The FIRST Robotics Competition is designed to help high school-aged students experience science, technology, engineering and math in a competition that feels more like a major sports competition than a science fair.
The competition challenges young people to work with mentors to strategize, design, manufacture, program and test a 125-pound industrial-sized robot to play a pre-defined game all in just six weeks.
“Since 2016, the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has been the supporting FIRST Robotics Competition by providing funding and volunteers to help with the program,” said Katie Dunn, Assistant Regional director and WPAFB’s FIRST Robotics Competition program manager. “Our goal is to get students excited in STEM. This program is fabulous and is proven to increase the chances of these students entering and succeeding in STEM fields.”
This year’s game “Destination: DEEP SPACE” takes place on Planet Primus. Robots must load cargo, prepare spaceships and climb onto a habitation capsule before the next sandstorm arrives. The competition is designed by world-famous inventor Dean Kamen, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor emeritus Dr. Woodie Flowers and a committee of innovators.
Ohio hosts 65 teams and two regional competitions. The first, the Miami Valley Regional held at the Nutter Center, will host 60 teams from a nine-state area. Local teams participating are: 3138 Innovators Robotics, 5811 the BONDS, 6032 the West Carrollton Pirates, 6936 the Vault and 7434 Beyond the Stars. Ohio’s second regional is scheduled for March 27-30 at Cleveland State’s Wolstein Center and will host 60 teams from five states.
From the FIRST Robotics Competition’s Miami Valley Regional, six teams will advance to the international FIRST Championship held in Detroit in April.
For more information about the Miami Valley Regional and FIRST Robotics Competition, visit http://wpafbstem.com/pages/k12_FRC_overview.html.
Other Ohio teams
#128 The Botcats- Grandview Heights, #144 The R.O.C.K. – Cincinnati, #279 Tech Fusion – Maumee, #379 RoboCats - Girard, #451 The Cat Attack - Maumee, #677 Murphy’s Outlaws – Columbus, #695 FIRST Responders – Beachwood, #1014 Bad Robots – Dublin, #1038 Lakota Robotics - Liberty Township, #1308 Wildcats – Cleveland, #1317 Digital Fusion – Columbus, #1787 Flying Circuits – Cleveland, #2172 Street Legal – Lakewood, #2603 Highland Robotics – Medina, #3010 the Red Plague – Centerburg, #3138 Innovators Robotics – Dayton, #3201 Ross Rambotics – Hamilton, #3266 Robots-R-Us – Eaton, #3324 The Metrobots – Columbus, #3484 Short Circuit – Marysville, #3777 Bean City Bots – Lima, #4028 The Beak Squad- Cincinnati, #4145 WorBots – Columbus, #4269 CardinalBots – Columbus, #4283 Granville Robo Aces – Granville, #4284 ScotBot4284 – Cincinnati, #4521 Harrison Robotics – Harrison, #4611 O-Zone - Lewis Center, #5413 Stellar Robotics – Mansfield, #5667 Eagles - New Albany, #5811 Bonds - Dayton, #5973 Moonshots - Gates Mills, #6032 Pirate Robotics - West Carrollton, #6084 Swoop Robotics – Cincinnati, #6834 Quantum Steam – Etna, #6927 Firebirds – Columbus, #6936 Vault – Dayton, #6964 Upper Arlington – Columbus, #7165 Sandusky – Sandusky, 7434 Beyond the Stars – West Carrolton, 7460 Avi and Friends- Sylvania, 7486 STOW- Hudson
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