Free robotics course for kids and adults

SOUTHERN Cross University Robotics Club will be offering a free “hands on” course designed for people with little or no coding skills or robotic knowledge.

Jimmy McInerney with a robot.

SOUTHERN Cross University will be offering a free online robotics course for children and adults.

The 10-week Introduction to Robotics course will be streamed online every Wednesday for ten weeks.

Alstonville resident Jimmy McInerney, a member of the SCU Robotics Club for about four years, will be presenting the course with an SCU Engineering postgraduate student.

Mr McInerney said the idea is to promote robotics among children and adults.

“This is not our first course, we normally do outreach to schools and offer an introduction to robotics in the classroom course for teachers,” he said.

“We also offer workshops for schools, and we organise competitions at SCU, but this will be our first course done online.”

The first class will be held on April 15, from 3.30pm, and it’s expected to go for over an hour.

The course will be offered via Google Classroom, and to register please email [e-mail].

The course is designed for people with little or no coding skills or robotic knowledge.

It is a “hands on” course, divided into 10 x weekly modules that can be done from home.

Participants will require access to a computer, wi-fi network and a TV or monitor with HDMI input.

The course will be based on the Pi2Go robot which can be purchased for approximately $230 by calling Core Electronics on 02 4058 2818 (phone call is preferred).

“Normally we create robots from pieces at the club, but because this is online, we had to decide on a way to offer it and we went for a robot people can purchase and learn from it,” Mr McInerney said.

Purchasers will be offered a 10 per cent discount if they mention the SCU Robotics workshop.

The pricing includes postage which takes approximately four days for delivery.

Mr McInerney said those who may not be able to purchase the robot or may receive it after the course has started can also contact the club, as there is a chance a virtual robot can be used.

“We will also put the course up online to watch for free, so those who may have to start late can catch up,” he said.

“Anyone from nine years of age can do it, they just need to have the interest, and sometimes it’s the parents that love sharing this with their kids.”