Robots constructed by Yale students will vie against each other to determine who can best perform a task of biblical proportions at the third annual competition sponsored by the introductory "Mechanical Engineering Design" class.
Designed for both majors and non-majors, the class introduces undergraduates to the principles of mechnical engineering. Instructor Nathan Delson gives students a kit of identical parts and asks them to construct a joystick-controlled robot designed to perform a specific task. These machines are then pitted against each other in a one-on-one competition, until a single victor emerges.
This year's competition, on the theme "Bringing Down the Walls of Jericho," will be held 7-9 p.m. on Monday, April 27, in Davies Auditorium, Becton Engineering and Applied Science Center, 15 Prospect St. The event is free and open to the public.
The Bible tells the story of how Joshua led the Israelites around the walled city of Jericho. When the priests blew their trumpets, the walls came tumbling down.
The student-designed robots are charged with bringing down the remnants of the walls that were left after Joshua's victory, with one point awarded for free-standing posts, two points for buried cross-members and 3 points for buried U-shaped pieces.
Elaborating on an oft-forgotten part of the story of Jericho, which tells that a portion of the wall remained standing in order to save the family of Rahab from destruction, contestants can also opt to save the family's pet who was stranded at the top of the wall (in this case, a stuffed animal that bears an uncanny resemblance to Yale mascot Handsome Dan). Six points will be awarded to those who rescue the pooch from his perch.
This is the third year that the mechanical engineering class' competition has had a biblical theme. Last year, students were asked to devise machines that could, like Moses, bring the greatest number of "tribe" members through a parting in the Red Sea, and the year before, they endeavored, like Noah, to gather the most animals into their "arks."
|