The World of Graph Theory and Voice and Gesture Controlled Robots

Senior STEM Camp for Years 3 to 11

18-22 July 2022: Face to Face at Francis Holland School, Sloane Square

39 Graham Terrace, SW1W 8JF

 
 
 
 

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are woven together in this exciting camp that explores graph theory and networks in maths and teaches the cutting edge uses of programming and robotics in voice and gesture control.

Gesture and voice control is the ability for human beings to interact with and control a computer system without direct physical contact, as the computer or robot recognizes and interprets voice commands or movements of the human body. In the automotive industry for example, this capability allows drivers and passengers to interact with the vehicle — usually to control the infotainment system without touching any buttons or screens. Voice control operates in the same way. But how do these technologies work?

In this camp pupils will create their own gesture or voice controlled robotics projects as an exciting way of learning programming, engineering and technology in a practical context. Pupils will also be able to take their projects home to demonstrate how they operate and what they have learned. 

Older pupils, 12 years and up, will build an RGB desk lamp where the primary colours red, green and blue, can blend together to reproduce a broad array of colours, all controlled by a hand gesture of the pupil who builds the lamp. Pupils will start with the components of the lamp, including the microchip, and build it over the course of the camp, learning elements of electronics and engineering. Participants will then be taught how to code the microchip in the Arduino C programming language so the lamp’s sensors recognise and interpret hand gestures: up, down, left and right. At the end of the camp pupils can take their projects home with them.

Younger participants (aged up to 11yrs) will work on a project that provides a glimpse of how voice-contingent systems are developed, with pupils making a ‘Voice Box’. Voice-contingent systems are all around us. Google, Alexa and Cortana are cutting edge Artificial Intelligence systems that process human speech to assist us with everyday tasks. During the project pupils will learn about the physical principles of sound waves and how they can be recorded. They will learn about the type of electronic circuit that includes advanced components for voice recording and playing back sound. They will then assemble the Voice Box’ and take it home on completion.

 

All our camps are underpinned by the study and understanding of Maths and Programming. In programming, whether your child is already a confident coder or just starting out, we will create the most appropriate small study group for them, based on their age and experience.

Children regularly change classroom, teacher and subject during the day. Participants also benefit from a pupil to teacher ratio of six to one with each group of participants being taught in their own separate classroom to maximise the learning opportunity.

In Maths we will explore Graph Theory, Networks and their practical applications. Graphs can be used to model many types of relations and processes in physical, biological, social and information systems. Many practical problems can be represented by graphs. Emphasizing their application to real-world systems, the term network is sometimes defined to mean a graph in which attributes (e.g. names) are associated with the vertices and edges, and the subject that expresses and understands real-world systems as a network is called network science. 

By year groups, participants will study:

Years 3-5 

Pupils will learn several basics of graph theory: solving problems about maps and journeys, finding the fastest route, trying to disprove a famous colouring theorem.

Years 6-8 

Children will be introduced to the mathematics of relations, friendship and networks where the core of what matters is the connection. Pupils will investigate a modern branch of science from scratch, creating notions and finding the first theorems. They will then apply these fundamental principles to solve advanced problems. This will be the start of a scientific journey towards how the worldwide web works and more.

Years 9-12 

Students will learn graph theory and the modern science of networks by planning and investigating travels and airlines in Arcadia. How do we find the shortest way to get from A to B on a system of roads? What is the cheapest way to lay cables such that information can get from any node to any other through those? Participants will take the first steps in graph algorithms that affect our lives more and more.

In our optional Problem Solving Maths sessions from 9.00 to 10.00 each day, participants will study as follows: 

Years 3-5: pupils will be offered challenging problems from UK and international maths contests suitable for their age. 

Years 6-8 and 9-12: problems where a graph works in the background: tasks in different fields of mathematics where it helps to reveal the underlying logical network, playing with a question and variations. Tasks in Combinatorics where a tree diagram helps to cover all the cases. 

The content of our Problem Solving Maths sessions is different for each Camp in July so pupils attending multiple camps will cover new material each week.

 
 

Format and fees for the senior face to face camp:

  • pupil to teacher ratio of 6:1
  • participants are taught in small groups, tailored by similarity of age and ability, in individual classrooms
  • camp times: 10am to 3pm
  • or from 9am for an extra hour of problem solving and/or from 3pm to 4pm with our chess class. There is a supplement of £25 for each additional session booked
  • fees are £595 for five days. It is not possible to join for a shorter period 
Places are limited, please register your interest HERE.