FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TAHOMA ROBOTICS CLUB RECEIVES DESIGN AWARD IN SEATTLE
March 28, 2010
Tahoma Robotics Club on Saturday received the General Motors Industrial Design Award at the Microsoft Regional 2010 robotics competition in Seattle. The award recognizes the innovative design of the team's robot in this year's FIRST Robotics Competition, which presents high school teams throughout the world each year with a new robotics challenge.
The team (which goes by the name Bear Metal) was at KeyArena competing with robotics teams from around the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Throughout the day on Friday and Saturday, robots took to the field and played a game where they kicked and herded soccer balls around the arena and into goals at each corner. Obstacles, such as foot-high "bumps", separated sections of the field and challenged the ability of the robots to move about. Bear Metal's robot, Odyssey, was designed to climb easily over the obstacles and to kick a ball the length of the field.
Over the course of the meet, Bear Metal's robot performed exceptionally. Odyssey scored often during the autonomous part of each match, where the robots are on their own without the guidance of a human controller. During the teleoperated part of the match, where a team member guides the robot with remote control, Odyssey moved freely around the arena due to its articulated wheel base which kept all the robot's wheels in contact with the surface as it traveled over the bumps. This mechanism is similar to the design of the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity which need to traverse obstacles on the surface of Mars.
During the qualification rounds, teams were assigned to three-team alliances, and each match had two alliances opposing each other with six robots on the field. The alliances changed with each match, and Odyssey was a high-scoring member of each of its alliances. At the end of the qualification rounds, Bear Metal was number two in the standings, advancing to the elimination rounds.
In the elimination rounds, teams formed permanent alliances, and Bear Metal joined with Mean Machine from Camas and Washougal high schools and with Saints Robotics of Seattle Lutheran High School. In the quarter finals, Bear Metal's alliance lost the first match, but recovered in the second match when Odyssey scored two goals during the autonomous period. In the third match, the alliance dominated, with a final score of 8-4.
Moving to the semi-finals, the first match was close with Bear Metal's alliance leading 3-2, but losing 2-1 when penalties were levied. The second match was high-scoring, finishing with a 7-7 tie. A penalty ended Bear Metal's hopes, leaving the final score at 7-6.
Bear Metal returns from Seattle, pleased with Odyssey's performance in this high-caliber robotics competition and gratified with the recognition that the General Motors Industrial Design Award confers.
About Tahoma Robotics Club
Tahoma Robotics Club, team Bear Metal, is located in Maple Valley, Washington, and is made up of students from both the Senior and Junior High School of Tahoma School District #409. The team participates each year in the FIRST Robotics Competition, and has frequently received recognition for its innovative concepts and robot designs. FIRST is an acronym of "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology". The mission of FIRST is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact the Tahoma Robotics Club Secretary of Communication: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
These full-resolution photographs are provided for use by news media.
Photographer: Bob Woodbury.
Attribution not required.
(Right click on image: choose "Save image" or "Save picture".)
Bear Metal drive team in Seattle.
Odyssey pit crew in Seattle.
Odyssey under test in Seattle.
Odyssey on the field in Seattle.
Odyssey on the field in Seattle.
Odyssey on the field in Seattle.
Odyssey on the field in Seattle.
Odyssey on the field in Seattle.
