Geneva fourth-grader takes 1st place in world robot competition
Johnny 5's video lasted less than two minutes. In it, the robot traveled along a garden groove, chopped weeds, cut grass and rescued ladybugs.
The performance was enough for Johnny, 5, and its maker, 10-year-old Sawyer Rinn, to take home a first-place prize at the World Robot Olympiad in Ontario, California, in August. Sawyer heads to Dortmund, Germany, Nov. 17-19 to represent the U.S. in a Global Championship.
A Western Avenue fourth-grader, Sawyer said he named his robot after Johnny 5 from the 1986 film, “Short Circuit.”
Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns honored Sawyer this week during a city council meeting, presenting him with a certificate declaring Oct. 18 as Sawyer Rinn Day in Geneva.
“I hereby request that you come to my house to fix our oven, microwave ... ” Burns joked.
On the day the boy leaves for the airport next month, Burns said, “When your Uber car is ready, that car is going to follow a Geneva police car with its lights going so you have an official escape pod out of our community.”
Burns commented on the boy's intelligence and interest in robotics, saying, “I don't think any of us here [at the meeting] knows how to work the remote.”
Sawyer competed in the Elementary RoboMission category, where competitors must design, construct and program an autonomous robot that can solve specific challenges on a field. Sawyer defeated 21 teams in his age group, according to a news release.
Sawyer is the son of Geneva chiropractors Kristy and Jonathan Rinn. He has two brothers.
Burns said many children like to tinker with things and asked his mother if Sawyer is a tinkerer. She responded that he is.
“I like designing and building robots and seeing them brought to life,” Sawyer said. “I named my robot because there is a movie called 'Short Circuit.' And a robot named himself Johnny 5.”
Burns asked Sawyer if he gets all his smarts from mom and dad.
“Yeah,” Sawyer said.
William Wong, who has been an engineer, a consultant and a chief information officer, is Sawyer's robotics coach.
“Sawyer is my eighth national champion,” Wong said. “I've been very successful in coaching and teaching kids and getting them along with their STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers.”
Sawyer said he designed and programmed Johnny 5 himself. Wong was available for guidance when Sawyer had questions.
“I will give him some suggestions and let him problem-solve himself,” Wong said.
Burns asked Sawyer what he wants to be when he is older.
“Maybe an engineer that would make robots that do sports like basketball, soccer and skiing and stuff like that,” Sawyer said.