Junior Kenneth Sohn recently competed at an internationally recognized conference on Ubiquitous Robots (UR) held at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
The 22nd UR conference brings together robotics enthusiasts and researchers from around the world to present their applications. The conference was judged by leading engineers in the robotics field while featuring various panels and speeches from industry professionals.
Kenneth has had an interest in robotics for some time now, and this conference allowed him to explore his interests further. “I’ve always had an interest in robotics since I was a kid,” Kenneth said. He has drawn inspiration from his father, who also works with robots.
Kenneth and his partner, a student at Watkinson School, developed an innovative prototype for a robot that has three different movement types: bipedal movement similar to a person, differential-drive movement identical to a car, and momentum-based rolling. They named their robot the Balloid, which highlights its multiple uses and versatility. They created software to control the Balloid’s movements and promote energy efficiency within the robot. Balloid also reduces the overall energy consumption, making it a sustainable option to some current robots. “We built the robot using Solid Works and then 3D printed it,” Kenneth said. “It did take a good amount of work, and I’d like to thank my friend.”
Kenneth and his partner spent almost nine months planning, developing, and presenting the Balloid. However, they have worked together on other projects in the past. While creating the Balloid, they received support from and worked with the University of Hartford Assistive Robot Team, a division of the UHART Robotics Research Group. They first developed an abstract describing the Balloid, their methodology, and its uses. They later submitted the abstract to the conference, and their hard work was rewarded as a group of judges selected them to present the Balloid at the conference.
The in-person conference was an excellent experience for Kenneth and his partner, and it culminated their work on the Balloid. “It was a wonderful experience to present my group’s robot in a convention with college professors and students,” Kenneth said. The conference allowed them to hone in on their presentation skills all while meeting new people. “I gained confidence in myself and learned the true potential of my abilities,” Kenneth added.
An essential part of the Balloid was the cause it was dedicated to. Kenneth and his partner dedicated this project to promoting educational equity within the robotics field and hope that their achievement can encourage others. “I want everyone to have the chance to learn something they want to learn,” Kenneth said. “I hope my robot will encourage others.” The Balloid’s mechanical designs and construction details are publicly available for use in STEM and robotics education. The robot encourages further research and learning into the gap between humanoid robots and simple wheeled robots, and how the Balloid attempts to bridge this gap.
The KO community congratulates Kenneth for this remarkable achievement and looks forward to what he does in the future!
