Built to Battle
Butler High School junior Riley Rodgers watched with wide eyes as the robot M.O.A.B. sent Absolute Zero, another robot, flying across the ring.
“That's the second match I've seen,” said Riley, 16. “I felt excited.”
Smoke and sparks spurted from robots as 21 high school teams went head-to-head in a gladiator-style competition during the 14th annual Southwestern Pennsylvania BotsIQ preliminaries Thursday at Butler County Community College.
Riley's team would have to repair Absolute Zero after damage it took to its sides and the dents to its plastic during the bout, she said.
This is her first time participating in the competition after she joined for the hands-on experience in mechanics, Riley said.
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BotsIQ is a manufacturing workforce development program disguised as a high school robotics competition, according to its website. The event is designed to provide high school students with a hands-on team experience, while they learn about the pathways to a career in manufacturing.
The contest is focused on science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, as students design, build and battle robots.
Butler High School junior Zach Potter and senior Braeden Fencil worked to fix their robot, Angry Beeps, after it failed its safety inspection because its failsafe did not function properly.
Angry Beeps' vertical beater bar is designed to scoop underneath another robot and flip it. The goal of the contest is to cause another team's robot to become immobilized or to simply hit it more times, said Zach, who has participated in the competition for three years.
The team has worked since August to ready its two robots for the contest, he said.“It's an overall good experience for learning anything in manufacturing and engineering,” said Zach, 17.Braeden, who has participated for four years, enjoys the hands-on experience the contest offers.“This is a very fun experience,” said Braeden, 18. “I'd highly recommend it to anyone who's interested in engineering.”Teamwork is another lesson.“Nothing can happen without everyone doing their part,” he said. “No one knows how to do everything. We are constantly teaching each other, constantly helping each other.”The preliminary rounds continue next weekend at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood. The event is free and open to the public.Riley encouraged more young women to become interested in science, technology, engineering and math.STEM is found everywhere, she said.“STEM is required to make and develop everyday things,” she said.
