Atlanta — The College of Computing at Georgia Tech today announced the nation’s first interdisciplinary doctoral degree in robotics, to be offered at Georgia Tech. The program, which starts fall semester of 2008, was developed through Georgia Tech’s new Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (RIM@Georgia Tech), a collaborative research center that combines the educational strength and expertise of the Colleges of Computing and Engineering at Georgia Tech. Reaching across disciplines and drawing from curricula in computer science, electrical and computer engineering, aerospace, biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering, the doctoral degree is designed to educate a new breed of multidisciplinary researchers who will enter the market best prepared to chart a new course for robotics in the United States.

“We are pleased to offer the first truly interdisciplinary robotics Ph.D. program in the country,” said Dr. Henrik Christensen, KUKA Chair of Robotics for the College of Computing at Georgia Tech. “Exposing our students to course work from multiple disciplines early on prepares them to think about robotics from a holistic approach once they enter the workforce. True to our mission in robotics at Georgia Tech, our program will recruit and educate outstanding students who will provide leadership in a world that is increasingly dependent on technology.”

Yarmouth – Scientific thinking combining problem solving, math, physics, the Internet and Legos produces directed, creative learning in Kris Hansen’s Robotics I class at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. At the close of a semester-long course, members of the all-male class have created, individually and in groups, a robotic hand, forklift, flying machine and tank, to name a few items.

“I make the class student-driven so it promotes scientific thinking,” Hansen says. “Students acquire skills through guided discovery and trial and error.” For the first four weeks, Hansen teaches robotics basics and introduces his students to programming. “There’s a lot of theory to learn, and the learning curve takes awhile, but by the time I introduce the engineering cycle, they’re ready to go,” he says. “Kids like the class, and enrollment for the spring term, which begins in a few weeks, is maxed out at 25.”

Last week, several dozen students in grades 10 to 12 immersed themselves in design, the final phase of an eight-step process that began in September with identifying a need or problem. “The two main principles are to serve a need and to program the robot to run by itself,” Hansen says. “Students use the Internet to research robots out there in the real world and Lego Mindstorms lets them design and program real robots that fill the needs they’ve identified.”

TM Robotics (Europe) Ltd, the European robot sales partner of Toshiba Machine, has announced a new machine vision partnership agreement with UK firm PCS Industries.

The arrangement offers customers an array of vision equipment and software products as well as the integration skills of PCS.

PCS Industries is an accredited Cognex partner. “The last few years have shown us that our customers want a single point of contact and complete turnkey solutions,” explained Peter Jelf, technical director of PCS Industries. “As a result, we’ve moved away from the re-seller approach and back to the company’s roots as a complete solutions provider. The relationship with TM Robotics allows ours customers access to the company’s range of SCARA and Cartesian robots, which is a major step forward.”

KINGDOM CITY, Mo. – Robots have invaded the North Callaway High School.

The good thing is that they were invited.

Math teacher Kevin O’Neal was inspired by his brother, who works in robotics maintenance, to create a new robotics and automation program at the high school level. The class is taught as part of an after school program that meets every Tuesday and Thursday in the industrial technology department of the school.

“This is my first year doing this so I’m just getting my feet wet,” O’Neal said. “It allows the kids to explore different concepts of applied mathematics that they have learned in the classroom in a way that is hands-on.”

The students in the program use their knowledge of mathematics, combined with a unique system of building blocks and computerized motors to build automated machines.

“What we do is we use LEGO robotics kits that we can use to build many different types of things depending on what we want the robot to do,” O’Neal said.

Dynamic Network Services Incorporated, a world leader in domain, DNS and email technologies, today announced its active participation in the seventeenth edition of the FIRST Robotics Competition. The competition started on January 5 and is set to last six weeks, during which over 1,500 teams from around the world will call upon all their scientific and analytical skills to solve a fresh technical challenge, dubbed “Overdrive.”

Staff at Dynamic Network Services will be monitoring students as they build their robots and put their talent into action. Every year, the company heavily invests in the event, which encourages the bright minds of tomorrow to invest in engineering and scientific careers, paving the road for personal achievement and helping the industry move forwards.

“By helping students build their robots, we help them build their future” said Tom Daly, president, highlighting the close relationship the competition entertains with real-world situations and technology.

“We’re all students at heart,” added Jeremy Hitchcock, CEO and CFO, pointing out that “the game helps our staff keep their analytical skills sharp and flexible.”