Supporting spring science camp

The Japan Science and Technology Agency holds science camps for high school students to learn science and technology through experimenting and by studying at universities performing cutting edge research, and at companies and other organizations developing the latest technologies. The purpose of the science camps is raising the interest of high school students in natural science and technology through experience at sites of research and development, because of the increasing number of high school students who do not want to study natural science. We endorsed this intention and offered a program titled "Let's operate construction robots to be available in the near future" in the spring science camp 2007.

We held the spring science camp at Tsuchiura Works, the Technical Training Center and the Technical Research Center over three days starting March 21, 2007. Eight high school students from all over Japan experienced many things including a tour of Tsuchiura Works on the first day, operating an excavator at the Technical Training Center on the second day, and learning the automatic operation of an excavator and studying the operation of the Double-Front Work Machine called "Astaco" on the second and third days.

Touring Tsuchiura Works

Operating an excavator

Investigating automatic operation with a simulator

All participants were students with an interest in robots; people like National Robot Contest participants and robot programming contest winner. They thought up the idea of using the "Astaco", a construction robot to be available in the near future, to help during disasters, impressing support staff with such flexible thinking. After devising a way to use the "Astaco", we gave a demonstration to them, and they tried out the operation seat. They looked so happy, showing how much they like robots.

Devising a way to use the "Astaco"

In awe of "Astaco"

At the closing ceremony, after presenting the training results, the participant gave their impressions, which included "I thought excavators were easy to make. So I was surprised to learn that their manufacture involves lots of people and processes," and "More than ever I want to do work making robots that will help in disasters in the future." We had a real feeling of having contributed to raising future engineers. We will continue support for the science camps.

Presentation using a small model

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