LEGO Underwater Robot Kits (LURK).
Team : Watching-Place; MIT Open Ocean Initiative (Katy Croff Bell, Jenni Chow); MIT Learning Initiative (Katherine McConachie, Philipp Schmidt, Marcel, Harm, John, Rachel, Sarah)
In an effort to democratize hands-on ocean exploration, we have developed the LEGO Underwater Robot project - an effort which combines LEGO bricks, robotics, and computer programming into a playground of project-based learning and citizen science for budding engineers and explorers. Robot development and prototyping began in mid-2018, and was first playtested by over 40 high school students from the 2018 National Geographic Student Expedition. Students adapted the prototype, customizing it to execute experiments of their own design in Boston’s waters. In Summer 2019, we will design two additional prototypes working on power options, watertightness, and software control of the vessels. Going forward, we aim to adapt this programming for out-of-school programs, coastal and inland communities, classrooms, libraries, and community-based mentor clubs for youth. Partnerships with City Year and MIT Media Lab’s Public Library Innovation Exchange (PLIX) Program will offer opportunities to scale use of the technology nationally. We envision the further development of the LEGO Underwater Robot program an important step in the democratization of ocean exploration and discovery.
