Panther Robotics place in First Tech Challenge – Hometownlife.com

Hometown Life 2:13 p.m. ET Feb. 17, 2017

Robots playing Velocity Vortex.(Photo: Submitted)

Redford Union School Districts Hilbert Middle School showcased its first seventh-and-eighth-grade robotics team Panther Robotics this school year. The rookie team took part in a First Tech Challenge, part of the FIRST family of robotics. Redford Union Schools and DTE Energy are the teams sponsors.

The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) organization creates games, and robotics teams are expected to build robots that can play them.

This years FIRST Tech Challenge season kicked off in early September with the global release of the Velocity Vortex contest.

This is how that game is played:

Velocity Vortex, presented by Qualcomm, is played on a 12-foot by 12-foot square field with approximately 1-foot high walls and a soft foam mat floor.

According to the Velocity Vortex website, the field is divided diagonally into a red and a blue side corresponding to the two alliances. There are two goals on a rotatable stand called the Center Vortex in the center of the field. The Corner Vortex, which consists of two ramps, each with a goal, is placed at opposite sides of the field. There are also four alliance-neutral beacons, two placed on each front wall next to the Corner Vortex. Floor markings and Vision Targets are placed on the field walls as reference points for robot navigation, according to the website.

The object of the game is to score points by capturing beacons, shooting particles and lifting a large yoga ball.

The Panther robot was built, programmed and driven by a team of seventh-graders and eighth-graders from Hilbert.They also worked closely with adult mentors and coaches.

The team competed in its first competition onNov.19at Novi Middle School.The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team played fiverounds of this years game against 34 other teams from around the metro area.The Panthers placed16th out of 34, which was well ahead of many veteran teams.

Hilberts robot team was invited to a scrimmage at Oak Valley Middle School in Commerce Township held on Nov.29.The team was able to collaborate with top rated teams from the Huron Valley School District. This helped them prepare for the next competition held on December 10th at Detroit U of D Mercy. The Panthers took seventhplace with the team winning a Robot Controls Award and was a finalist for the PTC Design Award.

The Panther Robotic team is made up of William Armor, Sara Casavoy, Grace Clarey, Jacob Evans, Lauren Gist, Damien Jackson, Ariel Pickettand Justin Sidaway.

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Panther Robotics place in First Tech Challenge - Hometownlife.com