Innovation in Action!: Rugged Rover Remix

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you mix a curious mind with a determined spirit (and a robot or two), look no further than our Innovation Pioneers club. As part of our ongoing partnership with edtech companies, our pupils have spent the last two years working with various EdTech companies to test, develop and sometimes modify their educational products. One of these is TTS, whose various robots have been put through their paces by Innovation Pioneers, including the off-road Rugged Rover… and they’ve taken things to a whole new level.

Last year, one club group tackled the challenge of making the Rugged Rover climb steeper hills by designing and 3D printing their own set of caterpillar tracks. After rigorous testing, some might say “to destruction”, they worked directly with the developers, helping to identify which parts needed replacing and even fabricating new components from the blueprints. It wasn’t long before the question arose: what if we made the Rugged Rover amphibious?

This year, teams of Year 5 and 6 pupils have been modifying the robots for land and water. From adapting components and building paddlewheels to designing new hulls, the children worked both collaboratively and independently to create a true amphibious machine. Their first prototype has already splashed down in testing, and another group is reengineering the robot from the inside out to make a version that can seamlessly transition from land to water.

So what’s next? The Innovation Pioneers are already dreaming up new tests, new modifications, and maybe even new worlds for their robots to explore. Watch this space for updates as our Rugged Rover journey continues!