwater Robotics Class and Mr. Josh Nichols wanted to find a way to incorporate the use of ROV's in the elementary schools. Their idea was to educate younger students on robotics and expand the program throughout the district, schools across Michigan, the United States, and the world. This led the class to develop ROV in-a-Bucket Kits. This kits are basic, easy to use, first level robotics. They are all made up of PVC and basic thrusters and switch boxes, which power the robots.

Setting up ROV Kits for Heritage

Assembled ROV Kits

The team has traveled to Heritage Elementary twice this year to teach the students about ROVs and help them build these robots. Our class is a project based learning classroom and we want to share our enjoyment of this type of learning with the students at Heritage. 

Becca Ensign working with kids at the
"I Can Make It" Camp

Our goal as a class is to also spread STEM
Education/learning to kids throughout the whole Jackson area as well as places outside of the states, such as Palau. Just in the past 8 months we have traveled to Palau and donated kits to the Palauan students and taught them about robots. Over the summer, students traveled to camps throughout Jackson, such as the "I Can Make It" Camp which also allowed students to experience and build these basic ROVs.

Jamie Cool working with students at
Camp McGregor

Jamie Krusinski working with students at the Jackson
Learning Fair.

Mr. Nichols teaching the Palauan kids.

Mr. Nichols teaching Palaun students
how to build the ROV In a Bucket Kits

If you are interested in purchasing a kit or multiple kits for your child and or classroom feel free to contact us!

The whole robotics class in front of the Michigan Theatre

On Thursday, November 6th, we held our annual Robotics Movie Night at the historic Michigan Theatre in Jackson. About 200 people from around the Jackson area attended, which is more than we've ever had. The team is pleased with the turnout and would like to thank anyone who showed up and supported us! It is much appreciated.

Mitch Lilley explaining the ROV to one of the guests

The Palau Team introducing themselves

Jamie Cool being interviewed for the WKAR segment

Kelly Waterfall, a college student that works for WKAR, also made an appearance at the movie night on Thursday and in our classroom on Friday. She has been conducting interviews on the students and filming around the classroom to show a segment on WKAR TV. She is also considering the possibility of making another documentary on the class and the team.

Kelly Waterfall filming at the movie night

The cold weather finally hit and we had to move our cattle watering trough in from outside so we are still able to test our ROVs throughout the winter. One of the competition teams has finally finished their ROV and got to test it in the water yesterday.

Mason Gee and Jake Spadafore preparing to test their ROV 

Dean Wooden testing his ROV for the first time

*This week the team also gave presentations to the Chelsea Retirement Community and the Stockbridge American Legion Post 510.

A Week Full of Interviews

Mr. Lavery interviewing Mr. Richards

AJ Best showing Kevin his pneumatic cylinder

On Friday October, 24, Kevin Lavery came in and interviewed multiple students from our 3rd block robotics class. This interview is more unique than others because, not only did it discuss the Palau Team and their project, but he also interviewed students from the competition teams about their own specific projects. The interview was aired on Tuesday. If you would like to check it out, the link is posted below.
http://wkar.org/post/stockbridge-students-assist-search-lost-pacific-aircraft

Mr. Lavery and the Palau Team

Last Monday, October 22nd, Congressman Kenny Bentivolio came into the classroom for a visit. Mr. Richards and Mr. Bentivolio are long time friends that met in the army many years ago and have stayed in contact. Mr. Bentivolio asked for "just 8 minutes of our time," to explain his life story and how he decided to become a congressman after teaching for many years. He toured the classroom and learned about all of our different ROVs and projects we have going on.

Mr. Bentivolio learning about the ROV

Speaking to our class

The whole class with Congressman Bentivolio

After school on Monday October 22nd, team leaders, Maddy Armstrong and Chloe Hypes traveled to Holt and had an interview on 94.1 The Edge (WVIC) with Parker. They talked about our upcoming Movie Night on November 6th that is being held at the Michigan Theatre in Jackson, Michigan.

Maddy Armstrong and Chloe Hypes with Parker

Maddy Armstrong being interviewed.

Chloe Hypes being interviewed.

Early Tuesday morning, the marketing girls and Mr. Richards drove to Ann Arbor to give a live radio interview on 102.9 W4 Country. Bubba and his crew were amazed at the team and couldn't believe that high school students were participating in something this big and important.

102.9 W4 Country

The girls and Bubba