Robotic Innovation a Winner at Northland’s Huanui College
An innovative robotic contraption designed by a Huanui College student has been awarded the Coresteel Northland Innovation Award for excellence in technology.
Year 9 student Luka Clark constructed a secondary line for the robotic ball-moving contraptions he and his classmates had created during their robotics class.
The off-shoot project involved creating a feed for the overflow balls from the table, which sent them down a hole, through a chute, into a rotating barrel and back up a conveyor belt into the main trunk link.
One of the robotic ball contraptions created as part of Huanui College’s robotics class.
“Luka came up with the idea entirely using creativity, drive and perseverance. He worked tirelessly to get his innovation to where it is today and to have it ready for the trade fair/taster day,” says Chris Lewis, Robotics teacher, Huanui College.
Coresteel Buildings Northland Director James Senescall says Coresteel Buildings prides itself on being an innovative company and he’s proud to be able to encourage a similar ethos in the next generation. “Coresteel continues to push the boundaries in the advancement of steel technologies and software development and it’s exciting to see how school subjects are evolving to encourage this type of thinking.”
In addition, Coresteel Northland donated Perspex sheets to the robotics class, which was used for a similar pinball machine project. Of his classmates, Luka also created the best attempt at a pinball machine.
This is the first year that the award has been presented at Huanui College and will become an annual prize. The regional school-level Coresteel Buildings Innovation Awards are a nation-wide initiative.