Southwestern PA BotsIQ has announced the winners of the fourth annual BotsIQ finals competition held April 25 at Century III Mall in West Mifflin, PA. The competing teams survived the preliminary bouts held in March at California University of PA, California, PA.
The first place winners were Plum High School, Team 2 Intense and Robot Aftershock. These winners received traveling trophies designed by Kurt J. Lesker Company and Hamill Manufacturing Company. First place winners also received ribbons, a plaque and $1,000 scholarship from the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA) for the team to compete at the NTMA's National Competition at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN.
Second place winners included Fayette County Area Vocational Technical School, Team Grave Diggers and Robot Grim Reaper. The second place winners received ribbons, a plaque and $1,000 scholarship from the Pittsburgh Chapter of the NTMA to also attend the national competition.
The Coolest Bot awards, voted on by the students, went to West Mifflin Area High School, Team XLR8ED and Robot DOOMSDAY.
The Best Engineered Bot awards, selected by the Safety Committee, went to Plum High School, Team Intensity and Robot Still in Shock.
The Best Engineering Documentation awards went to Somerset County Technology Center, Team Masters of Mischief and Robot Expected Mischief. Every team was interviewed at California University preliminaries and asked to present their extensive documentation. California University professors and other industry volunteers who did the interviewing determined this award.
West Mifflin Area High School, Team XLR8ED and Robot DOOMSDAY received the Best Sportsmanship award, which is also voted on by the students.
King of the Ring awards went to Steel Center Area Vocational Technical School, Team Steel Center Scorpions and Robot XQSNR. These teams are winners of the final rumble. Teams not advancing in the finals compete in rumbles where the last robot standing is named King of the Ring.
"BotsIQ is a gladiator-style competition of student-made, remote-controlled robots, and it's a battle to the finish. For months, teams of young people from across the region have worked countless hours and solicited the support of their communities. In all, thirty-eight schools (48 teams), coached and supported by local educators and manufacturers, designed robots to compete in the 2009 BotsIQ Competition," said an event spokesperson.
"BotsIQ draws on the student's knowledge of math, science, engineering and even public speaking. Educators say BotsIQ sparks enthusiasm in their students and provides resources for their classroom," said the spokesperson.
"The manufacturing industry, including the National Tooling and Machining Association, supports this popular sport because of the potential impact it has on business. Each year we are more and more impressed with the quality of the bots, the competition strategies and the careful attention to required documentation. These qualities mirror those required in the manufacturing workforce," said BotsIQ committee member Terri Campbell, vice president of operations, Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc.
BotsIQ is highly competitive and more schools are involved each year. In 2006 there were six teams. This year there were 48.
For more information contact:
Terri Campbell
BotsIQ PA
724-836-2600