Best. Internship. Ever.

By Shane Arman ’10

What do you get when you combine Legos, artificial intelligence and computer science? A firefighting, maze-navigating robot constructed by University of Wisconsin Oshkosh students.

As robotics lab assistants, three computer science students are teaming up to tackle a real-world problem — developing artificial intelligence that could be used in firefighting applications.

“We were given a task for the robot that can navigate a maze and put a candle out; we’ve been trying to solve that problem,” said Tim Fendt, a junior computer science major.

But getting the robot to do exactly what the students want it to is a challenge that requires problem solving, critical thinking and teamwork.

“Since we are unable to adjust the hardware itself, we have to learn to work with its flaws, correcting them by adjusting our program,” said Matthew Meyers, senior computer science major.

Unlike typical classroom work, the robotics lab assistants dictate each step in the process and work almost entirely independently.

“We get to be more creative in our approach and what direction we take to complete the task,” Meyers said.“

Creativity stems from collaboration, which Meyers has discovered is a vital part of the project.

“One of the most important things I’ve learned is the value of working with a team and being able to bounce ideas off of each other,” Meyers said. “It’s simply a joy to create something and watch it come to life.”