Members of the school’s robotics club have moved on to other projects, but a core group has stayed focused on the hand project. “These kids are really bright,” says Seo, “and they love to talk about engineering and programming.” These are curious engineers attacking a problem together. Hur gives thoughtful attention to the students’ ideas as the whole group exchanges ideas and possible solutions.
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This day, the students are wrestling with how to build a finger rest that will allow researchers to test skin sensitivity, but still be comfortable for the users.
Watching Hur study the device and take and answer questions from Deer Creek students Nik and Colton during a visit to the school, there is little sense of an age difference. “They’ve been patient with the kids and respect their school schedules.” “They have been extremely receptive and welcoming,” says Graven of the UWM researchers. The students also visit the UWM lab regularly to compare what they’ve accomplished with efforts of researchers on campus. Pilwon Hur, a post-doctoral researcher in UWM’s engineering program, visits the school to discuss challenges and offer advice. Seo gravitated toward robotics early on: “I’ve always been interested in how to use engineering to benefit human beings.”Ī grant from UWM’s Cultures and Communities program has allowed the intermediate school and the university researchers to continue their collaboration. One of the focuses of UWM hand rehabilitation lab is developing and testing devices to help stroke survivors regain use of their hands. Ann’s Center for older adults, and students became aware through contacts with the center of the many mobility needs of older adults, says Graven. Graven is an 8th grade science teacher who started the STEM (Science Technology, Education and Mathematics) program for the St. That initial contact in 2012 has blossomed into an ongoing collaboration between the seventh and eighth graders and university researchers. The goal is to help student discover career possibilities and learn to make positive contributions to society.Īfter reading an article in the Journal Sentinel about research at UWM’s Hand Rehabilitation Lab, Graven contacted Na Jin Seo, the lab’s director and an assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering, for advice on evaluating his students’ efforts. FLL teams are guided by their own imagination and adult coaches, according to the US First website. The theme that year was Senior Solutions, helping develop devices that address health and mobility issues specific to senior citizens.įLL introduces younger students to real-world engineering challenges, building LEGO-based robots to complete tasks. Francis were preparing a project for the 2012 First LEGO League (FLL) challenge, an international innovation competition for middle schoolers. Peter Graven and his robotics club at Deer Creek Intermediate School in St. The unusual partnership grew from a newspaper article and a phone call. University researchers and a team of middle schoolers are working together to build a hand mobility device for seniors with disabilities.
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