RMU Animatronic Camps Blends Art and Tech

Some built monsters, others dogs, and one made a trash-can robot.

"It can be anything they want," said Arif Sirinterlikci, director of engineering labratories at . "It's open-ended." 

Sirinterlikci wrapped up a week-long animatronics camp Aug. 10 for area middle schoolers—students learned how to plan and construct robots, which moved and functioned by remote control.

Sirinterlikci said the animatronics workshop featured the youngest campers he's taught. He said it's important to introduce science to youngsters as early as possible. 

Campers spent the week learning how to design and build their own bots, while watching Jim Henson movies to spur their imagination. On the final day of the workshop, they put their robots to the test, manuevering them around the halls of RMU's John Jay Center. 

"It mixes engineering and art," Sirinterlikci said. "They come up with a concept and they see if they can make it happen. You might have a student whose more interested in art and design, but then you expose them to the engineering aspect of it."