After an article was published in Wired magazine Link to Article the producer of the science news show The Daily Planet became interested. They sent a camera crew to interview Cadet Dennis Crump, and observe the Tick Rover in action. The segment was featured on The Daily Planet airs on the Discovery Channel of Canada on March 3, 2006.
During their first semester at VMI, freshman in the EE program learn about robots. Students design a robot composed of legos and a handyboard, and program it to react to its environment. The idea behind this experience is that the student will get a sense for some of the many different fields of electrical engineering. The curriculum throughout the student's remaining time at VMI will go further into detail on each aspect.
At the end of the first semester, students enter in a design competition with their robots. The competition is called "Can-Dozer", and utilizes the skills built up during the students' first few months at VMI. The competition tests the students ability to create a fully autonomous robot that can react to its surroundings.
The Can-Dozer competition is simple. A hexagon is placed on the floor. Lines are drawn towards the center, and cans are placed on the lines. The cans number 5 in total. The cans are placed along the lines at uneven spacing. Students may use any sensing device, be it sonar, line-tracking, or even touch-sensors. The robot must sense the cans, and push them out of the hexagon in under a minute. A point is awarded for each can successfuly placed outside the hexagon, and an extra 5 bonus points if the robot can place a can in the center of the hexagon.
