sharp noggin

Hello World! Thanks for checking out Sharp Noggin. Our Learning Lab is now open and offering sessions in LEGO® Mindstorm EV3 Robotics and Coding Basics. There are number of robotics programs in Austin today, but we are a bit different in our focus and approach.

We teach students to code using robotics. What do we mean by that? There are lots of robot toys – they move, speak, flash lights. Some respond to voice commands or remote controls. So what separates toys from robotics? The answer is code.

Many robotics programs use packaged curriculums that spend more time building and breaking down robots than on coding. We start with the robot’s brain and emphasize the analysis and design of programming solutions first.

Think about the Mars Rovers—once it lands, hardware solutions are limited. But even after seven years on another planet, the Opportunity Rover gained the ability to recognize rock formations through newly uploaded software from NASA.

In addition to after school and camp programs, Sharp Noggin offers the Learning Lab. Located in our headquarters, the Lab provides year-round opportunities for hands-on robotics and coding.

At least once a month, we offer foundation courses that prepare students with the skills they will need to experiment in labs chosen from our project library. Instructors provide guidance in analysis, design, planning, and execution or projects and track progress in our skills matrix.

When ready, students can enter quarterly competitions combining their skills to tackle a larger challenge such as Search and Rescue. Robots must navigate unknown terrain and retrieve objects for scientific studies.

We believe that flexible labs offer students the ability to work at their own pace, explore more diverse interests, and allows them to jump into robotics any time in the year.