Friday, 10 January 2014 11:21

A Walking, Talking, Shooting Robot: Area Schools Take Up Challenge To Build It

By Staff Report | Education
BALLSTON SPA – There are robots that are involved in everyday activities, such as vending machines and ATMs , but it is difficult to imagine either of those being able to carry an exercise ball down a field, then shoot the ball and cooperate with others - much less how to build a robot that could. Students throughout the Capital Region have already formed teams to tackle this task as part of the 2014 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). Over the next five weeks, they will strategize, design, build and test a robot that, they hope, will be able to exhibit these talents to win the competition. His third time participating in the competition, Dennis Mooney, a senior of Ballston Spa High School, said that he gets a lot of enjoyment from the experience. He and his teammates spend about three to eight hours a week outside the classroom collaborating on the project. Mooney also participates in other extracurricular activities such as track and field, which is also a large time commitment; however, if it came down to choosing between his other extracurricular activities and this project he said: “I would go to robotics any day before the others.” Interest in robotics is growing in the Capital District. The number of teams has grown from three teams just a few years ago to over eleven teams, including rookie teams from Cambridge and Troy this year. It will be the first year that a regional competition will be held in the Capital District. All teams participating in the event received a kit of parts. Additional parts can be purchased bought Rensselear campus on March 13 – 15 to compete in the New York Tech Valley Regional Competition. Accomplished inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen founded FIRST in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. FRC is an annual competition that challenges high school students working alongside professional mentors to construct robot of their own, and compete in the ultimate Sport for the Mind that measure the effectiveness of each robot, the power of teamwork and collaboration, and gracious professionalism. Through their participation in FRC, students experience the excitement of science, engineering, technology and innovation and qualify for over $18 million in college scholarships.
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