A WHOLE new world of robotics has opened up to pupils at an independent school in East Yorkshire with the arrival of a mechanical arm to its new Art and Design Technology Centre.

Pocklington School’s Arduino Robotic Arm can pick up and move items, and be programmed to move a camera or track movements.

It is being used to enhance design technology projects at the school, with students programming its actions and exploring its potential range of uses.

Steve Ellis, the school’s head of design, said: “The arm is allowing me to move from teaching about robotics on video to actually allowing students to see and interact with the real thing.

"The new dimension it brings to lessons is inspiring fresh enthusiasm from all our pupils.”

Projects inspired by the new robot include creating a camera mount to turn the robotic arm into a motion control camera, and adding wheels to its motor control board for extra movement. Cross-curricular projects with the Computer Science department are also planned.

The robotic arm was donated by Richard Yeomans, founder and managing director of York-based Tesla Automation.