Robotics Competition Brings Out The Best In Young Scientists

November 3, 2013

Young scientists from 11 area middle and high schools — including Tate and West Florida — tested robots they built in the pressure-cooker of real competition at the sixth annual Emerald Coast BEST Robotics competition Saturday at the University of West Florida.

Each student team had six weeks to design and build a remote-controlled robot to solve a problem or perform a specific function. The year’s theme, Gatekeeper 2013, tasked robots to build a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to upgrade the BEST robot, Squeaky, to Squeaky 2.0. The students designed a prototype robot to build the mock CPU through three fabrication stages.

Each team was judged on its robot performance, marketing presentation, team exhibit, technical notebook and spirit and sportsmanship. The top two overall teams and the team with the top robot advance to regional competition Dec 7-8 at Auburn University.

Seaside Neighborhood School took the overall competition, and will be joined by Woodlawn and Woodham middle schools to represent the Emerald Coast BEST hub at Auburn.

Gulf Power Company has sponsored the BEST Robotics competition for the past six years. The event teaches teamwork, problem-solving, project management and pride in task completion.

BEST Robotics Inc. — Boosting Engineering Science and Technology — is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization whose mission is to inspire students to pursue careers in engineering, science, and technology through participation in a sports-like, science and engineering-based robotics competition.

“Gulf Power supports the annual competition because it provides local students the opportunity to learn practical engineering, science and math skills, which are critical for their future,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesman. “Events like the BEST Robotics competition also help promote interest in high-quality technology careers down the line for these students.”

Gulf Power has recently ramped up efforts to increase the availability of skilled technicians in Northwest Florida by helping form the Northwest Florida Manufacturers Council earlier this year. The council will help local manufacturing companies work together to compete in a global marketplace with a special emphasis on having a skilled workforce.

Area schools have been competing in BEST since 2004, when Gulf Power sponsored eight local teams to compete in the BEST hub in Mobile, Ala. The funding of hub operations depends entirely on corporate and individual sponsorships. Materials kits to build the robots are provided to the teams by the hub. No fees are paid by students or schools participating in BEST robotics.

AWARD CATEGORIES
Advancing to Regionals at South’s BEST – Auburn University on Dec. 7-8

1: Seaside Neighborhood
2: Woodlawn Middle School
3: Woodham Middle School

Robotics Award – Awarded to the teams whose machines finish first, second and third in the tournament bracket.
1: Seaside Neighborhood
2: Woodlawn Beach Middle School
3: Tate High School

BEST Robotics Finalist – Awarded to the team whose machine finished 4th
Pine Forest High School
Founders Award for Creative Design – awarded to the team that makes best use of the engineering process in consideration of offensive and defensive capabilities in machine design; awarded in recognition of BEST founders Steve Marum and Ted Mahler.
Seaside Neighborhood

Most Robust Machine – Awarded to the team whose machine requires the least maintenance during and between matches and is generally the sturdiest machine in the competition.
Pine Forest High School

Most Photogenic Machine
Woodlawn Beach Middle School

Gulf Power Blood, Sweat and Duct Tape Award
Bethlehem School

Best T-Shirt Design
1: Woodlawn Beach Middle School
2: Sims Middle School
3: Seaside Neighborhood

Web Page Design Award – Awarded for the best team website; based on page functionality, creative use of the game theme, information about team members and community efforts.
Sims Middle School

Best Spirit and Sportsmanship – Recognizes the vigor and enthusiasm displayed by team representatives and the outward display of sportsmanship (e.g., helping other teams in need), grace in winning and losing, and conduct and attitude considered befitting participation in sports.
1: Sims Middle School
2: Woodham Middle School
3: Seaside Neighborhood

Best Team Exhibit and Interview – The purpose of this category is to communicate through a display, and through discussion with judges, information about the team’s efforts to promote BEST in the community and schools; Foster BEST spirit, camaraderie, and participation and give evidence of sportsmanship.
1: Seaside Neighborhood
2: Woodham Middle School
3: Sims Middle School

Best Project Engineering Notebook – The purpose of the notebook is to document the process the team used to design, build, and test their robot.
1: Newpoint Pensacola High
2: Seaside Neighborhood
3: Woodham Middle School

Best Marketing Presentation – Teams should view themselves as employees of a “company” that is marketing their “product” (robot) to a potential buyer (judges). This marketing team is an integral part of the engineering team that has designed a specialized robot.
1: Seaside Neighborhood
2: Woodham Middle School
3: Newpoint Pensacola High

BEST Award – The BEST Award is presented to the team that best embodies the attributes associated with “Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology” in its development which include teamwork, diversity of participation, sportsmanship, creativity, ethics, positive attitude/enthusiasm, school/community involvement and exposure to and use of the engineering process.
1: Seaside Neighborhood
2: Woodlawn Middle School
3: Woodham Middle School

Pictured top: The Emerald Coast BEST Robotics competition Saturday at the University of West Florida. Pictured inset: The West Florida High School Robot. Pictured below: Seaside Neighborhood School took the overall competition. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News