Spotlight
USF System: Robot Challenge
More than 165 high school students from throughout Florida competed in the fourth annual USF Poly RoboBattle in February. The event helps students learn to design and build robots with both radio- and autonomous-controlled behavior using the TETRIX design system.
Student teams develop robots that can perform tasks defined in the challenge, and then compete with, and against, other teams in qualifying competitions and a state championship. The USF Poly RoboBattle is a FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge regional qualifying competition. It is the last qualifying competition before the state championship.
Sixteen teams from Clearwater, Lakeland, Longwood, Miami, Palm Harbor, Riviera Beach, St. Petersburg, Tampa and Winter Haven competed in the event. Among them was the Smoke and Mirrors team from Lakeland — winner of the 2010 world championship.
Rod Brame, program director of STEM education and assistant professor of science education at USFP says "The FIRST Tech Challenge lets high school students experience the fun and excitement of complex problem solving in a positive and supportive team environment." And, he adds, "It also helps them discover the excitement and rewards of science, technology and engineering."