Sumo-Bot Fun & Soccer-Bot Fun (World Cup Inspired: Picture at Bottom).

1)Robotics can include "fierce" competition. We are lucky kids form strong friendships and have learned the importance of fair play and good sportsmanship. If this were not the case, Mr. A would need security in his robotics camp. Of course the campers are not engaging in hand to hand combat. Instead they are using robots built from Lego components, particularly the Lego Mindstorms sets. The combative event is actually a world-renowned engineering clash that mimics the ancient art of Japanese Sumo.

In our variation of Sumo-Bot Competition, each robot must have met particular weight and size requirements prior to the official matches. Robots start on opposite sides of a white rectangular "Sumo" board or a rectangular space boardered by tape and prepare for a vicious showdown. Each team robot attempts to push the other team's robot off the playing surface. After the battle, only one robot remains. After a few adjustments, the battle tested foes are much improved and ready to fight again. Below are some clips from this year's competitions.

2) The children have fashioned many designs for their Soccer-Bots. They have been inspired by the matches in Brasil.