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Anna
 
Great idea! I'd forgotten about using robotic arms. We have a  nice exercise 
from NASA where you create your own robotic arm using craft  sticks with holes 
drilled in them connected with brass fasteners.  Kids design their own end 
effectors depending on the task their challenged to  do.
 
Thanks! 

Deron,

We have done a similar activity using thick yellow rubber  gloves  
having people put together nuts and bolts, pick up pennies,  and tie  
knots in wire in a bucket of water.  Another activity  challenged  
people to grab small objects (put plastic test tubes in a  rack, line  
up blocks, etc.) with one of those long "robotic arm"  grabbing devices.
Fun stuff!
Anna


 
 
In a message dated 3/4/2007 3:21:16 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

During a  recent space exploration event we held, I purchased several pairs  
of  white and black (kid-size) ski gloves and made them available along  with 
 a 
bin that contained different types and sizes of nuts and bolts.  The  
"Astronaut Glove Challenge" tested visitors' ability to mate the  parts  
while wearing 
the gloves and helped them to understand some of  the  difficult challenges 
of 
working in the space environment. We  found this station  to be very popular 
as 
visitors raced each other  to complete the tasks. It  was also an interesting 
way to introduce  NASA's Centennial Astronaut Glove  Challenge to older kids 
who 
were  engineering-oriented. 

My question is, does anyone have other  astronaut-related activities along  
these lines that have worked well  for you in the past? We're particularly  
interested in tasks that  require minimal equipment and are easily  portable.

Thank  you,
Deron Ash

Imagine Nation Museum
Bristol,  CT


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