Domo arigato Mr. Roboto
Anna W. and Sophie B.
news editor and staff writer
The
stands are packed, all eyes fixed on the field below. Anxious fans are on
the edges of their seats, poised to cheer when their team enters the arena.
Out of sight, the competitors focus on the task at hand, preparing themselves
for another stressful yet exhilarating match. This is no ordinary sporting
event, but a robotics competition.
On April 17, The Edina Robotics FIRST Team 1816, The Green Machine, gathered in Atlanta, Georgia to compete in the FIRST Robotics Championships. Teams from across the world competed in the Georgia Dome, and after three days of mixed matches, The Green Machine finished in the top half of its division of 86 teams but did not advance to elimination rounds.
“Our
division was full of powerhouses who could score over 100 points in the 2
minute and 15 second game, which made competing really tough,” said
sophomore Amy Z.
To enter the competition in Atlanta, teams must design, build, and program a robot that can accomplish the year’s given task in a designated six week period. This year’s mission was to race around a track and handle trackballs that are 40” diameter and weigh ten pounds.
After the six-week build season, robots were shipped off to regional competitions, where teams compete to determine who will advance to the Championships. The Green Machine’s 30-member team attended two regionals this year.
“Our first regional was in Milwaukee,” said senior David C., captain of The Green Machine. “Overall we did pretty well the first two days of the competition, but unfortunately, we lost in the quarterfinals on the last day.”
At the Minnesota Regional, the Green Machine preformed excellently and was ranked as the fourth seeded team, an improvement from its pervious performance. However, the team again lost in its quarterfinal match.
“We did very well in our first elimination match, but then something went wrong and the robot lost power 10 seconds into the next match,” said junior Danny R.
Although team members were discouraged by this loss, they were soon met with a huge surprise: They had won the Chairman’s Award, thanks to the hard work and an outstanding presentation put on by team members Alex N., Emily R., Sophie B., and Ryan I. This prestigious award honors the team that best demonstrates the mission of FIRST: To promote the program in society and expand interest in science and technology. Because of this award, The Green Machine advanced to the Championships.
Robotics is definitely an activity that requires a great amount of time, but the efforts are rewarding. Students not only learn how to build robots, but also learn business and teamwork skills. And of course, there is always the thrill of competing. For more information on the team, click here.