Raymond Francis, PhD Candidate in robotics engineering in the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration at Western University, and the students used the Lego Mindstorms robotics sets to simulate the challenges of planetary exploration using robotic systems.

About 60 students from Grades 5-8 at West Nissouri, Sherwood Fox, Bryon Somerset and Delaware public schools learned the basic concepts of robot control, sensor selection and computer programming.

“It was outstanding for us all to have Mr. Francis’s input and stories about doing programming for the Mars landing this August,” says Colleen Ellison-Wareing, Itinerant Teacher of the Gifted, adding that Dr. Alyssa Gilbert, Outreach Coordinator with the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration at Western University, made the unique learning opportunities possible.

To learn more about Francis’s research visit www.spacerocks.ca/Team/Francis.html.

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