The Carnegie Science Center on Pittsburgh's North Shore continues to be educational and entertaining for most ages. From making your way through the submarine to checking out every detail of the miniature train and village display to the Omnimax Theater and the current Bodies exhibit, there are tons of fun to be had. So much to learn and enjoy.
Scientific knowledge and involvement unfortunately wasn't encouraged in girls when I was young. We watched how things worked and that was that. Today, even very young boys and girls are curious about technology. What an object is made of and how and why it does what it does is important to today's kids.
After more than 20 years of featuring robotics-oriented displays and planning for the past four years, an exciting new exhibit is in the works.
Just the other day, the Carnegie Science Center announced plans for roboworld, the nation's largest and most comprehensive permanent robotics exhibition. Although the opening is a year away, the inclusion of robots doing all sorts of things is exciting and anticipation will soar as spring 2009 approaches.
As a young student, I found robots fun to watch. Humanlike forms created with metals, gears and wires and doing basic chores such as cleaning the house or cutting grass were often seen in movies. Today robotics is used in virtually all areas of our lives, from industry to medicine to operating a car.
Roboworld will open with more than 30 hands-on, interactive exhibits, filling 6,000 square feet on the second level. The sensing area will demonstrate ways robots collect data, including machines with vision, motion detection and ultrasonic mapping abilities. Exhibits will explore how robots process information from basic programming to advanced artificial intelligence systems simulating human thought and emotions in the thinking area. How robots walk, roll, climb, use tools and build structures will also be demonstrated.
Sharing the mike for roboworld's announcement with the science center's director Joanna Haas was British actor Anthony Daniels. Anthony portrayed the loyal and lovable and always proper robot, C-3PO in all six Star Wars films. Doing his best to be dignified, C-3PO and the British-speaking Daniels became a history-making team right from the start.
"Two hours were needed to get fully suited at the beginning of Star Wars filming," said Anthony. "By the last movie, I only needed five minutes to dress and only two to remove the costume. We filmed with six suits. With so much activity, parts often broke off. We were always ready to continue filming."
Roboworld is the culmination of "Real, Live Robots, an exhibit attracting 100,000 visitors in 1986, the touring exhibit "Robotics" in 1996 and robotics classes and camps for grades two through eight.
Within roboworld, a workshop will provide companies and roboticists opportunities to test their innovations. Visitors may choose to interact with scientists and also create and test their own robots.
As leaders in the development of robotics technology, many men and women from around western Pennsylvania have played significant roles in the rapidly growing robotics field.
"Engineering careers to software development and industrial design are potential opportunities for today's students," said Joanna Haas.
Awareness of the fascinating world of robotics will quickly be raised with the unveiling of roboworld.