Gaylord to host robotics competition, bring 40 teams – Petoskey News-Review

GAYLORD The Gaylord High School robotics team is hosting its first district competition today (Friday) and Saturday.

The For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology event is planned to take place at the high school gym.

Teams are set to face off against each other with qualifying match play from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. today (Friday).

The event is free, open to the public and while school is in session today, parking will be limited until school releases around 3 p.m. Matches are set to resume Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with playoff rounds starting at 2 p.m., followed by award presentations.

The competition theme is steampunk and combines a Victorian-era setting before electricity where people used alternative forms of energy like steam with a science fiction or fantasy twist.

During the competition, three teams work together against three other teams in an alliance to see which group can climb aboard a steam-powered airship and fly off first.

Robots are required to operate for 15 seconds on their own at first without a remote control on the game field. The competing robots then collect gears and softball-sized hollow yellow balls from the field. Players can later use a remote control to maneuver the bots.

The balls and gears fuel a boiler for airships where robots can then pull themselves aboard once the team has enough fuel.

GHS Devil Bots and Johannesburg-Lewiston High Schools Army of Sum team are scheduled to play at the Gaylord event.

The two-day event is the culmination of six weeks of strategy, design and build efforts of over 1,000 students from 40 teams across the state, reads a Devil Bots news release.

Top teams from the district competitions then qualify for state competition April 12-15 in Saginaw.

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Gaylord to host robotics competition, bring 40 teams - Petoskey News-Review