The Forest Hills Robotics League sponsored four First Lego League teams this year for the Body Forward challenge. For their research project, each team did an extensive investigation of the various different body part and zeroed in on a specific topic which they set out to find a creative solution to a real problem in that topic.
The Planetary Forces team consulted with Dr. Robert Meditz whose specialty is in Internal Medicine and Cardiac Rehabilitation. The kids learned all about heart disease, and how a stent works to keep the artery open, how heart patches and heart pump functions to keep the heart working. They also had a talk from Registered Dietitian Caroline Walter, who taught the children the importance of eating a healthy diet to help reduce the plaque build up in the artery.
Team iBot focused on cancer research and designed their own nano patches with kids friendly designs and inspirational messages to help cure cancer with nanobots. the team will be consulting with cancer research specialist Dr. Marcela Maus from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center about their their proposed patch solution for cancer. They enjoyed building their own Lego DNA helix model as well as conducting their nano patch experiment on chicken skin.
Team Robo Squad chose to study the human brain. After reviewing all the different brain disease, they settled on solving the problems of Multiple Sclerosis. The team had a talk about MS by Dr. Macaluso, director of Macaluso Tysabri Infusion Center, who is not only a specialist on Multiple Sclerosis, but is also a patient with the MS disease himself.
Dr. Macaluso shared with the kids all the latest development in MS treatment that is available in the country today. The team also enjoyed their field trip to the Brain exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, where they learned more about how the brain works.
Team Mindstorm Mechanics explored the human eyes and tried to understand the difficulties blind people experience without the use of their eye sight. They then came up with some very creative use of echolocation, and designed a unique device for the blind that utilizes echolocation to guide them as they move around. The team consulted with Dr. Ben Epstein, who is a Technology Entrepeneur with a PhD in BioEngineering.
If you are interested in learning more about our research project, come by our Presentation to the Boy Scout group next Tue evening(Jan 11, 2011, 7-8pm) at Our Lady of Mercy's Basement in Forest Hills, Queens.
Our teams are eager to share their findings and discoveries with our community!
