Wheels whizzing, a little black and gray robot scoots across the floor, while other robots make circles or shake in place.

The creators of these little machines are children participating in a Lego Robotics Camp.

The Lego Robotics Camp will be held from Tuesday July 28 to Friday July 31 at The Education Center of Rising Sun, 591 Smart Drive. The vision for the camp came from Luzerne County Community College, Nanticoke, (NY). Industry Training Coordinator Richard Schell. After years of working with factory robots in the Hershey Chocolate factories in Hershey, PA, he brought his love of robotics to Penn State Hazleton. Moving into the area, he hoped to run a similar program at Luzerne County Community College.

After seven years of working with the college to find funding, cash was found and the robotics camp came to life.

Children learn skills of computer programming, design, trouble shooting, teamwork and communication. The intent of the camp is to fire children’s imaginations and show them there is more to technology than they might realize. And the children learn in a fun atmosphere.

Basic Lego sets are things of the past. Children design and program robots to perform mind-bending tasks using specialized Lego kits which contain programmable motors and a battery pack. Children must build a robot that moves. Once this initial task is completed, the robot is then taken out into the grass. But the robot will not move in grass so the students must figure out how to change the design and program so it will.

Then they add sensors to make it travel across carpet in a straight line and make it stop at a designated point. Then they must install the right sensors to make the robot follow a curved path.

“Their thinking has changed,” Schell said. “Seven years ago, kids were into just getting the robot to move. Now they are into design and programming.”

If you would like your child to attend the Lego Robotics Camp, there are only a few spots open. Call Debbie Thomason at 438-2437 or e-mail her at dthomason@occfrisingsun.com