Our Middle School Robotics teams had the incredible opportunity to share their Innovation Project ideas with Dr. Danielle Steen Fatkin, archaeologist and history professor at Knox College. As part of the FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge, students are asked to consult with experts in the field, and Dr. Fatkin was the perfect match for our students' research on using robotics to support archaeological work.
Dr. Fatkin shared fascinating insights about the real challenges archaeologists face, including:
Safety concerns when moving heavy objects or entering unstable or toxic environments
The importance of handling delicate materials without damaging them
How archaeologists map sites using remote sensing, including LIDAR, satellite imagery, and ground-penetrating radar
The difficulty of working in tight spaces, underwater environments, or locations where GPS systems don’t work
Why archaeology is a "destructive science" (once you dig, you can’t put it back) and the importance of detailed documentation
How technology built for totally different purposes (from spy satellites to scuba gear!) is adapted for archaeology
Our students also received targeted feedback on their robot designs:
Team BillBotics explored how robots could navigate caves without wheels, use photogrammetry to create 3D maps, and reduce risks related to animals, waste, and disease in confined spaces.
Team BomBotics learned more about how robots can replace archaeologists in unsafe environments and how mapping requires known "anchor points" to stitch images together accurately.
Dr. Fatkin reminded us that no two archaeological sites are the same, and our teams will need to think creatively and adapt their ideas just like real scientists in the field.
We’re so grateful to Dr. Fatkin for sharing her expertise and helping our students deepen their understanding of archaeology and engineering. Our teams left inspired and ready to take their projects to the next level!
