GCC, Mohawk team up for robotics class – The Recorder

GREENFIELD The new, 2-foot tall robot at Greenfield Community College doesnt yet have a name, or even a gender, but students are already falling in love with the little creature who, in autonomous mode, says Hi, blinks its eyes, and connects to the internet.

For now, the new arrival is still being powered up; but when he, she or it is ready for school, students will learn how to program the robot to do special movements and tasks.

This school year, Mohawk and GCC will team up to offer a pilot robotics course at Mohawk during the spring semester.

The course will be available for students in Grades 9 through 12 and will be co-taught by GCC engineering, math professor Amy Ehmann and by Mohawk science teacher Downey Meyer.

It will fulfill a science course requirement for graduation here at Mohawk, said Mohawk Principal Lynn Dole. It is not required of all students, but for those who choose to take it, it will count as a full science course for the graduation requirements. The course will be taught here at Mohawk.

According to Cathryn Seaver of GCCs Chief Academic & Student Affairs Office, the instructors will be developing the course together during the fall semester. She said the class offers two college credits.

Its a class thats commonly used to give students hands-on experience in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields.

For its first photo-op, the robot was brought into Ehmanns Internet Engineering classroom, where it was an immediate hit. The robot blinked its eyes and looked around the room. The robot steadied itself on the edge of a table and swayed slightly as it looked around. It seemed to respond to sound.

When its fully programmed, its fingers will open and close, said Mary Ellen Fydenkevez, dean of Engineering, Math, Nursing and Science. The first time we plugged him in, he stood up and said hi.

At one point the robot looked around the room, as if taking in all the attention, then bowed his head. Is that your shy-face? asked Ehmann. To everyones surprise, the robot nodded.

When powered down, the robot gives a little yawn, then kneels down, like a little yogi.

GCC is thinking of holding a naming contest for this new teaching aid.

GCC President Robert L. Pura said GCC has joined with several high schools to collaborate on programs tailored to each. Besides Mohawk, GCC has partnered with Greenfield, Turners Falls, the Franklin County Technical School, Frontier and Northampton on courses to meet their needs.

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GCC, Mohawk team up for robotics class - The Recorder