Picatinny Arsenal engineers showcase military tech at New Jersey’s largest STEM event
The free, mall-wide event brought together 24 high school robotics teams, engineers, scientists, technology organizations and STEM enthusiasts for two days of robotics competitions, hands-on demonstrations and interactive learning experiences.
More than 60,000 people visited the mall which included a new “Picatinny Pavillion” to the layout. Picatinny Arsenal’s exhibit gave visitors an opportunity to meet engineers working on military technology, explore interactive engineering displays and use a hands-on simulator.
The Picatinny exhibit highlighted how engineering innovation supports and helps protect U.S. service members while introducing students and families to potential careers in science and technology.
A team of employees representing the Arsenal’s U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center brought a robots used in explosive ordnance disposal missions and also provided training on a remotely operated weapons system known as CROWS that allows Soldiers to observe, aim, and engage targets from inside an armored vehicle.
Organized by local FIRST Robotics teams and supported by volunteers and sponsors, the two-day extravaganza invites families and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) enthusiasts of all ages to experience a glimpse into the future.
FIRST Robotics refers to the programs and competitions organized by For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), a global non-profit organization founded in 1989. It uses the excitement of sports to inspire and engage students in STEM through hands-on robotics challenges. Students work in teams with mentors to design, build, and program robots to compete with each other.
The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) challenges high school teams to design, build, and program robots to play a new game each year.
In addition to Picatinny Arsenal’s participation, attendees explored a 3D Printer Playground, science demonstrations, combat robotics, LEGO displays, robot-driving experiences and FIRST Tech Challenge activities. The event’s signature Robot Rumble featured high school FIRST Robotics Competition teams from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania competing in robotics matches at Center Court.
Other activities included a sensory-friendly Calm Corner, a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Station with hands-on experiments, robot pits where visitors could observe teams maintaining competition robots, and Investigation Island exhibits from local schools, businesses, scientists and community organizations.
“Technological innovation is part of New Jersey’s history, from Thomas Edison to pharmaceuticals and beyond. RoboCon looks to inspire the next Edison by encouraging education, healthy competition and dreaming big,” said Gregg Talewsky, RoboCon NJ Co-Chair and Bound Brook Robotics Mentor.
The Picatinny STEM Office sponsors the Robocon event with the goal of fostering and increasing STEM interests in the next generation. The Armaments Center, one of the Army’s premier research and development facilities, employing thousands of workers in technical fields who volunteer to support the Picatinny STEM initiatives.
The Picatinny STEM program supports public and private schools, colleges and universities with no-cost assistance, professional development training, new instructional equipment, and monetary and advisory support to student robotics teams. It also offers engineer mentors, sponsorship of student competitions, and opportunities to visit scientists and engineers in their laboratories, where students get a first-hand look at how professionals rise to meet STEM challenges.
This STEM education outreach is custom tailored to meet the specific needs of individual schools. It has already positively impacted tens of thousands of students and hundreds of teachers in New Jersey with knowledge of cutting-edge technologies and the inevitable changes they will bring to education, employment, and daily life in the 21st Century.
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