Almost 200 elementary and middle school students and 13 teams from across Greater Victoria gathered at the University of Victoria for a competition aimed at helping seniors overcome daily challenges.

Students were charged with the challenge of creating, designing, and programming a Lego robot that can could scan and locate the correct medicine, move furniture, garden, fixing a broken chair and walk a service dog.

B次元官网网址�(They) look at the way robots or technology can enhance the lives of senior citizens,B次元官网网址� said event co-ordinator and UVic PhD student Michael Hammond-Todd. B次元官网网址淚t is an inquiry-driven process where students are looking for real solutions for real-world problems.B次元官网网址�

Young competitors brought their existing Lego robots and programed them on the spot for a battery of tests, all which represent challenges seniors face in their daily lives.

B次元官网网址淰ancouver Island has a very active community of educators and students interested in robots and technology. The programs are designed to inspire students in the fields of science, technology, and engineering,B次元官网网址� Hammond-Todd said.

B次元官网网址�(This) is providing an opportunity to talk to people outside of their generation and peer group and think about solutions they may work on as secondary or post secondary students.B次元官网网址�

All robots were created from a standard Lego Mindstorms NXT kit, but modified to tackle different solutions to the problems. Students use the included software to program commands, including how many seconds to move, degree of motion and rotation and even simple voice commands.

The event, hosted by faculties of eduction and engineering, was meant to get more kids interested in science and math, and acted as the Vancouver Island First Lego League regional competition.

B次元官网网址淗ow fitting that the challenge theme for the first Lego league event happening on the UVic campus is B次元官网网址榮enior solutionsB次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� solving problems faced by seniors as they age,B次元官网网址� said Holly Tuokko, director of UVicB次元官网网址檚 Centre on Aging,

Building Lego robots was a hit with 11-year-old Chris Burrows, who was excited for the opportunity to compete at UVic.

B次元官网网址淚 think this is really fun, a lot of people who like Lego and robot stuff would really like it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲hen I grow up I want to be a Lego designer.B次元官网网址�

Burrows started playing with Lego two years ago and is one of the founding members of Team Legobotics, a team of three that hope to advance to the provincials in Vancouver in January.

B次元官网网址淚 like programming and robotics,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ou can get a lot of freedom in what you build.B次元官网网址�

reporter@vicnews.com