We hosted our annual BOOST Program (Boys Optimizing Opportunities in STEM and Technology) from April 20 – 24, 2026, in our MassRobotics STEM Lab. BOOST is a week-long, hands-on academy designed to ignite interest in STEM and robotics among high school boys. Participating students dove deep into fabrication, electronics, and programming, while also engaging directly with the world of advanced manufacturing and robotics through industry site visits and technical workshops.

STARTING THE WEEK OFF

Throughout the week, students moved through different topics and built and tested, from circuit design to coding microcontrollers. This program is about building skills — and confidence — through guided, practical learning.

Students spent a day at Autodesk and received a tour of the Tech Center. After receiving a demonstration of Tinkercad, they were challenged to ideate and imagine a new application for the XRP Robot. This is an open robotics platform designed to help students take their first steps in engineering, robotics, and simulations. Their challenge, using the XRP design starters that are featured in Tinkercad, was to customize the robot to address a problem. The students then pitched their ideas and demonstrated their design in Fusion. This was a perfect segue into returning to MassRobotics to design and build mini ground vehicles with motors and sensors.

BOOST FIELDTRIPS

The BOOST field trip day showed students the real-world applications of robotics. At Locus Robotics, students saw warehouse automation in action. They learned how Locus designs, tests, and assembles their fulfillment robots, and how these systems are deployed at customer sites around the world. It was an eye-opening view into robotics in logistics — and a sneak peek at future job opportunities.

At Harmonic Drive, a longtime MassRobotics sponsor and precision drive technology leader, the group heard from industry professionals, toured the manufacturing floor, and learned how mechanical engineering and robotics come together to power some of the world’s most sophisticated machines.

BOOST SPEAKERS

During daily lunch breaks, BOOST participants had the unique opportunity to engage in informal conversations with startup founders from the MassRobotics community. These founders shared their personal career journeys, the challenges they faced in launching and growing their companies, and the lessons they learned along the way. For many students, hearing these real-world stories brought the idea of a career in tech or entrepreneurship to life in a way that classroom learning can’t. The candid advice and encouragement they received helped demystify the startup world and sparked new confidence and curiosity about their own futures in STEM.

The final day’s lunch presenters from Microsoft, the week’s sponsor, shared insights into their work and offered a glimpse into real-world applications of the skills students had been developing throughout the program.

FINISHING THE WEEK

The week culminated in an exciting final project: building robotic vehicles from the ground up. Drawing on everything they had learned — from electronics and sensors to design and coding — students created Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). Using Tinkercad, participants designed files for laser-cut car components, then brought their creations to life with motors, sensors, motor drivers, and Arduino hardware and software. Students chose to work independently, in pairs, or in groups, collaborating in ways that best suited their ideas. Every AMR was different, uniquely designed to reflect each team’s creativity and approach.

Each student proudly presented their robotic creation, walking through their design decisions, challenges they encountered, and lessons they learned along the way. Their creativity, teamwork, and growth over just five days were truly inspiring to witness.

Thank you to all of our partners, mentors, and supporters who made the BOOST Academy a success — and to the amazing students who brought their curiosity, energy, and enthusiasm to every moment.