Ready, set, FIRST

It is that time of year again where North Bay’s best and brightest put their ideas and ingenuity to the test during the 2009 FIRST robotics competitions.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an organization founded by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. Upwards of 8,000 high-school-aged young people are expected to participate in this year’s competition.

At FIRST competitions students work alongside mentors to apply math and science concepts to develop functioning robots that will outlast others and solve the annual FIRST challenge. The competition centres on sportsmanship that has the teams not only compete against each other but cooperate, help each other and form alliances at high-energy regional tournaments that measure the effectiveness of each robot, the power of collaboration, and the determination of students.

Teams must determine their strategy and program, build, and test a robot using the innovative Vex Robotics Design System. Developed by Innovation First, the kit includes over 500 parts and is customizable, making it easy and fun to create and test innovative designs and explore robotics concepts.

This year the Near North Student Robotics Initiative (NNSRI 1305) has their work cut out for them as they have had senior teammates graduate, new specs for robots and a change in competition floors. This week during a news event at the Near North Board Room the team unveiled their design for this year’s completion ‘robot-R2T2’.

“This year one of the hugest differences from last year is the playing field, the low friction wheels to the floor,” explains senior team member Jerri Clout.

“So there is going to be a lot of speed and a lot of crashes which is always exciting to watch. Also it creates a whole new element for the robots they have to be easy and fast to repair because of the crashes. And in the design of the robot we don’t have the same friction and grip as we’ve had before and it’s been one of our biggest design challenges.”

Clout along with fellow West Ferris student and team captain Wesley Groom step up as the senior leaders

“It has been interesting to evolve from a grade nine going to a completion,” says Clout.

“As you know on the first day you just kind of look around in awe of everything that is going on around you and you don’t have a clue what to do … now as a senior member when you get there you have to take charge and help the junior members who are where you were two years ago.”

“And you have to say alright guys this is what needs to be done because there is always something to do. Some people just have to delegate and tell people okay we need people scouting and watching the field, we need our robot queuing and make sure everything is ready for inspection, and you have to set up the pit and make sure everyone is in the right spot. Too many people in the pit is a safety hazard during set up and then once everything is set up everyone gets trained so they act appropriately in the pit. We teach everyone that the pit is our stage our back is never to our audience reinforcing those things and just being there for the junior members so they can ask questions and get a handle on everything that is going on around them.”

Through their FIRST involvement, students discover the rewarding and engaging process of innovation and engineering.

The team kicks off the competition season Saturday February 21st at Emery Collegiate Institute in Toronto where the small robot will compete. This robot's task will be to collect hockey pucks up off the competion floor.

The team will compete in Waterloo and Mississauga next month hoping to advance to the FIRST Championships in Atlanta Georgia this spring.

1. Waterloo Regional - Mar. 19 - Mar. 21

2. GTR Regional - Mar. 26 - Mar 28