Robot from “The Day the Earth Stood Still”

They invaded Earth in vintage horror films, saved the day in Star Wars, and now help humans do everything from make cars to walk in space. What’s not to love about robots? From April 9 to 17, scores of students, teachers, engineers, and scientists nationwide will celebrate America’s leadership in robotics technology development during the second annual National Robotics Week. Last year, more than 24,000 K-12 students in 21 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico took part in a variety of activities. This year’s roster of events–including FIRST and VEX robotics contests–promises to draw even more participants. There’s also a host of contests, activities, and other free resources to inspire future robo-techies!

National Robotics Week grew out of a 2009 effort by leading universities and companies to create a “national road-map” for robotics technology.  On March 9, 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passed resolution H.Res. 1055, officially designating the second full week in April as National Robotics Week. So mark your calendar and get ready to rock ‘n’ roll out the robots!

Filed under: Special Features

Tags: Building robots, Resources for Teachers, Robotics, Robotics Competitions