How to create the perfect robot.

Want to build a robot but don't know how? There's help on hand - and a competition to enter, too - Yvonne Gill gives you the robotastic low-down.

They can dance, they can fight, they can even play soccer or rescue people - they're the new breed of robots, and some of them are being built by kids. New Zealand kids are getting in on the robot act, too, and there's even a national competition now - RoboCup - where kids can show off what their robots can do. RoboCup isn't until August but robots can take months to build, which is why we thought wannabe robot-makers out there might need to get started soon. And don't worry if your school can't help. There are holiday robot workshops lined up and a special robot conference for teachers in March.

So, what else do you need to do?

We caught up with robot guru and RoboCup organiser Harold Russ. Here's his advice: "If you want to enter this year's RoboCup, now's the time to get started. It can take you up to six months to perfect your robot, and perfectionists have been known to spend 18 months getting theirs just right." Harold estimates only about 20% of schools run dedicated robotics programmes, his school being one of them, which is why he's organising a teachers' robot conference on 19 March: so they can find out all about robotics and also get involved with RoboCup.

Harold has lined up US expert Chris Rodgers as the keynote speaker. He plans to follow the conference with a series of workshops, for both kids and teachers, in preparation for RoboCup 2008. So if you're keen to take robotics beyond the Lego stage, nag your science teacher into going along.

MOTAT workshops

Auckland's MOTAT is a big RoboCup supporter. In 2008 it will host the annual Auckland regional finals for the second consecutive year. It is also organising a robot-related holiday programme in June and July, as well as holding special workshops in preparation for RoboCup. It sees these as a great way for kids to gain experience in programming robots, as well as sharing ideas with others and museum staff. Last year MOTAT even entered a RoboCup team.

The museum is holding 'Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom' workshops throughout the year. An educational programme, it explores how society has used robots and how the definition of what a robot is has changed over time. The workshops also show people how to program robots and communicate with them. One interesting thing the workshops have revealed is the idea of human error, says MOTAT's Karen Walter. Robots follow a specific set of instructions, so if a robot doesn't perform correctly you've probably made a programming mistake. This is one reason why it takes so long to perfect a robot.

Insect robots

Want inspiration for your robot design? Look to the insect world. It may sound strange, but that's exactly what NASA scientists are doing � creating bio-inspired robots. Cockroaches (don't squeal!) have proved to be a great source of inspiration because of their speed and agility. Mark Cutkolsky, from Stanford University, has designed a series of 'sprawl robots', with a hexapedal design (having six legs). "There are some particular advantages to a hexapedal design, and it may be part of the reason why so many insects are hexapedal," he says. Well, it's one idea - if you can cope with a robot roach.

If you live in the Taranaki, there's further good news. WITT (Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki) holds creative robotics holiday workshops. With all this help available for wannabe robot makers, why not give it go? Who knows, you could be the next RoboCup champion.

For more info check out:

www.motat.org.nz
www.witt.ac.nz;
or call, on 0800 948 896;
email: info@witt.ac.nz
For the NASA insect robots:
www.sciencentral.com/articles/
Or email robot guru Harold: H.Russ@kingscollege.school.nz