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Showing 1 - 3 of 3 Project Ideas
Racing BristleBots: On Your Mark. Get Set. Go!
Racing BristleBots: On Your Mark. Get Set. Go!
Difficulty
Time Required Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites None
Material Availability You will need to order several parts from an online vendor or hobby store. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
Cost Very Low (under $20)
Safety Adult assistance is required to snip off the head from a toothbrush using scissors or wire cutters.

Have you ever wanted to build your very own robot from scratch? BristleBots are a cheap, easy, and fun-to-build robot made from the head of a toothbrush, a battery, and a small motor. Once completed, they buzz along the top of a table like bugs. In this project, you will build assorted BristleBots with different types of toothbrushes and race them against each other. Read more
Roaming Robots: Build Your Own Underwater Robot
Roaming Robots: Build Your Own Underwater Robot
Difficulty
Time Required Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites None
Material Availability To build an underwater robot you will need a motor and a model boat propeller. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
Cost Low ($20 - $50)
Safety You will need glue and epoxy to waterproof the motor for the robot. Follow the instructions that come with the glue and epoxy and always work in a well-ventilated area. If you have a latex allergy, you will have to exercise great caution with the balloon and ask a volunteer to help you. Keep fingers away from the spinning propeller to prevent injury. Do not test the robot in saltwater.

The world's oceans are home to the most strange and amazing creatures. What do scientists know about these deep-sea animals and how can they study them easily? One way to learn about these animals in their homes is to use underwater robots. Underwater robots can record data that would be difficult for humans to gather. But what are robots and how are they made? In this robotics engineering project, you will discover what makes up a simple robot… Read more
The Frightened Grasshopper: Explore Electronics & Solar Energy with a Solar-Powered Robot Bug
The Frightened Grasshopper: Explore Electronics & Solar Energy with a Solar-Powered Robot Bug
Difficulty
Time Required Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites None
Material Availability The Frightened Grasshopper toy needs to be ordered from online. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
Cost Low ($20 - $50)
Safety Adult supervision is required. The lightbulbs will be hot, so use caution to avoid getting burned by the bulbs. The Frightened Grasshopper toy should be assembled with the help of an adult since it is fragile and has some small parts.

"How do you frighten a grasshopper? And what does that have to do with light?" These are a couple of questions you're probably asking yourself after reading the title. Well, The Frightened Grasshopper Solar-Powered Bug is actually a toy grasshopper that vibrates when it is placed in sunlight or near a lightbulb. It stores up the energy from light, and converts it into motion. You will use this fun toy to explore how the brightness of the light… Read more
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