The robots are coming! On Saturday, May 14, robots take over the Science Mill—along with their teen engineers. Robots will compete to perform tasks in the Robot Showcase, featuring members of Spring Konstant, the FIRST Robotics Competition Team from Dripping Springs High School. Then it’s your turn at the controls! Try out SIX different styles of DIY robots, including motorized WiggleBots, Rubber Band Racers, mBot Rovers, push-pull mechanical toys, BattleBots and hydraulics-powered JudoBots. Plus: inspiring stories from guest speaker Julie Webster, a retired NASA Manager who sent a robotic spacecraft to Saturn. Robotics activities run from 10am-2pm, with presentations at 11am and 1pm; museum open from 10am-4pm.
Robot Showcase
Weighing in at as much as 125 pounds, these bots mean business! Watch as they shoot hoops and climb along monkey bars in a timed competition. Each bot was designed, built, and programmed by teens from Spring Konstant, the FIRST Robotics Competition Team from Dripping Springs High School, who’ll be sharing tips at the robot activity stations throughout the day.
STEM Career Spotlight Guest Speaker - 11am & 1pm, Theatre
Julie Webster, retired NASA Manager
Julie Webster started her career in chemistry and ended up orbiting Saturn! Hear how curiosity, math skills, and learning to communicate across different areas of science helped Julie carve a pioneering path in STEM—from combining chemistry with marine biology and computing to aerospace telecommunication and the build, test, launch and flight of the Cassini robotic spacecraft.
WiggleBots
Combine gears, dowels, and recycled doo-dads with a whole lot of creativity. Then shake things up with an electric motor—you’ve got a WiggleBot! Design your unique motorized bot to race, dance or even scribble.
Rubber Band Racers
Gas, diesel, electric? Nope, this racer runs on rubber bands. Build your bot’s frame, wind up the rubber bands, and let them go, go, go to race! Experiment with different frame designs and rubber band configurations to see what goes farther, faster.
JudoBots
Tap into the physics of leverage in this robot version of judo. Pump up the pistons on your hydraulic-powered JudoBot to move its lever arm up, down and side-to-side in order to dodge your opponent and toss them out of the ring!
Push-Pull Toy Factory
Design the latest, greatest robotic toy using linkages—connectors that transfer motion from rolling wheels to other mechanical parts. Dream up bobbing, swaying, waving creations that come to life as you push and pull the toy along.
MBot Mars Rover
Step behind the controls of our mBot rover and guide it through the simulated Martian landscape. See how fast you can make it to Jezero Crater—but look out for hazards!
BattleBots
Go flipper-to-flipper in an EZ Robot battle and master the moves to flip your opponent’s bot or push them out of the arena. See less