The emerging robotics craze in the American educational system has now established itself in Wiesbaden, Germany, where children of U.S. military members are attending high school.

As the students' summer break came to an end, an important educational initiative was reaching its finale as well. Over the mid-year recess, more than 40 students from Wiesbaden High School were engaged in a long-awaited engineering summer camp that culminated in an engaging robotics competition.

"We talked about doing this for a number of years," noted camp director, Frank Pendzich, in a statement released by the Army. "[We focused upon] giving a broader range of students an opportunity to learn more about science, technology, math and engineering."

Pendzich had prior experience with robotics competitions but decided to approach this program with a somewhat unique strategy. The Wiesbaden summer program was focused on a more holistic mode of thought expected to develop creative problem solving skills that will serve students well in a variety of pursuits.

Instead of starting the program with discussion and memorization of technically challenging scientific principles, the camp began with team-building activities and abstract problem-solving exercises.

"The world needs more people who know how to problem solve – people with different ideas," said camp volunteer, Casey Mann. "As future engineers, we have to have the mindset that there's more than one solution."

According to Stars and Stripes, the Department of Defense Education Activity is looking to make good on President Obama's promise to redouble efforts in American science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. The Wiesbaden robotics club is just one success story from the DODEA school system.

As part of a new pilot program, the agency will offer at least one class in robotics engineering, biotechnology, engineering, gaming technology or green technology in 11 of its schools across the United States, Europe and the Pacific, according to the source. School administrators have already invested more than $1 million in the development of the curriculum and intend to keep it standardized across all DODEA campuses. If deemed successful, organizers are optimistic that the program can be extended to more schools in the near future.

By providing hands-on, engaging outlets for STEM learning, educators are doing much more than simply ensuring students will be able to find jobs after graduation. These dedicated teachers are ensuring the next generation of robotics engineers will be equipped to solve previously unimaginable challenges and lead the nation into a new era of innovation.

The 6th annual International Robot Contest will begin October 27 in South Korea. More than 5,000 teams from all over the world are expected to be in attendance at this year's event. Organizers from the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement are already excited to put on an engaging and informative display for supportive parents and industry experts alike.

According to Industry & Technology Times, the competition will consist of 24 separate events spanning 10 different categories. Teams will be applying their engineering knowledge towards the construction of robots that can explore challenging terrain, educate students and mimic human actions.

The KIRIA has the difficult task of managing more than 40 robotics competitions across the country, but it is taking its robotics education responsibilities in stride.

"Our company will faithfully play its role to the robot educational market through the spread of robots to all people and the development and application of new robot technology," KIRIA officials told the news source.

This dedication to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) remains at the core of South Korean education. And as a display of solidarity with the event's mission, the country's president, prime minister and minister of knowledge economy will be in attendance and presenting awards to contest participants.

But officials also realize the importance of international collaboration for moving the robotics industry forward. Domestic engineers know that the technological progress of South Korea will not be achieved alone and they are keeping an eye on innovations around the globe.

"Advanced countries, including the U.S., Japan and the EU, are leading robot technology and introducing a series of success stories through commercialization of derivative technology," KIRIA president Joo told the news outlet.

Although Korean counterparts have made significant progress in the past two decades, U.S. robotics manufacturers seem to be penetrating new market segments every week. Doctors now incorporate robotics into complex surgeries and rehabilitation protocols. Soldiers are using the technology for supporting reconnaissance missions. And just this month NASA engineers have debuted a humanoid robot to assist operations at the International Space Station.

The industry appear to be in good hands these days. According to the most recent research from the International Federation of Robotics, first quarter robot sales in 2011 increased 53 percent over last year's figures. But it will take a cohesive international effort to continue the trend and achieve the organization's previously forecasted goal of $100 billion in revenue by 2018.

As summer comes to a close, legions of reluctant students across the country are setting their alarm clocks again and heading back to school. But at Eisenhower Middle School in Norristown, Pennsylvania, several students have already been hard at work in the classroom for several weeks. Earlier this month, 17 local students chose to take part in a fun new robotics camp.

Keeping teenagers interested in the often complex world of science and math is no small feat, particularly over summer break. With that in mind, program developers knew they had to keep activities fun and hands-on. The school already had a small robotics club during the school year, so organizers decided to take things a step further and conduct a week-long robotics camp.

According to the Times Herald, students began the week by building their robots in collaborative groups of three to four. Local college students and district technology officers served as mentors during the constructions. Ultimately, the student-created robots competed against each other in a game at the end of the week.

"Driving the robot is cool because you get to control it and score points," 8th grader, Dante Puleo, told the news source. "It's like basketball with robots."

The battery-powered devices roamed around a small court scooping up small rubber balls as they went along. After gathering the items using their unique grasping mechanisms, students would guide the robots over to a low-hanging basket and drop the balls in the containers.

The camp was an overwhelming success, delighting students, parents and teachers in the process. The school plans to harness the momentum of the project and expand its robotics club in the new year.

"What I like about robotics is that it has a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, math)," noted district instructional technology coordinator Beth Roth. "We add the whole range of 21st Century skills – communications, problem-solving, collaboration and team building."

Innovative projects such as robotics competitions continue to be a popular means of addressing the critical educational needs. Defense contractor, Lockheed Martin, took note of the occasion and decided to provide crucial funding for the robot systems. As the company states on its website, the future success of the engineering field relies on effective and engaging education that allows students explore and express their creativity today.

According to Inventorspot, the Jin Xi Fu Jewelry store in Beijing, China, has added a robotics system to its staff. While it is not a real person, the automated android may have legions of fans, as it closely resembles a popular Chinese television actress.

Dubbed Xiao Jin after the celebrity it mimics, the robot features humanoid movements, such as lip-synced speaking and limited limb movements, reported the news source. The device's creators at the Xi'an Chao Ren Robot Technology company claim the robot cost roughly $60,000 to manufacture, most of which can be attributed to the attention to detail they had to include in order for it to come across as truly life-like.

“All her hair, from scalp to eyebrows are 100 percent human,” Wang Qin, the store manager for the jewelry store, told the media outlet.

Robotics systems that mimic human movements are called androids and, due to technology advances, they are becoming more popular. Recently, the German Aerospace Center created a device called Rolling Justin, which is able to catch a ball thrown at it from more than 15 feet away.

One of the most endearing characteristics of robotics systems is they allow humans to explore harsh and dangerous environments. Thanks to robots' metal gears and hardy processing units, the human race has made scientific discoveries in places that were once thought unreachable.

According to USA Today, robots are now being used by a University of Southern Mississippi team to explore the Ross Sea in Antarctica. The robots brave the frigid waters and go where humans cannot, including underneath the thick sea ice.

The robotics team is using two Seaglider robots, which became famous in 2010 when the model was charged with exploring the undersea site of the Gulf oil spill disaster, reports the news source. Now, the robots are being used to collect data about the little known Antarctic sea.

"The beauty of the gliders is they can collect data for days without any human help," Walker Smith, team member with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, told the media organization.

Robots are quite the oceanographers. Recently, autonomous undersea machines were used by the Dutch navy to find a sunken German U-boat off the coast of the Netherlands, reports the Boston Globe.

The crowd watched with rapt attention as the clock ticked down to zero, all the while their soccer sides battled to the very end for a chance to be world champions. This scene, reminiscent of a FIFA World Cup final, was actually the the result of a recent robotics competition.

According to Forbes, every year another country plays host to a global robotics competition, called RoboCup, that features teams pitting their technology against one another in a soccer match.

The robots must display a complex set of skills if they hope to succeed in match play. The news source explains that these humanoid devices must perform the task of "locating a ball, which involves vision and localization, and knocking it into a goal, which requires strategizing abilities."

As is most international soccer, the United States squad is not heavily favored. Teams from Japan and Germany generally dominate the robotic event, states the media outlet.

There are several international robotic events that technological enthusiast can look forward to. According to the Khaleej Times, the first inaugural World Robot Olympiad will be held in Saudi Arabia in September.