Mind Lab Robotics

Mind Lab helps with your thinking and creativity. With Mind Lab, you will soon know how to build types of fun robots. The robot that we made was a robot designed to be a waiter. The people from years 5 and 6 were split into two mixed groups, as Mind Lab couldn’t have everybody there at once. We made these by thinking in our groups how to make a robot hold a plate with a marble. The robots had already been programmed to follow black tape stuck to the floor. It was challenging for most groups because sticking parts to the base was hard. Why was this? Because the parts kept falling apart. We solved the problems by making a balanced structure. - Olivia

Half of year 5-6’s excitedly rushed on to the school bus for they were going to an awesome place called Mind Lab.

Mind Lab is so fun. We got to make robots and we had to balance plates on them. - James

Today yr6 and yr5 went to Mind Lab. At Mind Lab we made robots. It was quite a challenge because we had to balance the marble on the plate with people helping us. - George 

Today the year fives and year sixes went to Mind Lab on a school trip for technology. Once we got off the school bus and were inside, the two leaders told us what we would be doing.
The man (called Manish) told us we would be making robots and making them carry a green plate with a marble on it.

We were told to go into groups of three, so I asked Charlotte if she wanted to go with me. We also had George. 

We tested it and it worked very well, but as George picked it up, he dropped it! So Charlotte and I had to 
remake it.

We tested it again and it worked, so Charlotte got a ceramic plate and we tested it, but the plate was too heavy for the robot.

Charlotte and I tried to change the settings, but it still didn’t work.
We had a lot of fun at Mind Lab. - Minnie  

The 5’s and 6’s went to Mind Lab. We did some amazing things. Mind Lab was near the centre of Christchurch. We were put into groups of 2’s and 3’s. The main challenge was building a creation to hold a plate with a marble on top. 


In my group, I had James and Lucy. We all worked well together. I had an idea that worked pretty well and we were pretty successful. - Oliver

Mind Lab is a place where you create solutions to your problems/robotics. It can be very challenging but in the end it’s fun. It’s located on 24 Walker Street, Christchurch Central. You always have 2 experienced adults looking over your shoulder.

Today the year 5s and 6s made a robot waitress. The robotics helpers explained everything first then we went off and got everything we needed (which was in that room). The main part was the brain and sensor which made it follow a black line . We then had to modify it so it could carry a plastic plate with a marble on it. The group I was in made the robot tip over because of the weight. Then we had to make it carry a ceramic plate which was a bit bigger so we had to modify it again! - Olivia C.

Half of St Mark's year 5-6’s excitedly clambered onto the school bus for they were going to a fun, awesome, exciting place… Mind Lab!

Mind Lab by Unitec is a fun place for anyone 7+ and their holiday programs are available for ages 7 - 12. It is located on 24 Walker Street, Central City, Christchurch.

We drove down the busy streets before turning down a small side-street (Walker Street), where we hurried out onto the footpath then carefully crossed the road.

Inside, it was very colourful with pastel colours on almost every wall. Then we went in this room full of tables and chairs and surrounded by glass and then taking a seat.

“Today, you are going to program and solve robotic problems” explained our tutors, Manish and Lucy, as they showed us an interesting slide-show about how robots will make the future easier.

Then we got into action, exploring a website about what jobs in the future will be taken over by robots in groups, my group was James, Oliver and myself. The most likely to be taken over by robots was a telephone salesman and least likely a nurse.

After that we were given the big challenge of the day, we had to build a robot waitress and make it to carry a plastic plate with a marble in the middle along . We were given a basic robot (already programmed) and pieces of plastic with holes in it  similar to LEGO complete the task.

When you had completed the challenge, you and your group did the same challenge but with a glass plate, this made this rather challenging because you had to modify your robot structure and program the robot to go faster otherwise it wouldn’t move because of the weight.

Too soon, it was time to go. I really enjoyed Mind Lab. I loved learning about robotics. It was challenging, fun, exciting, and awesome. I hope we get to go there again! - Lucy

Mind Lab is a place where you do robotics. It is located on 24 Walker St, Christchurch Central. It can be very challenging, but great fun as well. The tutors there are great help and very funny! If you are stuck with something, they will help you get it right. Mind Lab is great for kids who are interested in IT things and they let you make your own robot! Today at Mind Lab, a group of mixed year 5/6 s learned how to program robots. Our challenge was to make a robot waitress or waiter. Our robots had to be able to carry a plastic plate and a marble on a black line. You had to build the equipment to help the plate stay stable. Once you got the plastic plate at the end of the line, you moved on to the ceramic plate, which was larger and heavier. Then, so your robot could carry the ceramic plate, you had to plug it into the computer and modify it. My car was not very successful as it kept doing donuts everywhere. - Lilah

It was an amazing trip because we got to get a robot (not to keep). We got to customise our robot cars. We had to balance a plastic plate. - Tom