Category Archives: Robotics

Students return from competition with new experiences

Photo courtesy Cora Hipple Freshman Andrew Willis operates machinery at the robotics competition on March 17.

Robotics competed in an annual three-day tournament against 60 teams. Winnetonka took 47th place with their bot, which they named, Bubbles. The competition took place at MCC BTC [Metropolitan Community College Business and Technology Campus] on March 15-17.

There are three parts to robotics: building, business and programming. The three were combined in the Greater Kansas City Regional FRC [First Robotics Competition] Tournament, where teams compete with a robot they build.

Every year, the game rules are changed so a new robot with different functionality must be built, robotics co-coach Jeffery Janzen said. Most years, the robot needs to be able to drive around, pick up some kind of projectile, and fire it.

According to building captain sophomore Brandon Burt, the robotics team changed their design several times before the competition took place.

Its a long process thinking of designs, Burt said. We probably changed it so many times. I remember the day they announced the competition we had this set design ready to go so we were going to start building and then here we are three months later and its completely different.

Photo courtesy Cora Hipple The robotics teams robot, Bubbles, competes against another schools robot in the arena.

According to junior Essence Jewel, as soon as the team receives the rules they have a time limit to finish the robot.

We had a 6-week period to design and build the robot where we spend six to seven days a week at school, Jewel said. It was a trying time where tensions are high but we always pull through as a team.

Programming captain junior Thomas Mitchell had barely any worries during the competition.

Its just fine, Mitchell said. Its kind of stressful when youre on the field because theres a lot of pressure and there are a lot of people watching you.

Robotics co-coach Brice Jensen believes the result of the competition went according to plan.

The bot performed all its functions perfectly, Jensen said. We were highly successful at scoring the more difficult bonus points. Also, we added vision to the bot for the first time so we could `see even in the blind spots. We designed it to climb, it climbed. We were pleased with the craftsmanship of the robot. Our bot never broke down once.

Photo courtesy Cora Hipple Bubbles participates in the robotics competition.

Jensen said he wants the robot to be able to do new and different things in future competitions.

Our next major hurdle is to add smart vision to our bot, Jensen said. This will allow it to auto aim and autonomously [independently] analyze its surroundings to perform even more advanced challenges.

According to Janzen, overall, they had a good season along with a good tournament.

Throughout the tournament, our bot performed well, our field team performed well and everyones pleased with the outcome of the season, Janzen said.

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Built for robotics - Tonka News

Eight years in the making, the Sparrowbots have made it to worlds.

Led by an exhaustive research project about the pygmy three-toed sloth, and how there are just 75 left in the world, the robotics team from Pucketts Mill Elementary won the state competition in February, and was highlighted during a pep rally at the school on Friday afternoon.

I woke up one morning and I said, We must celebrate this team, Pucketts Mill Principal Ruth Westbrooks said. With this pep rally, we are encouraging this team and congratulating them.

The nine members of the team, who are in fourth and fifth grade, gave a presentation during the assembly about their core values and how they work as a team.

On Wednesday, they will leave for Houston and the international competition of the First Lego League. They will be part of a group of about 30 people from Pucketts Mill, including teachers, parents and spouses. When they arrive, they will setup an exhibit that encompasses their state, country and project, and join eight other international teams.

The robot on the table is just a small part of the overall robotics experience.

The team also was charged with finding a solution to a problem in the world today. The Sparrowbots focused on how animals can help people. They found that the algae that grows on the fur of the sloth is a very likely cure for breast cancer.

Its just deep learning, lots of critical thinking goes into their work, Westbrooks said. With guidance, they do most all of the decision-making and work on their own, which creates that sense of collaboration, which is so important and those soft skills that they will need as they move forward into the real world.

Teacher Mandy Collins, who works with the robotics students, said the schools group has made it to state every year. Last year it finished third. But this years group even Skyped with a scientist in Germany among other research professionals.

I think the difference this year was just the passion that these students had about their topic, she said. We learned that when we are helping the Pygmy Sloths, were actually helping ourselves because all animals are related to humans in some way. Were all inter-dependent in some way. It was a very personal project.

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Puckett's Mill robotics team gears up for trip to world competition - Gwinnettdailypost.com

One year ago, robotics enthusiasts at Whiteland Community High School had no outlet for their interest.

Other schools in the area had robotics programs, but Whiteland hadnt started one. So a motivated group of students changed that, and in two weeks, theyll be competing against the best robotics programs in the world.

In its inaugural year, Whiteland has reached the pinnacle of high school robotics competition. The Wired Warriors were one of the top finishers in the Indiana championships, and the team was named the state rookie of the year for its success in 2017.

The Wired Warriors, the robotics team at Whiteland Community High School, poses during the Indiana FIRST state championships, the statewide competition for high school robotics teams. The team was named the top rookie team in Indiana in its first year in existence, and will compete in the world championship on April 26 to 29.

The Wired Warriors, the robotics team at Whiteland Community High School, poses after qualifying for the FIRST world championships, the international competition for high school robotics teams. The team was named the top rookie team in Indiana in its first year in existence, and will compete in the world championship on April 26 to 29.

Members of the Wired Warriors, the robotics team at Whiteland Community High School, and the robot they built for competition this year. The team was named the top rookie team in Indiana in its first year in existence, and will compete in the robotics world championship on April 26 to 29.

Their achievements will culminate at the robotics world championship in St. Louis.

For a first-year team, that just doesnt happen, said Brandon Hogan, science teacher at Whiteland and advisor for the robotics team.

Whiteland competes through the Indiana FIRST organization an acronym meaning For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology which aims to grow robotics programs throughout the world.

Every team builds a robot to compete in the same game, and they dont know the objective or rules of that game until Indiana FIRST releases it in January.

The Whiteland program came to be with the help of Hogan, who came to Whiteland last school year as an advanced science teacher. Hogan had been involved with robotics programs during his previous teaching job in California.

When students Hannah Reid and Daniel Schieber found out about his experience with robotics, they kept bugging him until he agreed to help them start a team.

There was a group of physics students who would talk about it small pockets of class time. We kept asking about it until he said yes, Reid said.

Taking the idea to school administrators, they received permission to start the team. A callout at the end of last school year brought out about 75 students, and when the team formed in the fall, almost 40 students joined up.

For the first four months in the fall, the Wired Warriors focused on laying the foundation for competition season. They watched online videos to learn programming and construction. Students attended a mock match to see what competitions were like and participated in forums at Purdue University to learn more about programming.

Team members mentored middle school students in their robotics programs. The Whiteland team found support among fellow robotics teams in Perry Township and Center Grove, who offered their expertise and experience to help the new team get a foothold.

A major focus was on fundraising. The entrance fees to the competitions the Wired Warriors wanted do totaled $15,000, and that didnt include money for the robots, supplies and travel, Hogan said. A business committee was formed to attract corporate sponsors and to apply for grants to help.

Were an inclusive robotics team, and we dont charge like a lot of other teams do. So all the money weve done has been through fundraising by the students, Hogan said.

Once the parameters for this years competition were released in January, the Wired Warriors set to work building their robot. The machine had to be able to collect plastic balls and place them either in an 8-foot-wide goal or a 3-foot-wide slot, Schieber said.

The next step was to put massive gears on a peg, which are used as part of a complex machine to rotate a lever and turn propellers. At the end of the game, teams had 30 seconds to get their entire robot up a 4-foot rope, Schieber said.

During Whitelands first competition at Tippecanoe, they were the highest ranked rookie team, earning the distinction of Rookie All-Star. They nabbed the same award at the state championship April 8 for their success throughout the season, punching their ticket to the world championship.

When the results of the state championship were announced, Whiteland was optimistic that it would make it to the world level. Still, actually qualifying led to unfettered celebration.

There was lots of screaming and running and jumping and hugging. There were some tears, Reid said.

The next two weeks will be spent practicing for the world competition. Their robot already has been shipped to St. Louis, so team members will work on their strategy and approach as they go up against about 360 teams from 42 different countries.

They will leave on the morning of April 26 and compete through April 29.

The success of this year has built a buzz among the student body. Although co-captains Reid and Schieber are both seniors this year, a large number of team members are freshmen and sophomores, ready to lead the team even higher.

When I joined, I didnt think Id be a prominent person in robotics. I thought Id just be there. But as the season progressed, I tried to make myself stand out and be helpful. Im just grateful I was able to impact the team positively, said sophomore Jacob Fox.

The hope is that with a high school team established, robotics programs can be launched in lower grades throughout the Clark-Pleasant school system, creating a strong feeder system.

Starting a base, we have high, high hopes that we can get to that point soon and get programs in the middle school and elementary schools, Reid said. As a senior starting this club, my goal from the beginning was for it to last.

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Whiteland Community High School robotics team finds success in ... - Daily Journal

Technology taking over at NAS Pensacola for National Robotics Week

It's National Robotics Week and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition is giving an inside look for those interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

You can see different robots that researchers are working on and watch demonstrations from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m..

Matthew Johnson, IHMC Research Scientist, said, "We'll have some new AVs, some small drones flying around, as well. We'll have a fast-running bipedal robot on the treadmill over there, we'll have our exoskeletons up and running in the back there. We'll also have a slew of sensors that our robots use and we'll have some demonstrations of what those different sensing technologies look like."

Robotic competitors from local schools are participating to show off their work, as well.

The future is here and IHMC will show it to you!

Johnson said, "Every project you see is a future project, so we're working on this stuff. Every table will talk to you about what is coming next. We're pretty open about what we're doing here, so you're going to hear it all."

If you miss out on Friday, there's still an opportunity to check it out.

On Saturday, IHMC & the Naval Aviation Museum will host the Robotics Week festivities.

Some of the robots from the IHMC lab will be on display from noon to 5 p.m. and a special screening of National Geographic's "Robots" will held.

Johnson encourages those to "bring curiosity" to these FREE events.

Click here for more information.

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Technology taking over at NAS Pensacola for National Robotics Week - WEAR

Robo Global Robotics & Automation ETF holds about 80 stocks in manufacturing and other types of robotics. (salman2/stock.adobe.com)

The field of robotics has captured the imagination like no other industry, as companies develop machines that once were the stuff of science fiction.

Today, robotics are expanding in manufacturing, where they first got a foothold. In the military, drones are now in every battalion and are used in naval warfare. Robo Global Robotics & Automation (ROBO) ETF captures that wave of innovation through a portfolio of about 80 companies either developing or using robotic technology.

Those companies include names in 3D printing, health care, energy, consumer products and other industries. With such a large portfolio, many of the ETF's components are only partially involved in robotics, while others could be regarded as pure plays. The firm says 40% of the fund consists of "bellwether" companies that are leading robotics companies and the rest are firms "that enable robotics/automation with growing revenue contributions."

For example, Nvidia (NVDA) is making strides in the field of self-driving cars but its main business is graphics chips. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) pioneered robotic-assisted surgery and has been one of the better-performing stocks in the ETF this year.

IRobot (IRBT) is best known for vacuum cleaning and pool cleaning robots. AeroVironment (AVAV) makes drones for industrial and military use, but has other businesses such as electric-car chargers. Cognex (CGNX) makes electronic vision equipment for industrial inspection.

Advances in robotics are accelerating, as digital technology makes it increasingly possible to automate functions with computers. The market for robotics and automation is expected to grow from $64 billion to $1.2 trillion, according to research noted in Robo Global's website. Experts also see a 17.4% compounded annual growth rate in service and consumer robotics from 2015 to 2020.

Robo Global Robotics & Automation is the sole ETF product from Robo Global ETFs, a Dallas-based firm. All components are about equal in weighting of 1% to 2% each. By market capitalization, about 23% of the portfolio is made up of big-cap companies, 37% midcap and 40% small cap.

It is not the only robotics ETF, however. Global X Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (BOTZ) is a newer ETF; it started trading in September. It has fewer than 30 stocks, many of them are in Robo Global Robotics. The ETF, which started trading in October 2013, has surged more than 50% from a low in February 2016. It broke out of a base in December but is now having trouble maintaining support at its 50-day moving average.

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Robotics ETF Taps Growth In Manufacturing, Drones, Other Areas - Investor's Business Daily

USC Viterbi School welcomes thousands of local children to campus for the 7th annual Robotics Open House

USC computer science doctorate student Katelyn Swift-Spongs Bandit, a rehabilitation therapy coach designed to be used during the critical post-stroke period, is tried out by 1st and 2nd graders from 32nd Street school during Viterbi Robotics Open House, Friday, April 7, 2017. Photo/Gus Ruelas

On April 7, USCs University Park Campus, typically home to industrious college students and researchers, was teeming with schoolchildrenand robots. The USC Viterbi School of Engineering hosted nearly 2,000 students from around Southern California for its most popular STEM outreach event of the year, the USC Viterbi Robotics Open House.

Robots are great ambassadors for STEM, said Professor Maja Matari, USC Viterbis vice dean of research, who launched the Robotics Open House seven years ago. Its important to show young students how cool robotics can be and how it can be whatever they want to make it, including applications in health, education, entertainment and autonomous driving.

Sponsored by USC Viterbi and organized by VAST, Viterbi Adopt-a-School Adopt-a-Teacher, the Robotics Open House welcomed school groups in the morning and families and organizations during the afternoon. With more than fifteen labs and activities across three buildings, the event gave kids a chance to see the cutting-edge research taking place on campus and learn why its important.

Popular stations included Assistant Professor Nora Ayanians aerial robots, which taught visitors about her research on multi-robot coordination. Meanwhile, in the lab of Professor Gaurav Sukhatme, chair of Department of Computer Science, graduate students displayed adaptive aquatic robots, which work together to map out temperature and algae distributions underwater.

For a lot of us, weve been working with robots for so long, you start to forget how novel or strange certain things are, said Stephanie Kemna, a Ph.D. student in Sukhatmes lab.

USC mechanical engineering sophomore student Kiera Salvo, 19, teaches Elias Rojano, 6, a second grader from 32nd Street how to control the Vex U team competition robot during the Viterbi Robotics Open House, Friday, April 7, 2017. Photo/Gus Ruelas

During the lunch hour, children participated in interactive activities, including robot races in the USC Viterbi courtyard fountain and a robot dinosaur petting zoo. USCs undergraduate VexU team, which participates in annual engineering competitions, also welcomed visitors to test-drive the robot they built and ask questions about studying engineering in college.

Visiting groups also watched the premiere of USC Viterbis short film, When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth. Based on research from Matari and the USC Viterbi Interaction lab, the film illustrates how socially assistive robots can help support children with autism.

A major focus of the VAST program, and the Robotics Open House in particular, is to show students who are going through their STEM courses that engineering has tremendous social benefits, said Katie Mills, VAST manager and organizer of the event.

Much of the technology on display, including drones and 3D printing, was also designed to show students how diverse the applications of robotics can be.

When we started this event, robotics was still kind of mysterious and esoteric, and now its really part ofour daily lives, said Mills.

For the Rodriguez family, who came to the open house together after classes ended at the nearby 32nd Street School, robotics has been part of daily life for several years. Sisters Marcella and Michelle, 8 and 12 years old respectively, participate in USCs Robotics and Coding Academy, which provides supplemental STEM education in local schools.

USC computer science doctorate student David Becerra, left, show 1st and 2nd graders form 32nd street school how Kiwi the Owl, an Autistic therapy robot works, during Viterbi Robotics Open House, Friday, April 7, 2017. Photo/Gus Ruelas

I saw their enthusiasm when the Robotics program first came to 32nd Street School, said their mother, Bertha Rodriguez. Since then Ive always encouraged them to attend more events and keep learning.

In addition to supporting local schools through multiyear outreach partnerships, VAST provides lesson plans for teachers to use before and after the robotics field trip, with the goal of expanding the days activities into a long-term learning experience.

We love for this to be an opportunity for teachers to extend the field trip into a real lesson about robotics and the social benefits, said Mills.

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A Day Ruled by Robots - USC Viterbi School of Engineering (press release) (blog)

TechCrunch

Robotics students and startups: pitch and demo at TechCrunch's robotics event TechCrunch We're pleased to announce the addition of pitches and demos at Session: Robotics, our upcoming event centered around the issues concerning the robotics community. Students and startups should apply now for slots for the event, taking place July 17 in ...

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Robotics students and startups: pitch and demo at TechCrunch's robotics event - TechCrunch

CBS DFW

Allen High Robotics Team Ready For Biggest Test CBS DFW ALLEN (CBS11) After a lot of fine tuning and test runs, the Eagle Robotics team from Allen High School is ready to compete on an international scale. The team is getting ready to head to Houston next week to take part in the First Robotics ... and more »

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Allen High Robotics Team Ready For Biggest Test - CBS DFW

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Port Huron FIRST Robotics Team 3667 is competing in a Shaping the Future video challenged hosted by Dow Chemical Company.

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Times Herald Published 11:20 a.m. ET April 13, 2017 | Updated 12 hours ago

JEFFREY M. SMITH/TIMES HERALD Mecanum Knights 3667 members Ava Stoneberg and Addie Hughes, both 15, work on their robot in the pit area during a FIRST Robotics District Event on Friday at Marysville High School. Mecanum Knights 3667 members Ava Stoneberg and Addie Hughes, both 15, work on their robot in the pit area during a FIRST Robotics District Event Friday, April 7, 2017 at Marysville High School.(Photo: JEFFREY M. SMITH, TIMES HERALD)Buy Photo

Port Huron FIRST Robotics Team 3667 is competing in a Shaping the Future video challenged hosted by Dow Chemical Company.

Winners will receive a grant for their FIRST Robotics team ranging from $1,000 to $7,500. A total of $25,000 in grant money will be awarded to eight different winning teams.

In less than 60 seconds, robotics teams must describe the way they see robots and technology shaping the future.

Voting is currently open and ends April 16. Winners will be announced April 17. People can vote daily, once a day.

The Port Huron video was produced and edited by Marisa Jones, a Port Huron High School freshman who is a member of the FIRST Robotics marketing team.

To vote, follow the link and search for team "3667:"https://www.facebook.com/DowCorps/app/486254294756872/

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Vote for Port Huron robotics team - Port Huron Times Herald

Lakeview High School's Q Branch Robotics team (wearing the team color pink T-shirts) is competing this week for a chance to advance to a world championship contest in St. Louis.(Photo: Courtesy photo/Bernhard Kerschbaum)

A teamof Lakeview High School students who can design, build and control robots remotelywill represent the Battle Creek area this week in a robotics competition in Saginaw.

Twenty-two members of the Q Branch Robotics team will compete against 39 other squadsin the Dow Division of the FIRST in Michigan District Championship, the robotics version of a state tournament, from Thursday to Saturday at Saginaw Valley State University. A total of 160 teams are competing for 82 slots up for grabs tothe World Championship competitionin St. Louison April 26-29.

"My team is very strong, talented students," said coach John Burdette, an AP physics, physics, astronomy and algebra teacher. "They've worked so hard all year and I've got a very senior-led team and I'm very proud of these students."

FIRST, short for For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, is a New Hampshire-based organization that organizes robotic competitions around the world.

The Spartans named their team after the Q Branch division of MI6, theBritish spy agency in the James Bond movies.

Therobot they designed and built oversix weeks, Spectre, is named after a villainous organizationin the Bond movies.Spectre can grab, toss, run and climb on command.

Q Branch finished first in the Lakeview Districtcontest on March 3-4 and fifth in a March 17-18 competition at Gull Lake High School.

The students on the team average at least a 3.0 grade-point average and specialize in building robots, computer coding, robot design and business.

Q Branch Roboticsis made up of Ben Berrios, Serena Brondolo, Patrick Caratinni, Aubre Carey, Alayna Carr, Caleb Dunlap, Josh Dunlap, Rebekah Ehart, Elizabeth Espinoza, Elonne Gibson, Brialy Goodale, Dominik Kerschbaum, Bowen Kincaid, Jakob Kinnisten, Bao Le, Logan Mattingly, John Mead, Noah Miller, Kien Nguyen, Alayna Robinson, Joanna Robinson, Trevor Sanchez and Brianna Zuke.

Musashi Auto Parts, Denso Manufacturing Michigan Inc., Battle Creek Unlimited, IAC Group and Geislinger Corp. are sponsoring the team.

Forscores and match information, visit https://www.thebluealliance.com/team/4327/2017.

Contact Battle Creek Enquirer education reporter Noe Hernandez at 269-966-0684 or nhernandez@battlecreekenquirer.com.

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Lakeview students skilled in robotics - Battle Creek Enquirer