5 Robotic Ideas

CHAPTER FIVE Robotic Ideas Hydrogen peroxide (noun). It's a molecule that looks like a clear, bubbly liquid and has the molecular formula H2O2. It kills lots of germs and that's why it's found in some mouthwash. But it's more famous for whitening teeth than getting rid of stinky smells. IN THE FAMILY ROOM, I watched a Dr. Caroline video. Mom had a school board meeting and Dad was working in his office. My little brother Liam was fiddling with his remote-control robot on the floor next to me. "Do you think I could get my robot to jump up a ladder and get stuff?" asked Liam. "Like cookies?" I glanced up from the iPad on my lap. "Not unless you can program him." "His name is Norbert." "Sorry—Norbert. Plus, he'd have to be engineered with different legs in order to climb." "Aw, man. Why couldn't they have done that?" With a sigh, Liam waggled the robot's legs. "Sometimes you can't always figure stuff out." But that couldn't be the case with my science project. Today was Sunday and it had been almost a

week since the assembly announcing STEM Night. And I still didn't know what to do. That's why I was binge watching. Dr. Caroline was making something called Elephant's Toothpaste. I guess because it was big and bubbly enough to clean an elephant's mouth. It was the first of her videos I had ever seen and it's still one of my favorites. She takes 35% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), potassium iodide, dish soap, and food coloring to make the most awesome, explosive, mushy reaction ever. On-screen, Dr. Caroline stared at the orange fluffy stuff coming out of the Erlenmeyer flask. "Isn't that cool?" she yelled. "Yes!" I yelled back. Behind her, a poster read: I'M POSITIVE I'VE LOST MY ELECTRON. I was positive that I loved Dr. Caroline. Suddenly I felt a pinch on my arm. "Ow!" I whipped around to see Norbert's robot hand on my elbow. Liam was beaming. "You said you wanted to pinch yourself. So I got Norbert to do it."

"What do you mean?" "I heard you talking with Birdie the other day. You said you wanted to pinch yourself 'cause you're going to meet Dr. Caroline." I started giggling. Sometimes I forget that Liam is just a kindergartner. After explaining what I meant, we both cracked up. Then he got interested in Norbert knocking down blocks. I went back to watching more videos. In one of them, Dr. Caroline made a pink solution turn completely clear by blowing carbon dioxide into it with a giant straw. In another one, Dr. Caroline used limes to power a digital clock. In still another one, she made a Rube Goldberg machine, which is a series of chain reactions that do a simple thing in a ridiculously complex way. It all started with a phone buzzing that knocked into a row of dominoes, setting off a chain reaction involving pulleys, levers, bells, and ending in a test tube filled with vinegar being dumped into a papier-maché volcano that exploded. Something just had to spark an idea. My project needed to be fun and exciting, but with really interesting science if it was going to win. And I wanted it to feel like mine. Something original that came from me.

By my feet, a bunch of blocks knocked to the floor with a soft thud. Norbert and Liam were definitely up to their usual tricks. Looking down, I noticed tiny screws in Norbert's battery compartment gleaming under the light. Wait a minute! His toy used a battery that was easy to take out. This gave me an idea. A lime battery, but better! "For my project, I could power your robot with fruit, Liam. Maybe I could figure out how to make him do something cool like write a word. Or do something else awesome." "Yeah, just do something cool and show me how to do it, too." I slapped his hand. "A high five," I said, "for a five-year-old." He put his chubby arms around me for a hug. I hugged him back. This could totally work. It would impress Ms. Daly and Dr. Caroline. It would be the best science project at STEM Night. Now I just had to figure out what to do with the prize money. Because I knew I was going to win!