Robot creations shake their tails | Rockhampton News | Local News in Rockhampton

ROBOTIC FUN: Yeppoon’s Sam Smith gets ready to take his robot on stage for a Bob the Builder dance at the Central Queensland Junior Robotics Competition in Rockhampton yesterday.

BUILDING a robot from Lego screams stress for some people.

Not for Yeppoon's Sam Smith.

When the nine-year-old saw his creation boogie on the dance floor yesterday, he knew his hard work had paid off.

Sam and his team-mate Ellis Burke were among close to 80 students who took part in the Central Queensland Junior Robotics Competition at the DPI Conference Centre in Rockhampton yesterday.

The seventh annual competition encouraged primary and secondary school students to learn about science and engineering by competing in robotics.

Students competed in five different categories - rescue, premium rescue, primary dance, open dance and soccer.

Even though Sam and Ellis from Yeppoon State School experienced a few hiccups during their robot dance of Bob the Builder, the pair walked away with smiles on their faces.

“We are just happy to be here and have some fun,” Sam said.

He said they spent three months completing the project from learning how to program the robot to move certain ways, to building the Lego robot and creating the props to go with the theme. CQ Junior Robotics Competition organiser from CQUniversity, Jason Bell, said 26 teams made up of students from Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Mackay and Bundaberg schools competed in the annual event. There was everything from miniature robotic games of soccer to robotic dancing Inspector Gadgets and surfing robots, just to name some.

To find out more information about the CQ Junior Robotic Competition visit website cqjrc.cqu.edu.au.