The robots also contain computer chips, wiring, motors and sensors that allow the robots to detect and avoid other robots. The course, which is in an experimental stage, reflects an effort by the engineering school to address two problems with its curriculum, said Bennett. People who are considering engineering as a career go through two years of prerequisites before they get to the engineering. The second problem is that a lot of people at Rice never have an opportunity to find out about engineering. ELEC 201 is easily accessible to nonengineering students because it has no prerequisites and assumes no prior engineering or programming experience.
Students use their discretion and imagination to design the robots and develop game strategies.
The only stipulation is that robots cannot be programmed to damage or destroy opponents. As a result, the students have created a wide variety of devices. One robot resembling a threshing machine hides blocks in an internal compartment so that the spongy prizes cannot be stolen by an opponent. Once students place the robots on the playing table, the devices are free of any human control and rely on their sensors to detect opponents, the foam blocks and other structures around them. Although students in the class had different levels of educational background in engineering, Bennett thinks the majority of them learned a lot and enjoyed the class.