UB students make a high-altitude robo-monkey

‘Near space’ explorers Phillip Carroll, left, and Joshua Hauge.

Two University of Bridgeport undergraduates — Phillip Carroll and Joshua Hauge — have been awarded $5,000 scholarships toward the spring 2016 semester from the Connecticut Space Grant Consortium to further their work in so-called near space (high-altitude) payload structures and robotic movement.

Both students have been working alongside students and faculty from the School of Engineering on a high-altitude ballooning project led by technology management professor Neal Lewis.

The project has developed a small robotic puppet, designed to look like a monkey, that will be launched on a high-altitude balloon and used to educate young students about space flight.

Said Lewis, “Phil has worked on the animation of the robot”™s motions and outer body physical appearance, while Josh has concentrated on fabrication of the structural housing for the robot. We”™ve learned a lot about the harshness of the ”˜near space”™ environment while at the same time we try and make the robot”™s housing look like a 1960”™s Project Mercury space capsule to help teach young students about the history of the American space program.”

Jani Marcari Pallis, Connecticut Space Grant director at UB, said: “Phil and Josh are a critical part of our student team and Connecticut Space Grant has recognized their work with the award of these scholarships.”