Engineers of the Future Inspired by Robotics in School

Experience Ace's Internet of Things (IoT) instructor, Wilson Tai, was featured in the Ministry of Education, Singapore's Facebook page. Engineers of the Future Inspired by Robotics in School - Story.

Ever imagined how robots can play a part in our lives? From packing your favourite instant noodles to intricate surgical processes, robots play an important role in helping humans.

“In the near future, I wish to see more robots serving people. Maybe robots deployed at Changi Airport could assist people with disabilities where they get to sit on robotic wheel chairs and be driven to their desired terminal!” exclaimed Wilson Tai, 19, who is studying for a diploma in Electrical & Electronic engineering at Singapore Polytechnic, majoring in Robotics.

Back to Basics

Wilson’s interest in robotics sparked through the Robotics Enterprise STEM-ALP programme at Admiralty Secondary School. The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Applied Learning Programme (STEM-ALP) provides students with interactive and hands-on experiences, so they can apply what they have learned to real-world scenarios.

At the lower secondary level, students pick up basic programming of a robotic arm, learn about driverless cars and LED lights. They apply their learning in upper secondary by identifying problems faced by senior citizen homes and MRT stations and propose possible solutions.

Robotics does not only expose students to technology and engineering, it also strengthens their problem-solving skills through the design thinking process, shared Mr Toh Thiam Chye, Principal of Admiralty Secondary School. By participating in competitions, students also learn to overcome problems through teamwork and critical thinking.

“A day before competition, your robot works fine. Everything is good. But during the competition, all of a sudden a part of your robot stops working,” said Wilson. This was one of his nightmare situations as a student competitor.

“When they fail, they will keep trying until they get it right and the process strengthens their resilience” explains Mr Toh. Well, the experiences have certainly paid off, as Wilson will be representing Singapore with his team at the Robocup 2016 in Germany, featuring humanoid robots playing soccer.

To encourage students to share ideas and refine the effectiveness of their solutions, the school organises an annual National RoboPreneur Carnival. Several secondary schools and even tertiary institutions come together to exhibit robotics-related projects. At their 10th carnival this year, students had a wonderful time constructing robots from Lego sets and programming them to compete with one another.

Levelling Up

Through visits to polytechnics, students find out more about the engineering faculties and STEM related courses available. For example, they recently visited The Aerospace Hub (ARCH) at Republic polytechnic, which was especially inspiring for those interested in Aerospace engineering. As they understand the career possibilities and educational pathways available, students find greater motivation to work hard towards their goal.

“The STEM-ALP at Admiralty Secondary gave me a head start in polytechnic as I was already familiar with the basics. I was also able to guide my peers as well as understand and absorb concepts efficiently,” said Wilson.

“Through robotics, I’ve developed both technical and soft skills, which are extremely beneficial when meeting new people and collaborating on various projects” he added.

Polytechnics offer a variety of STEM-related courses that provide a strong grounding in areas such as robotics, aerospace, electrical and mechanical engineering. Students who are interested can consider the following courses:

The Diploma in Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic offers aerospace, biomedical, electrical and electronics modules that allows students to major in Robotics and Control in their final year.

The Diploma in Mechatronics & Robotics at Singapore Polytechnic has a Robotics Learning Space, where students get to work on projects in a dedicated personalised area.

The Diploma in Mechatronics course at Temasek Polytechnic integrates mechanical engineering with electronics and intelligent computer control in the design of products and engineering processes.

The Aerospace/Mechatronics programme at Nanyang Polytechnic’s is suitable for those interested in the creation of smart devices and robots.

Visit the school’s website to find out more about Admiralty Secondary School’s STEM-ALP Programme, Robotics Enterprise. https://www.schoolbag.sg/story/engineers-of-the-future-inspired-by-robotics-in-school