After a challenging three-week build season preparing for the FIRST® Robotics Competition, the Robo-Rebels robotics team from Narooma High School is ready.
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The Narooma robotics team has successfully built and completed a new robot to compete in the South Pacific Regional Championships to be held at the State Sports Centre in Homebush in March.
In order to build the robot during the short build season, this new rookie team has had to design and build mechanical, electrical and software controls systems, as well as integrate them all into one remote-controlled machine.
“Students have learned engineering skills across several disciplines, including shaping and assembling metal, working with electronics and programming controls systems in Java coding language, the build has been a very steep learning curve for all involved,” science teacher and coach Gayle Allison said.
The theme for this year’s competition is “Power-Up”.
Robots play the part of a character inside a video game, working in an alliance of three teams and cooperating together to score points, play defence, and fend off other teams.
Combining the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology, FIRST® Robotics Competition is like the ultimate Sport for the Mind.
The 2018 Robo-Rebels robot is called “Aoki”, after a favourite video game character.
The Robot will be able to transport yellow scoring cubes to various points on the playing field in order to gain points for the alliance in each match.
The Robo-Rebels are a student team, at present the team survives on a combination of donations from generous sponsors including the Quota International club, Narooma Sporting and Services Club, Narooma Plaza, Narooma Mens Shed and “in kind” support from Narooma High School.
“Our aim is to become financially independent and we will be running robotics camps following our competition trip,” Mrs Allison said.
“The funds raised from our Robo Camps will enable all our robotics students to travel and take part in competitions throughout the year.
“Robo Camps are facilitated and organised by the team members and form the financial backbone of our team, as well as introducing primary school students to the world of robotics.”
FIRST® Robotics Competition is a robotics competition, not a robot-fighting contest.
Competition games are designed to be like team sports, and robots are not supposed to be intentionally harmed.
Teams are guided by solid principles of teamwork, graciousness, cooperation, camaraderie and professionalism.
The game is always as safe as can be ensured, and students are encouraged to be as friendly with other teams as they are with their own. ”
Our team is grateful to ongoing support and advice from robotics teams in Ulladulla, Wollongong and Macquarie University,” said mentor Christina Potts.
“The spirit of cooperation between teams is fantastic, teams are encouraged to help each other, the emphasis on sharing knowledge and supporting each other is what makes this competition different to any other I have been involved in.”
