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About Us

RoboClub.com.au brings science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM), to people of all ages in a fun and challenging way through programs that are integrated with the RoboClub Open Source Framework.

We are proud to be able to inspire students to build on their natural curiosity by teaching engineering concepts through hands-on learning. Technology (via Engineering) is now one of the fastest growing industries in the world!

 

All of our instructors come from educational or engineering backgrounds. We also work with & prepare students for any science or robotics competitions where open source electronics is permitted. Surprisingly there are still a few competitions that only accept proprietary hardware or software! 

Background.

 

We have taken many of the good innovations in Open Source Electronics to create a framework that allows anyone (& we mean anyone) to create anything by incorporating technology into their everyday lives – it’s an extension of the Make: movement. Our founder like many of his peers in engineering & industry has been very concerned in the modern trend for all of us to be consumers. The reality is that you can just about get an app for anything you may desire. The issue with that is that we are losing the creators of the world ie those that make apps etc.

 

As the globalisation of the world continues, manufacturing & mining cannot sustain Australia’s prosperity, we need to become smarter.

 

How do we achieve this? We need to start at the junior primary level & get children interested in STEAM subjects as they can be delivered & taught in a fun way. They need to become comfortable in the use of technology by creating not consuming. We need to foster the little engineer in all of them.

This program doesn’t preclude adults either & can offer many an opportunity to experiment, which is something that tends to get lost as time goes by.

 

We have developed a unique programme that uses modern video online course techniques to deliver the relevant course content to students.

 

We recognise that rather than spreading our instructors too thin or having sessions dates & times that don’t suit your hectic lifestyle we offer a monthly subscription where specific course content can be accessed by the student at a time that suits them.

 

We plan to offer “webinar” style courses in the very near future that can closer represent the classroom of the future & which allows for 2-way interaction to occur that can’t be replicated by the straight online course.

 

We currently also run the traditional workshops on afternoons & the evening for those that are a little too new &/or don’t have the equipment at home. Our aim is to use these sessions to have the student grounded in the concepts of the framework so that they can comfortably use the online training. Please go to our on-line booking service so that we can ensure sufficient equipment is made available.

 

If you are a teacher/school administrator & would like to run some programmes within your school please complete the enquiry form below. We also offer training to staff members & we are not happy until they are feeling happy/confident! 

 

Do you have Lego equipment? No problems – we are currently working to extend our framework to incorporate this thus allowing you to receive a better return on that investment. 

The RoboClub Framework.

The RoboClub Framework gives students the opportunity to explore and program current technology Open Source Microcontroller hardware. Students will get to learn about real life enginnering challenges with an empahsis on performing autonomous missions. Students are taught basic programming using an intuitive visual programming environment incorporated within the framework. The framework also allows advanced students to look "under the bonnet" if required.

 

The framework provides a complete and progressive learning tool which gives participants the opportunity to engage in learning about the world of robotics in a fun way without having to grapple with complex programming language syntaxes.

Students will

  • get to explore the use of Distance Sensors, Gyro Sensors, Color Sensors, Bumper Switches and Smart Motors.

  • learn about how STEAM can be used so solve challenges of future robotics.

  • learn the challenges of programming microcontrollers.

Founder.

The founder of RoboClub, Mr Frank Horvat, has been an electronics enthusiast for many years. While studying Electronic Engineering at university, he strived hard to develop a graphical user interfcae (GUI) for the programming of microcontrollers without success.

 

His interest in this field was rekindled due to advancements in the Open Source microcontoller field . He has managed to integrate many of these components into a simple to use inexpensive environment that rivals the more expensive propriety products.  His systems are totally Open Source but with their tight GUI integration, allows for an individual of any background to concentrate on their creation rather than on computer language syntaxes. The GUI allows for good programming practice & as one gets more advanced, they are able to look & work "under the bonnet"

 

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