What's New > Archived Updates

Vacation week courses draw students from all over the city
During the December and February holiday breaks, more than 40 middle school and high school students from all over Boston turned out at Madison Park Technical Vocational school to attend three-day electronics and robotics courses organized by Machine Science and TechBoston. Using Machine Science's new programmable XIPMods, students created their own digital electronic devices, complete with LEDs, LCD text displays, electronic speakers, digital timers, servo motors, and infrared sensors. To control their devices, students mastered an impressive set of C programming structures, including loops, conditional statements, and variables. Machine Science and TechBoston staff led the course, with the assistance of Phil Simon and Sam Francois, Boston Latin Academy seniors who have participated in Machine Science programs for four years. Response to the workshops was overwhelmingly positive, with 95% of students saying that they would recommend the workshop to a friend. Students who attended the workshop have been invited to continue working with the Machine Science materials at a weekly Saturday program at the John D. O'Bryant School.

St. Louis group uses Machine Science kits for robot sumo competition
Inspired by Machine Science's annual robot sumo competition at the Museum of Science-Boston, the St. Louis chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) is preparing to organize a similar event at the St. Louis Science Center this spring. SHPE volunteers are working with middle school teachers and students at the St. Cecilia Academy, a predominantly Hispanic Catholic school in southwest St. Louis, to build robots for the competition, using Machine Science's robotics kits. A 13-week fall semester session culminated in an intramural competition, with nearly the whole school in attendance. After a spring session, students will take their robots to the St. Louis Science Center to compete in front of an audience of museum visitors. According to project leader Tim Paz of SHPE's St. Louis chapter, "The students in the audience were very excited to witness the competition, and the students who took part in the robotics program shared in that enthusiasm. We sincerely feel that the program was a resounding success and are looking forward to the second session of the robotics program."

Forty teachers attend iSENSE workshop at UMass Lowell
Science teachers from Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire gained hands-on experience with the iSENSE data-logging and web technology at a workshop at UMass Lowell during November. A total of 40 teachers attended the workshop, representing schools in Boston, Braintree, Brookline, Dracut, Greenfield, Haverhill, Hawthorne, Hingham, Lawrence, Marlborough, Masconomet, Nashoba Valley, Newton, Shirley, Somerville, and Tyngsborough. Working in teams of two, teachers used the iSENSE data loggers to measure the cooling rates of liquids in different vessels, and to measure light levels in different areas of the UMass Lowell campus. Teachers then uploaded their data to the iSENSE web site, and used the site's mapping and graphing tools to create visualizations of the pooled data. Nearly all of the teachers in attendance expressed interest in using iSENSE for classroom science instruction. Machine Science and UMass Lowell will be working with these teachers during the spring semester to help bring iSENSE to their students.

Northeastern undergraduates work with Machine Science kits
During the spring 2010 semester, instructors at Northeastern University are using 60 Breadboard Electronics Starter kits from Machine Science to provide hands-on activities for students in the university's Engineering Problem Solving and Computation Course. This undergraduate course teaches students a structured approach to solving engineering problems, with a strong emphasis on C++ programming and MATLAB. Northeastern students are completing the standard sequence of Machine Science breadboard electronics activities, including basic input/output control and more advanced programming challenges with the PIC microcontroller. Associate Academic Specialists Rich Whalen and Sue Freeman are using the Machine Science kits on a trial basis in a few sections of the course, and the university is considering making more extensive use of the kits next year.

iCODE Students Finish Year at UMass Boston
Students in Machine Science's NSF-funded iCODE program built their own GPS devices, MP3 music players, wireless text-messaging devices, and wireless robot controllers at a two-week summer camp during July on the UMass Boston campus. Students built each device using a new modular development system, and wrote C code to create customized user interfaces. The GPS devices displayed real-time latitude and longitude data, while the MP3 players featured inputs for file selection, play and pause, fast forward and reverse, and volume adjustment. The wireless projects featured radio frequency transceivers with a range of several hundred meters. In addition to their project work, students spent an afternoon geocaching at the Blue Hills Reservation, and went on a boat cruise of Boston Harbor. Many thanks to Deborah Boisvert and her staff at the BATEC program for their help with the camp.

STREAM Workshop Features iSENSE Technology
Fifty middle school and high school science teachers from eastern Massachusetts convened at iRobot headquarters in Bedford, MA, on June 26, for a demonstration of a new educational technology jointly developed by Machine Science and UMass Lowell. The Internet System for Networked Sensor Experimentation, or iSENSE, enables students to collect real-world scientific data and then share that data over the web. The system includes a handheld data-logging device, together with a web site where students can upload their data, retrieve data sets from other users, and create dynamic visual representations of data, using mapping and graphing tools. The iSENSE data logger, called the Portable iSENSE Network Point, or PINPoint, features built-in temperature, light, sound, and acceleration sensors, as well as a jack for connecting external probes. The system is designed to assist teachers and students in developing science projects with topics ranging from human health to environmental science and energy conservation. The iSENSE demonstration was one of four presentations at a two-day workshop, organized by UMass Lowell, on using Robots to Teach Science Technology Engineering and Math (STREAM).

GEARS and Machine Science Team up to Offer Robot Controller
GEARS Educational Systems LLC of Hanover, MA, and Machine Science have released a new controller board - the GEARS Robot Controller (GRC) - which provides complete autonomous control of GEARS' line of high-powered robots. Based on the ATMega168 microcontroller from Atmel, the GRC has 18 input/output ports for reading analog and digital sensors, and controlling motors and pneumatics. The GRC also features a network connection that allows users to add expansion modules, such as motor controllers, relays, GPS receivers, LCDs, wireless transceivers, and keypads. Each module will come equipped with its own independent processor, allowing efficient multitasking. This will greatly simplify the integration of new hardware, and provide straightforward software controls. GEARS is a market leader in robotic platforms and curriculum for education, with products in use at more than 100 colleges and universities around the country.

Robot Sumo Grows for Fourth Straight Year
Nearly 100 students competed in Machine Science's annual Robot Sumo Tournament on Saturday, May 23, at the Museum of Science Boston. This marked the fourth straight year of growth for this popular event, which brings together competitors from after-school engineering programs in Boston, Lowell, Lawrence, and Lynn. Kevin Chan of the John D. O'Bryant School in Roxbury claimed top honors, narrowly edging out Julian Rojas and Odom Lim from the James Daley Middle School in Lowell. A total of 40 robots were entered, displaying an impressive range of designs and strategies. Prizes were awarded to the top tournament finishers, as well as competitors whose robots were especially creative or thoughtfully programmed. Many thanks to the Museum of Science and UMass Lowell for helping to make this event a success.

Machine Science Alums Accepted to MIT
We are pleased to congratulate Bruno Piazzarolo of Allston and Alban Cobi of West Roxbury on their acceptance to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Both students are graduating seniors at the John D. O'Bryant School of Math and Science in Roxbury, and they were members of the school's long-running Machine Science after-school program. In the photo to the left, Bruno and Alban are shown working on a do-it-yourself version of the Segway self-balancing scooter-an ambitious engineering project that they completed last summer as part of a multi-school team at MIT's Edgerton Center. An article on the Segway project is scheduled to appear in an upcoming issue of Servo magazine.

Robot Sumo Tournament Attracts Record Entries
A record number of robots—more than 40 in total—were entered in Machine Science’s third annual Robot Sumo Tournament at the Museum of Science on May 24. This year, students from Boston high schools were joined by students from the Lowell and Lawrence area, squaring off in head-to-head robot sumo. A team from the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lawrence, led by Julio Hernandez, captured top honors in an exciting 3-2 victory over Jamesy Jean Michel of Boston Latin Academy. Asahel Sequeria of the O'Bryant School and Marsha Guillaume and Rudolf Luders of The Engineering School at Hyde Park made it to the semifinals. As in past years, round robin play during the early afternoon was followed by a single-elimination matches, leading to the crowning of the tournament champion. Many thanks to the Museum of Science, Solidworks, Microsoft, UMass Lowell, and everyone who helped support this great event.

Beta Release of iSENSE System Planned

Machine Science and UMass-Lowell are preparing to release a beta version of a new web system that will enable high school students and undergraduates to collect, store, and share scientific data on-line. Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, this unique system-the Internet System for Networked Sensor Experimentation (iSENSE)-is intended to be used in connection with classroom probes that measure physical phenomena, such as temperature, light, sound, humidity, pH, etc. Traditionally, these devices are used for tabletop experiments. By enabling students to pool and share their data on-line, the iSENSE system will greatly expand the scope, relevance, and geographic range of experimentation. For example, students in different parts of the world could collect and share data on water quality, urban living conditions, or climate. The system will leverage Google Maps and other "Web 2.0" tools, allowing students to create visually engaging representations of their data. A workshop for teachers interested in using the iSENSE system will take place during the week of August 4 to 8 in Lowell.

Students Have a Blast at iCODE Summer Camp
Students in Machine Science's Internet Community of Design Engineers (iCODE) program took part in an intensive, two-week camp at MIT's Edgerton Center at the end of August, capping a year-long engineering enrichment experience. This year's three iCODE program sites-Boston Latin Academy, the John D. O'Bryant School, and The Engineering School at Hyde Park-were all represented at the camp, which challenged students to design and build water rockets. Some rockets were outfitted with video cameras and electronic instrumentation to measure their height and acceleration. On the camp's final day, several rockets topped 200 feet, with the highest soaring to nearly 300 feet! Many thanks to Chiamaka Porter of the O'Bryant School and Erica Wilson of the Engineering School for their help in planning and running the camp, and particularly to Ed Moriarty of the Edgerton Center, who arranged for MIT to host the summer sessions at the last minute. The camp had originally been scheduled to take place at UMass Boston, but had to be moved after university officials learned that it would involve rocketry. Due to airspace restrictions at Logan Airport, rocket launching and other aerial activities are prohibited on the UMass Boston campus. The iCODE program is funded by a three-year NSF grant and operated in partnership with the University of Massachusetts at Lowell (UMass Lowell).

Machine Science to Receive Second NSF Grant
Just one year after kicking off the iCODE program, Machine Science has learned that the organization will receive another award from the National Science Foundation for a second collaborative project with UMass Lowell. This new award, totaling some $600,000 over three years, will support the development of a unique web-based learning environment, making it possible for students across the country to aggregate and share scientific data on-line. This first-of-its-kind educational tool-the Internet System for Networked Sensor Experimentation (or iSENSE)-will enable students to upload data to the web from commonly available classroom probes, such as temperature, humidity, and pH sensors. The iSENSE system will feature interactive tools for searching, graphing, and creating dynamic visualizations of the shared scientific data. By pooling their data, participating students will in essence be creating an expanded sensor network, and they will be encouraged to engage in collaborative research on topics ranging from human health and urban transportation to environmental science and energy conservation. The grant will be provided through NSF's Advanced Learning Technologies program, which supports "radical improvements in learning through innovative computer and information technologies."

Google to Promote Machine Science with AdWords
Through a unique charitable program designed to support the work of non-profit organizations in science, technology, education, and other fields, the Internet search giant Google will promote Machine Science's programs and products to users of the popular Google search engine. The Google grants program gives non-profits free access to Google's AdWords advertising service, which enables companies to place advertisements alongside the results generated by Google searches. AdWords advertisers pay only when searchers click on these sponsored links. Moreover, advertisers can select specific search terms to ensure that their advertisements are displayed only to users with related interests. In this way, Machine Science will be able to promote our products and services to users whose searches include, for example, "after-school programs," "hands-on learning," or "educational robotics." Our hope is that this will drive traffic to the Machine Science web site, increase sales at our on-line store, and raise the organization's national profile.

Steven Folkins Hired as New Program Manager
We are delighted to announce that Machine Science has hired Steven Folkins as the organization's new program manager. Steven has extensive experience as an after-school and summer program manager, having previously served as the coordinator for the city of Somerville's 21st Century Learning Program and as the director of the city's Science Solutions Summer Program. Prior to that, he worked as a special education teacher in the Lynnfield Public Schools and as an after-school program leader in Somerville. Steven has a bachelor's degree in Arts and Education and a master's degree in Education and Creative Arts from Wheelock College. While we are sorry to say goodbye to Emily Lin, who served as Machine Science's program manager for more than two years, we are confident that Steven will ably assume her duties, while bringing new perspectives and energy to the organization.

JUNE 2007

Sumo Robots Storm Museum of Science
Corruption1 Visitors to the Museum of Science-Boston were treated to a display of engineering wizardry and spirited competition last month, as students, teachers, parents, and siblings convened for Machine Science's second annual Robot Sumo Tournament. The pool of competitors was larger this year than last, with students coming from Chelsea, Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, and Roxbury. The contest featured a range of exciting new robot designs, including custom entries built with expanded PVC foamboard and DC motors. Catherine Mui and Le Nguyen of the John D. O'Bryant School in Roxbury took first place with their robot "Corruption." Kevin Chan, also of the O'Bryant School, placed second with "Warrior." Almeter McMillion and Rikari Moreta of The Engineering School at Hyde Park made it to the semifinals with "Goldilocks," as did Darlene Charles of the O'Bryant School, who entered "DBot." For the second year in a row, SolidWorks helped sponsor the event, awarding a 10-seat site license for their educational CAD software to the winning school. Microsoft was a first-time corporate sponsor, donating a web cam, wireless mouse, and other prizes for competitors. Congratulations to all the participants, and thanks to the Museum of Science, SolidWorks, Microsoft, and everyone who volunteered to help make this event a success.

Water Rockets Take Off as Classroom Activity
Just a few months after their release, Machine Science's instructions for building and launching water rockets have been adopted as in-class science and engineering activities at several Boston-area high schools. At the John D. O'Bryant School in Roxbury, Joe Herrington has been building rockets with his 11th grade honors physics class, while Steve Fernandez has incorporated the curriculum into an advanced placement physics class. Likewise, Winston Nicholls of the Boston Community Leadership Academy in Brighton has adopted water rocketry as part of the school's pre-engineering instruction. In a recent e-mail, he noted: "This has been a real learning experience. We are having so much fun; even students who are not normally engaged are participating. One student actually told me 'Mr. Nicholls, we should do this every day!'" Next year, we hope to build on this success with more school sites using the rocketry instructions, and perhaps arrange an interscholastic rocket competition for advanced rocketeers.

Machine Science Gears Up for Summer at UMass-Boston
Students in Machine Science's Internet Community of Design Engineers (iCODE) program will take part in a two-week camp this summer on the UMass-Boston campus. Approximately 30 students are expected to attend, representing this year's three iCODE program sites-Boston Latin Academy, the John D. O'Bryant School, and The Engineering School at Hyde Park. Chiamaka Porter of the O'Bryant and Erica Wilson of the Engineering School will help run the camp, together with a group of undergraduate mentors and the Machine Science staff. Activities will include a blend of rocketry, electronics, and computer programming, as students will be challenged to design and build rockets capable of carrying sophisticated electronic instrumentation on-board. An accelerometer will be used to measure the flight of each rocket, and some rockets will be outfitted with video cameras to capture the sights and sounds of their launch and return to earth! The iCODE program is funded by a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation, and operated in partnership with UMass Lowell.

Emily Lin to Pursue Master's Degree at Harvard
After serving for two and a half years as Machine Science's full-time program manager, Emily Lin will be leaving the organization this September to pursue her master's degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. During her tenure, Emily has overseen the organization's network of program sites, training program leaders, recruiting and placing undergraduate mentors, and maintaining close contact with teachers and students. In her first year, after observing that younger students were struggling to comprehend the material presented in Machine Science's more advanced projects, she took on the development and piloting of a new curriculum module, designed to introduce beginning students to the fundamentals of electrical and mechanical engineering. Over the past nine months, she has ably inaugurated our NSF-funded collaboration with UMass Lowell, helping to expand the reach of our educational program outside of Boston. Next year, Emily will take part in a multidisciplinary Social Entrepreneurship program as a recipient of a Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation Fellowship. We will miss Emily's abundant talents and enthusiasm, but we wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors at Harvard and beyond.

FEBRUARY 2007

Boston and Lowell Sites Start NSF-Funded Programs
Machine Science and UMass Lowell have kicked off after-school engineering programs at five sites in Boston and Lowell, as part of a collaborative project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Machine Science programs are at the John D. O’Bryant School in Roxbury, the Engineering School in Hyde Park, and the Excel High School in South Boston, while UMass is supporting programs at Girls Inc. and the James S. Daley Middle School in Lowell. A total of 50 students will participate during the project’s first year, attending weekly after-school program sessions, weekend events and competitions, and a two-week summer immersion on the UMass campuses in Boston and Lowell. Next year, the programs will expand to five sites in Boston and five in Lowell, serving about 100 students per year. Participants who stay involved with the project for multiple years will be given the opportunity to assume leadership roles, mentoring beginner students. The three-year project, called Building an Internet Community of Design Engineers, or iCODE, is being funded by a $1.1-million grant that NSF awarded to Machine Science and UMass Lowell in October 2006.

Machine Science Releases Beta Programmer for FIRST Robot Controller
Just in time for the 2007 season of the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), Machine Science has rolled out a beta version of an on-line programming environment for the FRC Robot Controller. This hardware platform serves as the control center for all of the robots in the FIRST competition. FIRST teams typically program the FRC Robot Controller using MPLAB, a full-featured software editing environment. However, installing and configuring MPLAB can be a serious challenge, especially for rookie teams. With Machine Science’s on-line programming environment, FIRST Teams may simply log in to the Machine Science web site and start developing code for their FIRST robot! By next season, we hope to give the environment a richer interface and write a full set of programming guides for the FRC Robot Controller.

Second Robot Sumo Event Scheduled for May 2007
Machine Science’s second annual Robot Sumo Competition will take place at the Museum of Science Boston on Saturday, May 19, 2007. As in last year’s competition, robots will square off against one another in exciting one-on-one autonomous sumo action. This year's event will feature more competitors, more matches, and a range of custom-designed sumo robots, built with Machine Science's new modular robot fabrication system. Students from all over the city are expected to participate, and parents, teachers, classmates, and siblings are all invited to attend. Be sure to save the date!.

Rocket Building Teaches Students about the Science of Flight
With an eye toward expanding the organization's curriculum offerings, Machine Science has begun testing designs for safe, low-cost, water rockets that will teach students about aeronautics and the physics of flight. During November, students at the John D. O’Bryant School were among the first to design, build, and launch their own rockets into the skies near Roxbury Crossing. Dozens of different rockets were built, using recycled 2-liter containers, thin plastic materials, tennis balls, and other found objects. Each rocket was filled with water, placed on a launch pad, pressurized with carbon dioxide, and then released into the air. The height of each flight was determined using a device that enables the user to sight an object and measures the angle of its elevation. Ed Moriarty, of MIT’s Edgerton Center was on hand to shoot high-speed video of the launches. Most rockets topped out about 100 to 200 feet, and some reached as high as 275 feet!

OCTOBER 2006

Machine Science and UMass Lowell Receive $1.1-Million Award
nsflogo In partnership with UMass Lowell, Machine Science has been awarded a three-year, $1.1-million grant from the National Science Foundation to support after-school and summer engineering experiences for underserved students in Boston and Lowell. An estimated 175 students will participate over the three-year grant period, attending after-school program sessions, career events, design exhibitions/competitions, and summer camps on the UMass campuses in Boston and Lowell. Working together, UMass Lowell and Machine Science will also develop an on-line learning system that will enable schools and community centers across the country to support engineering programs for students in grades 7 to 12. Called the Internet Community of Design Engineers, or iCODE, this unique system will incorporate step-by-step instructions for hands-on engineering projects, on-line tools for programming microcontrollers, resources to facilitate on-line mentoring by university students and IT professionals, forums for sharing project ideas and engaging in collaborative troubleshooting, and tools for creating web-based project portfolios. NSF is providing the grant under its Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program, which provides opportunities for students and teachers to learn about, experience, and use information technologies within the context of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses.

Machine Science Becomes Official Supplier for FIRST Competition
After carefully evaluating Machine Science’s kits and curriculum materials earlier this year, the organizers of the annual FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) have agreed to offer Machine Science user accounts to the teachers, mentors, and students on all of the more than 1,100 FRC teams in the upcoming season. The FIRST organizers gathered feedback from seven different teams over the spring and summer months. All of the teams gave high marks to Machine Science’s kits, curriculum, and on-line programming tools, and respondents unanimously agreed that Machine Science projects would be excellent preparation for FRC competitors during the “pre-season”— the period between the start of school and the intense interval in January and February when teams build their robots for the competition. The FIRST partnership will give national visibility to Machine Science, and we would like to thank Dean Kamen and his staff at FIRST for their interest and support.

Robot Sumo Contest Draws Crowds at Museum of Science
winner Hundreds of spectators turned out to watch Machine Science’s first annual Robot Sumo Competition at the Museum of Science-Boston last May. More than 30 students built entries for the competition, and a total of 19 robots competed for top honors. First place went to Jeff Lopes of Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Dorchester. Ergy Jean-Baptiste, a student at English High School in Jamaica Plain, took second place. Krista St. Louis, a 7th grader at the John D. O'Bryant School in Roxbury, placed third, and Harneys Melo of the Jordan Boys & Girls Club in Chelsea finished fourth. Congratulations to all the participants, and thanks to the Museum of Science, SolidWorks, and everyone who volunteered to help make this event a success.

Machine Science Students Create Their Own Assistive Technology
At a weekend course this summer at the Museum of Science, two visually impaired students from the Perkins School for the Blind used Machine Science components to create an electronic quiz game. To construct the game, the students attached multiple choice questions, rendered in Braille, to the outside of a cardboard box. Each answer choice was marked with a small machine screw. Inside the box, the students wired the terminals together with a battery pack and two different electronic buzzers to signal correct and incorrect answers. Students also constructed motion detectors as take-home projects. Conceived by the students as a clever means of coping with dormitory life, the devices had infrared sensors that activated a buzzer whenever an unexpected guest entered the room.

MAY 2006

Robot Sumo Event Draws Students from All Over Boston
winner Machine Science’s first-ever Robot Sumo Competition took place at the Museum of Science Boston on Saturday, May 6, from 12:30PM to 4PM. Machine Science students from all over the Boston area prepared entries for the competition, which autonomous robots against one another in a modern twist on the ancient Japanese sport of sumo wrestling. Robots squared off in a series of exciting matches, attempting to push their opponents from a circular platform without straying out of bounds themselves. The Museum of Science hosted the competition, and SolidWorks, a Concord, Massachusetts-based developer of 3D design software, sponsored the event.

MIT Design Course Uses Machine Science Kits
Students in MIT’s 2.007 Design and Manufacturing course are using Machine Science kits to develop entries for the course’s long-running design competition. MIT has offered the 2.007 course (formerly known as 2.70) since 1970, challenging students to build complex machines to solve engineering design problems. In the course, each student receives a standard set of parts and materials to construct his or her contest entry. This year, course organizers adopted the Machine Science Starter Kit as the microcontroller platform for those students who choose to create autonomous contest entries. We are delighted to be a part of this exciting event, which is one of MIT's premier undergraduate competitions. The 2.007 design competition will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, May 16 and 17, at MIT’s Johnson Athletic Center Ice Rink (Building W34).

FIRST Evaluates Machine Science Kits
U.S. FIRST, the Manchester, New Hampshire-based organization that runs the annual FIRST Robotics Competition, is evaluating Machine Science kits as a primer on C programming for students who are preparing to enter the competition. Following a meeting between Sam Christy and FIRST founder Dean Kamen in January, U.S. FIRST purchased Machine Science Starter Kits for five FIRST teams—one in California, two in Michigan, one in Wisconsin, and one in Virginia. The format for the FIRST Robotics competition has traditionally emphasized remote control over autonomous operation, but the competition’s organizers are increasingly looking for ways to teach participating students to create autonomous entries. Since the control system included in the FIRST Robotics equipment package is programmed in C, Machine Science project kits offer excellent preparation for the event. Founded in 1989, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) draws more than 28,000 high school students per year, with 33 regional contests throughout the country and a championship event in Atlanta, Georgia.

National Event Spotlights Machine Science
Creative projects built with Machine Science’s microcontroller platform and on-line programming environment were on display this month at the first annual Maker Faire in San Mateo, California. Sponsored by Make magazine, the two-day event featured hundreds of inventions, demonstrations, and hands-on workshops, highlighting innovative uses of technology in art and education. More than 10,000 spectators toured the exhibit spaces, and many came by to check out Machine Science’s educational system and other innovations. A computer-controlled Etch a Sketch, originally developed by a Machine Science student at the John D. O’Bryant School, was among the Faire’s most talked-about items! We would like to thank the Maker Faire organizers for inviting us to take part in the event, and helping us spread the word about Machine Science on the West Coast.

Machine Science Opens On-Line Store
It’s now easier than ever for educators and hobbyists to order Machine Science kits, as well as tools and replacement components, using our new on-line store. Built on an open source e-commerce platform, the store offers a full-featured on-line shopping experience, complete with product images and descriptions, virtual shopping carts, and secure check out procedures. Over time, we expect revenue from the store to help offset the cost of supporting our engineering programs in urban public schools. Many thanks to our developer, Dan Keshet, for getting the store up and running!

DECEMBER 2005

IBM Teams with Machine Science to Offer On-Line Mentoring
Using a unique on-line mentoring system developed by IBM, students in the Machine Science program at Boston Latin Academy now have a way to communicate with software engineers from IBM during each after-school program session. The partnership makes use of IBM’s www.MentorPlace.org web site, which provides threaded discussion forums for students from all over the world to interact with IBM employees. Students typically post questions regarding academics and technology careers, but IBM’s partnership with Machine Science is taking these exchanges to a new level. Engineers at IBM’s Cambridge facility have agreed to get up to speed on the Machine Science projects and log in at specific times so that they can offer real-time technical advice and troubleshooting assistance, as well as career guidance, to the Boston Latin Academy students. If the on-line mentoring works well, we hope to expand it to include other Machine Science program sites and other Boston-area companies, providing a way for professionals to get involved with our programs without leaving the office. IBM’s Wing Yung and Cathleen Finn have been instrumental in supporting this initiative.

Analog Devices and Machine Science Develop New Project
In another exciting partnership, Analog Devices—a global semiconductor firm based in Massachusetts—is working with Machine Science to develop a new educational project, using the company’s ADXL202 accelerometer. The idea for the project emerged at a meeting last month involving senior technical and managerial staff from Analog Devices, Sam Christy and Emily Lin of Machine Science, and Steve Fernandez and Jamy Drouillard, who lead Machine Science programs at the John D. O’Bryant School in Roxbury. Steve and Jamy both expressed strong interest in developing a new classroom tool for teaching students about the physics of acceleration. The accelerometer will be integrated with Machine Science’s existing microcontroller platform, creating a device that will measure and log acceleration. Students are currently learning about logging data from sensors, with a view to using the data to analyze real-world forces. Possible applications include logging the acceleration on city buses and sporting equipment, such as football tackle dummies and baseballs. Brian Chesney, a Digital Design Engineer at Analog, is providing technical oversight for the project. Many thanks to Brian, Jack Memishian, Lindsey Schrader, and Prakash Moparthi for committing time to this effort, and to Analog Chairman Ray Stata for getting this partnership started.

Machine Science Students Compete at MIT’s BOT BOWL
Students from three different Machine Science programs participated on December 16 in BOT BOWL-a robotics competition at MIT's Stata Center. BOT BOWL challenged contestants to design and build robots capable of propelling balls into a small-scale bowling alley. Scores were based on the number of soda bottles knocked over by each robot. The robots operated in both radio-controlled and autonomous modes, with bonus points awarded for fully autonomous entries. The competition, organized by MIT’s Edgerton Center, was conceived as a warm-up event for the annual FIRST Robotics Competition. BOT BOWL was an “open-architecture” event, meaning that entries were built with a range of different robotics platforms. Machine Science was represented by students from Boston University Academy, English High School, and the John D. O’Bryant School, as well as several individual competitors. We would like to thank MIT’s Ed Moriarty for organizing this terrific event and congratulate all the participants on their excellent work!

New Courses Offered at Museum of Science
The Museum of Science has scheduled a full slate of Machine Science courses this year, and the courses continue to be popular with museum visitors. During October, a group of 15 students enrolled in a two-day, introductory Build Your Own Electronic Devices course at the museum, under the leadership of Machine Science Program Manager Emily Lin. The students completed Machine Science’s Getting Started and Introductory Projects curriculum, building digital text displays, stopwatches, and thermometers. Many of these students re-enrolled in the follow-up Build Your Own Music Synthesizer course, using Machine Science’s Digital Music Synthesizer curriculum. Another Electronic Devices course is scheduled for February 2006 vacation week (February 21 to 24), and a Machine Science Robotics Course will be offered March 5 and 12.

On-Line User Community Continues to Grow
More than 240 students have registered user accounts in Machine Science’s on-line system this year. Together with 21 mentors, 25 teachers, administrative and other accounts, the system now has nearly 300 registered users. We are supporting 18 programs around the city, with sites in Boston, Chelsea, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and Somerville. The students participating in Machine Science’s after-school programs continue to reflect the tremendous diversity of the communities we serve. Of the registered students, 28% are Latino, 24% are Black, 21% are White, 15% are Asian, and 12% are of other backgrounds. More than 40% of the participating students are not native English speakers.

OCTOBER 2005

Museum of Science Hosts Machine Science Training
A total of 19 teachers and after-school program leaders from around the city convened at the Museum of Science on September 17th and 18th for Machine Science’s annual end-of-summer training workshop. The group - our largest ever - comprised a corps of returning teachers, together with many newcomers to Machine Science. These included representatives of the Museum, Americorps VISTA, the Boston University Minority Engineers Society, and the Young Achievers Science and Math Pilot School. Designed and led by Machine Science Program Manager Emily Lin, the two-day workshop featured a range of activities, including an introduction to Machine Science’s on-line system, practice with the project guides, troubleshooting labs, demonstrations of advanced projects, and guidance on program management. Many thanks to David Rabkin, the Museum’s Vice President of Technology, for arranging for the Museum to host the event.

MIT Event Features Machine Science Kits
After successfully using Machine Science kits in an undergraduate course this spring, MIT purchased additional kits for its long-running Minority Introduction to Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and Science (MITE2S) program. Every summer, students from all over the country come to MIT for this intensive, six-week residential program. This year, the MITE2S students used Machine Science’s kits to build robots for the program’s much-anticipated engineering design competition at the end of the six-week period. MIT chose the Machine Science kits so that the MITE2S students could build more advanced robots than in past years. These robots had to operate in remote-controlled and autonomous modes, negotiate a maze, deposit plastic balls in a target holes, and push a rod up an incline. The MITE2S students did an amazing job, designing and building their robots in a very short time period!

IBM Donates Computers to Machine Science
ibm_logo During August, Machine Science received a donation of new computer equipment from IBM, including three new work stations and a server. The equipment has enabled us to upgrade our work stations for research and development tasks, product testing, teacher training, and administrative functions. The server has formed the hub for an office network, providing a central repository for backing up critical data. Eventually, we may move the server off site, in order to establish a dedicated server for our on-line educational system. We would like to thank Cathleen Finn, IBM's Corporate Community Relations Program Manager, for her assistance in arranging for this generous donation.

Robot Sumo Contest Planned for 2006
Building on a recent groundswell of interest in robotics competitions, Machine Science is planning a robot sumo competition, which will be open to students in all of our after-school engineering programs. Each program site will be encouraged to build an entry for the competition, which will be held during the spring of 2006 at the Museum of Science. In robot sumo, two autonomous robots try to push each other from a circular platform without straying out of bounds. To ensure a fair and lively competition, Machine Science will identify a set of motors and sensors that may be used in the design of each sumo robot. We have done some preliminary parts testing this summer, and we plan to distribute contest rules to the students in Machine Science's after-school programs midway through the fall semester.

Summer Interns Prototype New Projects
As in past years, Machine Science offered internship positions to three students this summer, and these individuals made excellent contributions in developing new projects. The interns - Ergy Jean-Baptiste, a junior at English High School, Phi Diec, a junior at Randolph High School, and Ian Morse, a student at the Corwin-Russell School - prototyped a number of new projects, including a radio frequency text-messaging device, a burglar alarm system, and several innovative robot designs.

Machine Science Partners with Roxbury Health Center
This summer, Machine Science was invited to be a part of the Lower Roxbury Coalition's (LRC's) Summer Program at the Whittier Street Health Center (WSHC) in Roxbury. Other providers included SquashBusters at Northeastern University, the MIT/Chandra Astronomy Project, and the Topf Center for Dance Education. Sixteen students between the ages of 10 and 14 participated in the camp, which was featured in the Boston Globe for the diverse opportunities it offered to Roxbury youth. The participants were the first to try out Machine Science's new group activities and contests, which help students review and bring new contexts to the technical knowledge they learn while working on Machine Science projects. One student remarked, "This is the kind of stuff you always see, but you never thought you would be doing it yourself!" After a very successful summer experience, the LRC and WSHC have decided to include Machine Science as part of their new, on-going after-school programming, and we look forward to continuing the partnership.

JUNE 2005

Mayor, Superintendent Open Machine Science Lab
Mayor Thomas Menino and Boston Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Payzant were among the distinguished presenters at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 2 for the new Machine Science Lab at the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science in Roxbury. "When I was in school, we learned math and science by reading from the blackboard," the Mayor said in his remarks. "Today, Boston students are doing exciting hands-on projects that teach them how math and science are applied in the real world," he added. Superintendent Payzant, Boston Foundation President Paul Grogan, Boston School Committee Vice Chair Marchelle Raynor, O'Bryant Headmaster Joel Stembridge, and O'Bryant teacher Myriam Hibbard also spoke at the ceremony, heralding the lab as a symbol of the O'Bryant School's commitment to becoming one of the country's premier math and science schools.

Over the past two years, Machine Science has spearheaded an effort to renovate the O'Bryant lab space, equip it with machine tools, and install high end computer equipment and furnishings. The lab initiative has received generous support from the Boston Foundation's New Economy Initiative and from the Timothy Smith Network, which agreed to locate a Timothy Smith Computer Learning Center at the site. This year, the lab emerged as a locus of engineering activity at the school, serving as a venue for two Machine Science after-school programs, as well as several multidisciplinary projects completed by small teams of students and teachers. At the recent ceremony, several students showed off their projects, and 11th grader Nairobi Mateo presented Mayor Menino with his very own Machine Science robot.

Machine Science Students Excel at Robotics Olympics
A total of 15 students from five different Machine Science programs competed at TechBoston's annual Robotics Olympics on May 7, taking home medals in five of the seven events. Thomas Joyce of Boston Latin Academy won a first-place medal for his robot's performance in the ramp-climbing event. Samantha Menard and Nijaia Muhammad of Boston Latin Academy placed second with their robot that spun double-dutch jump ropes. Ergy Jean-Baptiste of English High School took first place in a complicated challenge requiring robots to pick up a ping pong ball and deposit it in a target ring. A team from the Chelsea Boys & Girls Club, comprising Joshua Baker, Harneys Melo, Kenneth Mercado, and Joshua McLellan, won second-place honors in this event. Dan Tod and Aaron Bond of South Shore Charter School placed third. Dan Tod also took first place for his robotic catapult and his page-turning robot. Brendon Skerritt of Boston Latin Academy placed second in the catapult event. Congratulations to all of the participants for their hard work and outstanding performance!

Emily Lin Joins Machine Science as Program Manager
We are pleased to announce that Emily Lin has accepted a position with Machine Science as the organization's new Program Manager. In this role, Emily will serve as the primary point of contact for the Machine Science instructors, visit the program sites regularly, coordinate the placement of undergraduate mentors, and help collect data for an on-going, comprehensive evaluation of the Machine Science program. Emily has done a superb job since joining Machine Science in March 2005. This semester, Emily also worked as a Machine Science instructor in the Somerville Public Schools. Previously, Emily has held positions as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate physics course at Harvard College and as a program presenter at the Boston Museum of Science. She also spent a year in Ghana, establishing Earn-a-Bike programs in Ghanaian schools in collaboration with the Village Bicycle Project and the Boston-based non-profit Bikes Not Bombs. Emily holds a bachelor's degree in physics and astronomy and astrophysics from Harvard University.

MARCH 2005

Machine Science Launches New On-Line Resources
Users logging in to the Machine Science web site last month were greeted with a host of exciting updates to our on-line project guides and programming portal. The project guides now have a revamped menu structure, which allows users to locate specific guides more rapidly and navigate more easily through the documents. A number of new review questions and programming challenges have been added to ensure that users understand key engineering and programming concepts. The Machine Science programming portal has also been given a new look, with a more polished, menu-driven interface. A new split-screen presentation allows users to view project guides and the portal simultaneously—an innovation that greatly facilitates the writing and editing of code. To take an interactive tour of our new on-line materials, click on the link in the Learn More box on the home page.

21st Century Community Learning Centers Choose Machine Science
With funding from the state’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CLC) program, the Somerville Public Schools recently launched Machine Science engineering programs at four Somerville middle schools. A total of more 30 students are participating in the Machine Science programs, which are being offered at the Arthur D. Healey School, the East Somerville Community School, the West Somerville Neighborhood School, and the Winter Hill Community School. Somerville is one of 28 Massachusetts cities and towns that received 21st Century CLC grants for fiscal year 2005. The grants, ranging from $50,000 to $850,000, enable Massachusetts communities to establish or expand learning centers that operate during out-of-school hours and provide students with academic enrichment opportunities. Other grant recipients and those interested in applying for 21st Century CLC grants are encouraged to contact Machine Science about collaborating on programs or proposals.

MIT Incorporates Machine Science into Introductory Engineering Course
Undergraduate students enrolled in the introductory Engineering Projects Laboratory course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will be working this semester with Machine Science’s project kits and curriculum. The course, which is offered through MIT's Edgerton Center, is intended for MIT students with no background in electronics. MIT is also considering incorporating Machine Science projects into the university’s educational outreach programs for high school students. We are extremely pleased to have received this endorsement from one of the world’s premier technical universities!

O’Bryant Engineering Lab Buzzes with Activity
The Center of Excellence Engineering Laboratory at the John D. O’Bryant School is a locus of engineering activity at the school this year. Under the supervision of mechanical engineering expert Stewart Murray, teams of O’Bryant students are working on two exciting engineering projects. In one project, students are building a motorized mounting system for an electronic persistence-of-vision display, which uses light-emitting diodes to display messages. In the second project, students are building a human-powered generator, which could be used to produce electricity in developing countries. The O’Bryant lab is also the site of two regular Machine Science programs this year: an all-girls program and a co-ed program. Over the past two years, Machine Science has renovated the lab space and equipped it with new computers and state-of-the-art engineering tools.

Girls-Only Programs Continue at Three Sites
Building on the success of last semester’s girls-only engineering programs at the John D. O’Bryant School and the Charlestown Boys and Girls Club, Machine Science and the Girls Get Connected Collaborative (GGCC) will be offering girls-only programs at three sites this spring: the Edwards Middle School in Charlestown, the New Boston Pilot Middle School in Dorchester, and the Washington Irving Middle School in Roslindale. GGC Director Deborah Muscella will be closely evaluating the programs to identify strategies for attracting girls to Machine Science's co-ed engineering programs. The girls-only programs are made possible through a grant from the United Way's Today's Girls... Tomorrow's Leaders program.

MassArt Uses Machine Science Kits in Computer Arts Course
The Massachusetts College of Art (MassArt) is using Machine Science’s engineering kits to teach undergraduate art students how to design interactive, electronically controlled artwork. The kits have become part of MassArt’s Computer-Controlled Media course, which is offered through the college’s Computer Arts Center. Each student in the course is required to build an electronic circuit, write code to control a device external to the computer, and then complete a final project involving digital electronics. We look forward to seeing the final projects!

Machine Science Registration Database Tops 150 Users
With the launch of four new programs in the Somerville schools, the number of registered users of Machine Science’s on-line project guides and tools now exceeds 150 teachers, mentors, and students. Our registration database stores baseline information about every person involved with Machine Science. It also lets us administer periodic surveys to teachers, mentors, and students, and monitor the overall usage of the system. By the end of the spring semester, Machine Science programs will be operating at 14 sites around the city, and we expect to have nearly 200 registered users.

SEPTEMBER 2004

United Way Funds Girls-Only Machine Science Programs
Under its Today's Girls... Tomorrow's Leaders initiative, the United Way of Massachusetts Bay made a $34,000 grant to Machine Science at the start of the summer to support girls-only engineering programs at five sites this year. Working in partnership with the Girls Get Connected Collaborative (GGCC), Machine Science piloted a girls-only program this summer at the Patriots' Trail Girl Scout Council's Waltham Service Center, and we will offer girls-only programs during the 2004-2005 school year at the New Boston Pilot Middle School, the John D. O'Bryant School, the Washington Irving Middle School, and the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club. A total of about 10 girls participated in the summer program in Waltham, and 40 will participate in the upcoming programs, gaining first-hand experience with professional engineering tools and software. Female mentors will be recruited from local universities to help participating girls with their engineering projects, and professional engineers and technologists will be invited to speak to girls about career options. GGCC Director Deborah Muscella will closely monitor the programs, and help develop strategies for attracting more girls to Machine Science's school-based engineering programs.

Machine Science Offered at Charlestown Boys and Girls Club
Twelve middle school boys and girls from the Charlestown Boys and Girls Club participated this summer in a Machine Science program that served as an important first step in a larger collaboration between Machine Science and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston. The Charlestown program was lead by Kevin Slesinsky, a teacher at the South Shore Charter School, and David Lafferty, Machine Science's summer intern (see related item below). Participants completed Machine Science's three Getting Started Units and three Introductory Projects, building a working text display, stopwatch, and digital thermometer. Moving forward, Machine Science will support an all-girls program at the Charlestown Club and co-ed program at the Chelsea Boys and Girls Club this fall, and we hope to bring engineering programs into additional Boys and Girls Clubs next year.

Teachers Complete Machine Science Summer Training
A total of 10 teachers and after-school program leaders received training this summer in the use of Machine Science's engineering curriculum. Eight attended Machine Science's end-of-summer workshop, which was held August 26 and 27 at the Patriot's Trail Girl Scout Council's Boston Service Center. The attendees included representatives of five new Machine Science program sites: Conrado Montero of Jeremiah Burke High School, Radigunda Marmanillo of Brighton High School, Joseph Rodriguez of Boston Latin Academy, Letasha Souffrant of Charlestown Boys and Girls Club, and Adetunji Onamade of Chelsea Boys and Girls Club. Also in attendance were Sandra Pierson and Myriam Hibbard of the John D. O'Bryant School and Eric Kemp-Benedict of Fenway High School. Earlier in the summer, Marsha Turin and Lisa Henderson of TechBoston Academy received training at Machine Science's office in Central Square. We are very excited about moving ahead this year with this talented and enthusiastic group of teachers.

MIT Provides Summer Intern for Machine Science
Through an arrangement with the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Machine Science was able to hire MIT student David Lafferty as an intern for the summer at no cost. David, who is entering his junior year as a mechanical engineering major at MIT, spent the summer helping to run Machine Science's engineering program at the Charlestown Boys and Girls Club and prototyping new projects for the Machine Science engineering curriculum. David made a significant contribution, and we are pleased that he plans to stay on at Machine Science as a program mentor during the upcoming academic year. We would like to thank Mitchel Resnick, Director of the Media Lab's Lifelong Learning Group, for helping to arrange for David's services this summer.

Work Begins on On-Line, Video-Enhanced Curriculum
As part of the on-going enhancement of our engineering curriculum, Machine Science is working with Cambridge-based video producer and web consultant Alex Rapp to develop an on-line, video-enhanced version of the curriculum. Alex has begun shooting digital video clips of key project steps and safety procedures, and he is developing a template for presenting these materials on-line. When completed, the on-line curriculum will provide an engaging, interactive experience for students as they complete their Machine Science projects. Alex's work has been generously underwritten by Todd Rice, who represents Social Venture Partners-Boston.

Machine Science Set to Unveil Programming Portal
This fall, Machine Science is preparing to launch a web-based programming portal--enabling students to write and compile code for their engineering projects on-line, rather than on their local machines. This first-of-its-kind portal will greatly enhance the programming experience for all participating students, while making it easier for Machine Science to support a larger number of programs. Programming is a central element in all of our engineering projects. In previous years, students have had to download and install software locally to do the required programming. In some cases, the installation proved difficult, since schools and community centers often block students from installing software or from using programs that require full access to the computer's local drive. With the web-based portal in place, students will simply log in to the portal from any Internet-connected computer, and then write and compile their code on-line. This will circumvent installation problems, allow us to support both Mac and PC users, and eliminate the need to distribute software upgrades to our program sites. At the same time, the portal will provide a simpler programming interface for students, and allow us to track student activity, diagnose problems, and answer questions remotely, without having a staff member on site.

MAY 2004

Museum of Science Hosts Machine Science Course
During March, the Museum of Science-Boston hosted its first-ever Machine Science engineering course. The Museum has purchased a total of 12 robotics kits, together with related curriculum materials, in order to make Machine Science engineering courses a regular part of its educational offerings. The first course was filled to capacity with 12 Boston-area middle school and high school students. Three Museum staff members--Joel Rosenberg, Susan Timberlake, and Kim Zern--led the group, with assistance from Machine Science instructor Saladin Ali-Salaam.

Robotics Curriculum Module Being Piloted at Partner Schools
Students at our partner schools are making impressive progress on their Machine Science's robotics projects. Each participating student has received a kit with all of the electronic and mechanical components needed to build a mobile robot. Students have assembled their robots, and they are learning to program the robot's embedded controller in C. By the end of the year, every robot will be fully functional--able to navigate around obstacles in its path, avoid falling down stairs, and receive signals from an infrared remote control.

More Machine Science Curriculum On the Way
Building on the success of our robotics curriculum, we are actively prototyping more engineering projects for the Machine Science XBoard--including a digital music synthesizer and an infrared text-messaging device. In the music synthesizer project, students attach a piezo-electric speaker to the XBoard, and program the board to produce a range of musical melodies. In addition to honing their programming skills, students learn about the properties of sound waves and get an introduction to music theory. In the text messenger project, a keypad is connected to the XBoard, allowing students to enter short text messages on the XBoard's LCD screen. These messages can then be sent to other XBoards via an infrared transmitter. Both of these projects will be refined this summer, in preparation for pilot testing next fall.

Engineering Lab at O'Bryant School Taking Shape
The Center for Engineering Excellence at the John D. O'Bryant School is steadily taking shape, with major contributions from each of the project partners, including the Timothy Smith Fund, Machine Science, and TechBoston. The Timothy Smith Fund--a charitable organization that is setting up a network of computer labs in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Jamaica Plain--has agreed to purchase 17 new computers and monitors, together with computer peripherals and furnishings, for the lab. With a grant from the Boston Foundation, Machine Science has paid to repaint the lab, install security partitions, and outfit the space with high-end mechanical and electrical engineering tools. If all goes according to plan, final improvements to the lab space will be completed this summer, and a dedication ceremony will be held next fall.

Machine Science Moves to Central Square
In January, Machine Science signed a two-year lease on a new office space at 649 Massachusetts Avenue in Central Square, Cambridge. Our new location combines a small engineering workshop with enough office space for our current full-time staff, plus one or two additional staff members. If you're in the neighborhood, please feel free to stop by, see the new space, and check out our latest engineering projects!

AUGUST 2003

SVP Boston and Machine Science Team Up to Develop Curriculum
Social Venture Partners (SVP) Boston has agreed to provide grant funding and technical assistance to Machine Science in the development and distribution of our project-based engineering curriculum. SVP Boston is the local affiliate of SVP International, a Seattle-based organization that has organized partnerships of business professionals and entrepreneurs in more than 20 U.S. and Canadian cities. The SVP groups employ a venture capital approach to evaluate and assist organizations in the nonprofit sector, coupling financial contributions with investments of time and talent. Machine Science applied to SVP Boston for funding and assistance in developing and distributing our engineering curriculum. Following an intensely competitive selection process, we were chosen as a recipient of a $50,000 grant. SVP partner Todd Rice has already volunteered countless hours in developing the computer code for our curriculum, and providing managerial expertise. We would like to thank Todd for his help, and we look forward to working him and other members of SVP Boston over the coming year.

Machine Science Plans Center of Excellence at O'Bryant
With a $50,000 grant from the Boston Foundation's New Economy Initiative, Machine Science has begun expanding its flagship engineering program at the John D. O'Bryant School in Roxbury into a Center of Excellence in Engineering Education for the Boston Public Schools. In connection with this expansion, we will be moving all of the engineering tools and equipment at the O'Bryant School into a 1,000-square-foot classroom space. The classroom will be converted over the remainder of the summer and the upcoming fall semester into a state-of-the-art engineering laboratory, featuring all of the professional tools and equipment that students need for advanced Machine Science projects. This unique facility will be staffed by a Massachusetts-certified instructor, with assistance from O'Bryant teachers and a team of qualified mentors from Boston-area universities, corporations, and schools. We look forward to opening the lab with a kick-off ceremony early next year.

Internship Program Continued for Second Straight Summer
For the second straight summer, Machine Science has offered paid internships to a small group of students from the John D. O'Bryant School. Last summer, two O'Bryant students--a 7th grader and an 11th grader--helped Sam teach a workshop for teachers and a two-week Machine Science camp for 7th and 8th graders at the Josiah Quincy Upper School. This summer, three O'Bryant students are helping to test the Machine Science engineering curriculum and set up the new engineering laboratory space at the O'Bryant School. The three students--Phi, Steve, and Zarin--have been indispensable in both areas, and we are grateful for their efforts.

Machine Science Receives $5,000 EdVestors Grant
Arnold and Ruth Scott of Westport, Massachusetts, recently made a $5,000 contribution to Machine Science, as a result of the EdVestors grantmaking process. EdVestors is a new grantmaking vehicle for donors, designed to facilitate individual donor choice in urban education philanthropy. EdVestors functions as an intermediary, linking donors directly with their selected grantees. Out of an initial pool of 140 applicant organizations, Machine Science was among 10 non-profits selected by the EdVestors Review Panel to participate in an Urban Education Investment Showcase on May 1. Grants were made following the Showcase presentations. We would like to thank the Scott family for their generous contribution and thank EdVestors Director Laura Perille for her help during the selection process.

After-School Programs to Feature Robotics Curriculum
During the upcoming academic year, students in the Machine Science after-school programs will have the opportunity to build and program a mobile robot, using a new, fully illustrated curriculum developed by the Machine Science staff. Each participating student will receive a kit with all of the electronic and mechanical components needed to build the robot. Students will then learn to program the robot's embedded controller, using the C programming language. C and its variants are among the most widely used programming languages in the world. This is an exciting direction for the Machine Science curriculum, giving students the chance to complete sophisticated robotics projects while learning a professional programming language.

MARCH 2003

One-Year Anniversary Update
It was one year ago this month that Machine Science Director Sam Christy arrived at the John D. O'Bryant School with a plan for teaching college-level engineering to middle school and high school students. Looking back, we realize that Machine Science has made significant progress in that short period. Here are some of the highlights:

After-school programs have been established at a total of four Boston Public Schools, with the addition of programs at the Josiah Quincy Upper School, English High School, and TechBoston Academy.
A total of 19 teachers from 10 schools have participated in our professional development workshops, with each teacher receiving up to 30 hours of training.
Through a partnership with the Massachusetts Pre-Engineering Program (MassPEP) Inc., we are offering month-long Machine Science "mini-programs" this spring for about 250 students at a total of 10 schools in Boston and Cambridge.
By the end of this semester, a total of about 350 students will have participated in Machine Science after-school programs (including the MassPEP mini-programs), completing projects ranging from laser light projectors to digital thermostats.
We are currently piloting the first module of our fully illustrated, project-based engineering curriculum, which introduces students to fundamental concepts in digital electronics.

Thanks to everyone who has helped us to make this happen. We look forward to even greater things in the year ahead!

Machine Science Receives $15,000 Grant from Llewellyn Foundation
The Llewellyn Foundation, a family foundation that supports educational and environmental programs in Massachusetts, Ohio, and Montana, recently awarded a $15,000 grant to Machine Science to help develop our project-based engineering curriculum. This semester, we will be incorporating feedback on our draft curriculum from students and teachers, adding illustrations and photos, creating worksheets and exercises, and identifying points of intersection with the core math and science curricula for the Boston Public Schools. In addition, we will be developing other curriculum modules for students who wish to continue with the program. Our goal is to produce a rigorous curriculum that can eventually become part of the school day for students in the Boston Public Schools. We would like to thank Susan Berseth, Jon Lupfer, and Caroline Kurtz for their help in securing this generous donation.

TechBoston Represents Machine Science at FIRST Robotics Competition
Students from TechBoston Academy recently traveled to Manchester, New Hampshire, to represent their school and Machine Science in the Granite State Regionals of the FIRST Robotics CompetitionÂan annual competition in which high school students build robots to solve an engineering challenge. The TechBoston students worked with Machine Science instructor Stew Murray to build a four-wheeled, remote-controlled robot as their entry for the competition. Nypro Inc. of Clinton, Massachusetts, sponsored the entry fee for the team. The TechBoston/Machine Science team placed 29th out of the 44 teams at the Granite State Regionals--an awesome performance for a rookie team! Founded 12 years ago, the annual FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Competitions draw contestants from all over the world. This year, more than 800 teams worldwide are competing. Photos of the TechBoston/Machine Science team working on their contest entry are available on the Projects page at the Machine Science web site.

NOVEMBER 2002

Machine Science Programs Established at Two New Schools
Building on the success of our programs at the John D. O'Bryant School of Math and Science in Roxbury and the Josiah Quincy Upper School in downtown Boston, Machine Science has expanded to two additional schools this semester--English High School in Jamaica Plain and TechBoston Academy in Brighton. Founded in 1821, English High School is the oldest public high school in the country, serving approximately 1,100 students per year. TechBoston, on the other hand, is a brand-new school, offering a technology-based course of study for some 75 students. Math teacher Paul Muller is leading the Machine Science program at English High School. Paul, a former engineer, is very enthusiastic about the program, offering his students the opportunity to participate five days a week. At TechBoston Academy, students are working with retired Wentworth Institute of Technology instructor Stew Murray, who managed Wentworth's machine shop for 22 years. Stew brings extensive mechanical engineering experience to Machine Science, and he will be instrumental as we seek to develop that aspect of the program.

Draft of First Machine Science Curriculum Module Completed
Machine Science has completed a working draft of its first curriculum module--an introduction to digital electronics for middle school and high school students. This module will serve as the basis for the after-school programs at our four partner schools, starting in the spring semester of 2003. Ultimately, we plan to develop at least three more curriculum modules for students who complete the introduction to digital electronics. These will include modules on programmable microcontrollers, motor control and sensors, and robotics. The curriculum modules are essential elements of the Machine Science program, as they allow teachers to lead their after-school programs with minimal oversight. This greatly expands the number of students that can benefit from the Machine Science program. Once the modules have been successfully used in after-school programs, we expect that they will eventually be offered as elective courses or integrated into existing science course offerings in the Boston Public Schools.

Machine Science Leads Training Workshops for Teachers from Partner Schools
In our ongoing effort to prepare teachers to run Machine Science after-school programs, we have organized training workshops for teachers from our four partner schools. A total of six teachers are participating in the workshops, which are being held at the Machine Science lab at the John D. O'Bryant School. The participating teachers are working with Sam to complete the projects presented in the draft curriculum on digital electronics. These teachers bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the program; four of the teachers have more than 20 years of teaching experience. The workshop participants include: Marsha Turin, who teaches physics at TechBoston Academy; Judy Robinson, a middle school science teacher at the Josiah Quincy Upper School; Sandy Chestnut, who teaches physics at the O'Bryant School; Joan Williams, a technology instructor at the O'Bryant School; Mattie Terry, who teaches middle school science at O'Bryant; and Paul Muller, who teaches math at English High School.

MassPEP Schools to Host Machine Science "Mini-Programs"
Through a partnership between Machine Science and the Massachusetts Pre-Engineering Program (MassPEP), approximately 300 students will have the opportunity to complete Machine Science projects during the spring of 2003 at MassPEP schools. MassPEP will run two-month Machine Science "mini-programs" at 10 schools, including our four partner schools, as well as Boston Latin School, Fenway High School, Charlestown High School, Cambridge Ringe and Latin, Latin Academy, and East Boston High School. Students at these schools will complete projects involving digital logic gates, which provide an introduction to both digital electronics and Boolean logic. By fall of 2003, we expect that two of the MassPEP mini-programs will evolve into full-scale Machine Science programs. MassPEP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the number of minority and female students entering and succeeding in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. It provides students with the opportunity to explore the world of science, math, and technology through interactive projects, hands-on curricula, guest speakers, special programs, and field trips.

SEPTEMBER 2002

Machine Science Plans Second Teacher Workshop
Building on the success of our first teacher training workshop (see August update), we are planning to offer a second workshop in October for teachers from participating schools. The workshop will introduce teachers to the Machine Science curriculum and give them an opportunity to work with the Machine Science tools and equipment. Teachers will also receive assistance in planning Machine Science projects to lead with their students. The dates and location of the second teacher workshop are to be announced. For further information, contact Sam Christy at www.machinescience.org.

AUGUST 2002

Machine Science Receives Pledge of $150,000 over Three Years
An anonymous foundation has pledged $150,000 over three years to help expand the Machine Science program in the Boston Public School system. Needless to say, this is a very exciting development, providing much-needed support at a critical time for the program. Machine Science will receive an initial installment of $50,000 this week; the remainder of the grant is contingent on our raising matching funds from other sources over the next two years. Consequently, we will be aggressively pursuing foundation and corporate funding for the program during this period. We welcome the challenge, and we will send regular updates of our progress.

Charles Edison Fund Contributes $5,000 to Machine Science
Machine Science recently received a $5,000 grant from the Charles Edison Fund--an endowed philanthropic institution dedicated to supporting "worthwhile endeavors generally within the areas of medical research, science education, and historic preservation." The foundation honors the memory of Charles Edison, who was a son of Thomas Alva Edison, Secretary of the Navy, Governor of New Jersey, and a nationally recognized corporate executive. The grant from the Edison Fund will enhance the pilot Machine Science lab at the John D. O'Bryant School in Roxbury, helping to create a flagship facility on which other labs can be modeled.

Machine Science Poised to Expand to Four New Schools
With our recent grant awards, we are already making plans to purchase additional equipment for the existing Machine Science labs at the John D. O'Bryant School and the Josiah Quincy Upper School, and to expand Machine Science to four new schools--Fenway High School, the MATCH School, TechBoston Academy, and another Boston district high school. In connection with the expansion of the program, Machine Science will be holding a second training workshop for teachers from these schools during the month of September. We hope to build on the success of our first teacher workshop in July.

Teacher Training and Summer Camp Completed at Quincy School
Last month, four teachers from the O'Bryant School, Josiah Quincy Upper School, and TechBoston Academy completed a two-week training workshop to prepare for running Machine Science labs at their schools. The participating teachers had a great time at the workshop, building their own digital thermometers and other electronic devices. Sam taught the workshop, with the help of a 7th grade student and an 11th grade student from the Machine Science program at the O'Bryant School. Sam's two assistants went on from the workshop to help him lead a two-week Machine Science camp for 7th and 8th graders at the Josiah Quincy Upper School. During the two-week session, campers far exceeded our initial expectations, designing and building LCD message screens, electronic musical devices, light displays, and robots. By the end of the camp, each student had completed and soldered a programmable light display on a printed circuit board. Campers were able to take these projects home to show friends and family.

JUNE 2002

Machine Science Students Win Citywide Contest
As the winners of a contest sponsored by Alaska Airlines, a group of Machine Science 7th grade students and their teachers will soon be enjoying a three-day trip to Seattle. The contest, called "Classroom Connections," was created by Alaska Airlines to encourage teamwork among middle school students in Boston and Seattle. In the contest, teams of students from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classes in the Boston Public Schools created projects with the theme "Science and Technology of Seattle," while Seattle middle school students developed projects with the theme "Art and History of the Greater Boston Area." As their contest entry, Machine Science students from Mattie Terry's 7th grade science classes at the John D. O'Bryant School developed a project that focused on embedded computing--one of the hottest technologies today. Machine Science staff worked Ms. Terry's students to develop a project illustrating the contribution that Seattle's technology companies have made to this growing field, as well as the uses of this technology throughout Seattle, from the city's new baseball stadium to its traffic lights. As part of the project, the students designed, created, and programmed a working prototype of an embedded application. Competing against students from around the city, including another team from the O'Bryant School, Ms. Terry's class and one other team were awarded the trip to Seattle. The students are very excited about the trip and very proud of their work.

New Machine Science Program to Launch at TechBoston Academy
TechBoston Academy--a new pilot school that will open this fall on the campus of the Taft School in Brighton--will launch a Machine Science program in the coming school year. TechBoston Academy will offer a technology-focused course of study to Boston Public School students in grades 9 through 12. The Academy will offer the Machine Science after-school program and include Machine Science projects as part of its curriculum. In fact, all of the initial 75 TechBoston Academy students will have the opportunity to complete a Machine Science course during the school's first year. In the Machine Science course, students will design, prototype, program, and complete a working electronic circuit. Their designs will result in professionally printed circuit boards that each student will be able to take home. Students who seek continuing instruction in electrical and mechanical engineering will be given the opportunity to take more advanced Machine Science courses in subsequent semesters. "The Machine Science labs are structured to enable students to execute hands-on engineering projects that will be part of our Active Physics curriculum created by the National Science Foundation," according to TechBoston Director Mary Skipper. "This is exactly the type of learning environment that we need to foster and replicate in the Boston Public Schools within the school day and after school."

First Machine Science Teacher Training Workshop Scheduled for July
In July, Machine Science will hold its first training workshop for Boston Public School teachers. The workshop will focus primarily on preparing middle school and high school teachers to lead Machine Science projects next year at schools that have already committed to establishing Machine Science programs. It will also be open to teachers from schools that are interested in establishing Machine Science programs. The two-week workshop will be held at the Josiah Quincy Upper School in downtown Boston. Participating teachers will have the opportunity to practice using the engineering tools available to them in the Machine Science lab. As part of the course, each participant will complete his or her own Machine Science project. Machine Science director Sam Christy will lead the workshop, with assistance from two Machine Science students from the John D. O'Bryant School. The students are already preparing for their assignment and are very excited about the prospect of teaching teachers, including some from their own school!

MAY 2002

Seed Funding from Boston Foundation
The Boston Foundation has agreed to provide $35,000 in seed funding for the Machine Science program through the foundation's New Economy Initiative. During the year ahead, this money will go towards completing the development of our first Machine Science Lab at the O'Bryant School, so that this lab can serve as the model for future labs. In addition, the seed funding will bolster our efforts to expand the program to other schools. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Geeta Pradhan, Project Director for the New Economy Initiative, and Robert Wadsworth, Boston Foundation Program Director, for their help in securing this much-needed funding.

New Program at Josiah Quincy Upper School
Through a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Education, TechBoston is planning to launch a new Machine Science Lab at the Josiah Quincy Upper School in downtown Boston. TechBoston is an initiative that provides technology and career training to over 2,000 students in the Boston Public Schools. The new Machine Science program will open this summer in time to provide hands-on engineering activities for the students who attend a summer program at the school. In addition, the teachers are very excited about getting their students involved with engineering projects during the school year. The headmaster, Bak Fun Wong, believes the program is a model for how students should learn at the Quincy School. Mary Skipper, Director of the Boston Public School's TechBoston Program, and Kent Downing, TechBoston's Program Director for High School Initiatives, deserve many thanks for helping to make this happen.

Partnership with Massachusetts Pre-Engineering Program (MassPEP)
Our partnership with MassPEP--a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing engineering career opportunities for minority and female students--lays the foundation for the creation of Machine Science programs at schools both inside and outside the Boston Public School system, as well as non-school based programs. MassPEP has already provided funding for a Machine Science project at the O'Bryant School. With this funding, a total of eight students are participating in the design and development of three programmable laser light projectors, which will be permanently displayed at the O'Bryant School after the end of the semester. MassPEP made $3,000 available for the project through a grant from the Balfour Foundation. We greatly appreciate the efforts of MassPEP President and CEO Joyce Newhouse and Ken Cray, MassPEP's Director of School Programs, in making this happen.