One of the biggest challenges faced by our underwater robotics team was the lack of a pool at our school. This would have been enough to stop most schools from venturing into underwater robotics, but the problem was quickly overcome by using what was available in the community. Stockbridge is a rural community and some brainstorming led us to the idea of using a cattle watering trough as a test tank in the classroom.
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| Filling the cattle watering trough in the computer lab |
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| 2010 ROV in the tank |
Once we found a cattle watering trough the next step was to get it into the school. And, sometimes it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. So we snuck the cattle watering trough into my computer lab one evening and had it filled and ready for use before anyone knew it was there. Once everyone saw the students testing their ROVs buoyancy in the tank and making adjustments they warmed up to the idea and never really questioned it.
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| Close up of the 2010 ROV note the hydrophones |
Since then the teachers at Heritage Elementary School and the middle school have also added their own watering cattle watering troughs as a way to test buoyancy and stability before having to take the ROVs to the pool. When we do go to the pool my high school students normally make a trip to Chelsea Middle school which is about a 20 minute drive south of Stockbridge.
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| DINGAR in the Chelsea Pool |
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| This year's team working at the Chelsea Pool |
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