News

Monday, April 20, 2009

Dos Pueblos High’s Team Has Strong Showing in the First Robotics Competition in Atlanta

Dos Pueblos High School’s Team 1717 headed to Atlanta last week for the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotic Competition, described as a varsity sport of the mind. The hands-on project challenges students to test their skills in science, technology, engineering, and math. The D’Penguineers from Dos Pueblos High returned to Santa Barbara as division finalists, they were in the Galileo Division, and winners of the Motorola Quality Award for engineering design.

Before some 20,000 spectators the D’Penguineers guided their Penguinbot through this year’s game, called “Lunacy.” According to FIRST, “Lunacy” was developed to honor the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11, when NASA landed a man on the moon.

The game involved students directing their respective robot to pick up 9-inch balls and gain points when the robot tossed the balls into trailers hitched to their opponents’ robots, all while robots were in motion on a low-friction floor. Each match was 2 minutes, 15 seconds long.

The competition began when teams of students from the US and abroad responded to a common problem by assembling a robot from a common kit of parts and a common set of rules which change from year to year. The teams had six weeks to build their respective robot, weighing up to 120 lbs. (excluding battery and bumpers), with parts from the kit before entering the robot in FIRST competitions. The 2009 FIRST Robotics Competition began with 1,680 teams comprised of 42,000 high-school students. Winners at the regional and district levels went on to the First Championship in Atlanta, GA, April 16-18. Founded in 1989 by inventor/entrepreneur Dean Kamen, FIRST’s objective is to develop innovative, mentor-based programs that engage youth and encourage them to pursue education and careers in the science, technology, engineering, and math while building self-confidence, communication, and leadership skills.