MORE Robotics Kicks Off the 2013 Robotics Season

On January 5, 2013, MORE Robotics, Team 1714, kicked off the 2013 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics build season upon the release of this year’s competition, Ultimate Ascent. This year’s competition is played between two Alliances of three teams each. Each Alliance competes by trying to score as many flying discs into their goals as possible during the two-minute and 15-second match. Discs scored in higher goals score Alliances more points. Matches end with robots attempting to climb up a 7.5 foot tall pyramid located near the middle of the field. More points are scored the higher the robot climbs. The robots weigh approximately 150 pounds and can be up 54 inches in diameter and five feet tall. Teams are given just six weeks to design, build and program their robot to participate in the annual competition.

The FIRST Robotics Competition is an annual competition that helps students discover the rewards and excitement of science, engineering, and technology. More than 50,000 students on 2,500 teams from throughout the world will take part in the annual competition, competing at over 55 regional events, all with the hope of qualifying for the World Championship in St. Louis in late April.

This year’s team looks to build on its past successes which have included qualifying for the World Championships in each of the last seven years. The team hopes to accomplish this by building a robot capable of climbing to the top of the pyramid. Compared with past years, the team has spent an exceptional long period of time, approximately three weeks of the build season, conceptualizing and designing what will be the most complex robot ever designed and built by the team. The team will compete at the Lake Superior Regional and the Wisconsin Regional to be held at the US Cellular Arena on March 21–23. Admission is free to the events.

MORE Robotics was founded to give grade school and high school students who are interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (“STEM”) an opportunity to learn about careers in these areas and to encourage them to pursue careers in the science and engineering fields. The team targets students who attend schools in Southeastern Milwaukee County that do not have a robotics club and who do not have an opportunity to experience FIRST. The team encourages personal growth and promotes self-confidence and leadership skills in a team setting similar to school athletic programs. Students are challenged to do their best and are celebrated for their skills in robot designing, building, and competition while learning gracious professionalism.

MORE Robotics is supported by local companies and universities. Sponsors include Hollow Steel, ATI Ladish, Dedicated Computing, Caterpillar, Rockwell Automation, QuadTech, Symbiont, MSOE, MGIC, Boyle Fredrickson, Nucor, Vilter, Great Lakes Roofing, American Acrylics USA LLC and Thomas More High School. Additional information about MORE Robotics can be found by visiting the team website: www.morerobotics.org.