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Show Wednesday, April 21, 2010 THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE www.dailyutahchronicle.com The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice Since 1890 Vo1.119 No.1131©2010 Students show off robots' skills Deborah Rafferty STAFF WRITER At the 13th annual Design Day, hosted by the mechanical engineering department, juniors designed and built robots that needed to be able to capture a doll version of Fay Wray by climbing the Empire State building. To set the scene, planes were flying around the building as the trailer from Peter Jackson's "King Kong" played. The teams went through elimination rounds to determine who would make it to the final. Climbing the building proved difficult for some teams, as their robots would run into others, or the device used to climb the building did not attach and they would have to start from the beginning. One team that did not have many issues was Misconduct, which finished first in the final round, said Roy Stevens, a senior in mechanical engineering and a member of Misconduct. "I already had a degree in robotics, so it wasn't a big deal to me to design something that worked extremely well," Stevens said. Misconduct's robot, MARC, used sensors to detect the path, and the team programmed it to take the shortest route to capture Wray, Stevens said. Once the robot reached the building, it pulled down a string attached to the building to pull the robot up, he said. The biggest challenge for Stevens, and many of the teams, was to avoid the other robots on the course. Steven's robot was hit a couple of times, throwing it off course, he said. Since it uses sensors to detect the track, the robot didn't know where to go and his team had to start over again, he said. However, the robot was fast enough to complete the course again, he said. "The avoidance of robots—that's what's hard," said Brett Luckert, a junior in mechanical engineering. "You have to program these things, and you don't know what to plan for, exactly." Luckert's team's robot, The Hooks of Death, used infrared sensors that detected the sensors in the course, which allowed the robot to know where to rescue Wray and which side of the building to climb, he said. The robot's name comes from the hooks it used to attach to the building, he said. It then climbed the building using a system of pulleys and Velcro wheels to stick to the building, he said. Stevens and Luckert said this competition provided them with valuable experience. The competition teaches the students about a robot's mobility, motor control, battery life and power, Stevens said. It all comes together in competition. It also teaches team-building skills, since teams had to spend a lot of time together to be able to create a robot, Luckert said. Luckert had to be willing to adapt and use creativity to solve problems and difficulties See ENGINEERING Page 3 Animal-rights protest disrupts Union event Josh Bennett STAFF WRITER MIKE MANGUM/The Daily Utah Chronicle An unidentified protester and Tooele High senior Andy Chacon protested on the Union lawn as part laboratories. of a Salt Lake Animal Advocacy Movement and PETA protest of the treatment of animals in U Booths around the Union Plaza promoted their causes Tuesday afternoon— only to be interrupted by animal-rights protesters. Starting on the steps of the Park Building, protesters marched across campus, making a key stop in the Union Plaza. The protesters held signs demanding the halt of animal testing in U research labs. The protest had about a dozen people and lasted about 3o to 45 minutes, said Jessica Maple, a sophomore in chemistry. Prior to the protest, there was live music and people stopping by the booths continuously to check out what they had to offer. However, once the protesters arrived, the noise was turned up a notch. The protesters were loud and had a megaphone, Maple said. Protesters coming through during a time that was set aside for different organizations to promote their causes wasn't a problem with many of the representatives—it was the way it was handled, said Patrick Williams, a U alumnus who was manning the booth for Save My Oceans, an organization dedicated to maintaining the well-being of oceans. "Anger and yelling is not the best way to do a protest," Williams said. "People aren't going to say 'I want to join their See PROTEST Page 4 • Panel discusses refugees' health 25 years of dance legend UNICEF Red group looks at children's care issues Rebecca Isbell ASST. PRODUCTION MANAGER The U's UNICEF Red group held a discussion between students and a panel of children's health experts to discuss global health and its ramifications for children. The panel included Sen. Luz Robles, who pushed children's health reform during this year's legislative session, and Ty Dickerson, professor of public health at the U. Gerald Brown, director of the state's Refugee Services Office, also spoke. The panel discussed the process of bringing a refugee into the country, needs within the refugee community and finding ways to fund its programs. Brown agreed with Robles that the biggest problem affecting refugees is HIV/AIDS and the danger it poses to them and their community. The second most dangerous thing affecting refugees is dental issues. "Dental care is hard to get, and (dental problems) start as one thing and it spreads," Robles said. Although the main theme for the discussion was global health care for children, the panel talked mostly about helping refugees coming to the United States, more specifically in Utah, and how health care—such as See UNICEF Page 4 Sustainability office hosts electronic recycling event Josh Bennett STAFF WRITER The Office of Sustainability will provide an opportunity Thursday to get rid of unwanted electronics in a safe and effective way. From 7:30 a.m. to I p.m., Salt Lake County residents can donate outdated electronics at the University Services Building parking lot, near the Huntsman Center. "It normally costs money to recycle these materials, so people should take advantage of the chance to do it for free," said Marie Martin, outreach coordinator for the office. Residents are being asked to bring any unwanted or obsolete items. Businesses, which are not eligible to participate, should go through University Surplus & Salvage, located near Fort Douglas. "Many discarded electronics contain hazardous materials, and as the fastest growing waste stream in the United States, nearly 400 million units a year will be discarded by 2010," according to the statement. "Obsolete electronic equipment isn't usually accepted by thrift stores or charities, so See ELECTRONICS Page 3 COURTESY CONRAD LUDLOW U professor Conrad Ludlow partnering with Patricia McBride in the Brahms-Schoenberger Quartet in the New York City Ballet. After teaching at the U for 25 years, Ludlow is retiring. Professor of ballet Conrad Ludlow is retiring from his work at the • •_ • re ,%, 7. • 1 - ''r • r:r'&,tija, |