On Saturday, February 15, The NU-TRONS unveiled their ‘almost’ completed robot for the 2003 FIRST Robotics Competition (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)at a media event held at Northeastern University. The NU-TRONS, a tight-knit group of Northeastern University undergraduate and graduate students, and high school students from Milton Academy, Boston Latin School and Brookline High School, are sponsored by the School of Engineering at Northeastern University and Textron Systems.
F.I.R.S.T. is a nationwide program working with high school students to expose them to the challenge and excitement of engineering and robotics. Across the country, teams of high school and college students, teachers and engineers work in teams to design and build competitive robots. The competitions are high-tech spectator sporting events, the result of lots of brainstorming, teamwork, mentoring, project timelines, and deadlines. In 2003 the competition will reach more than 20,000 students on over 800 teams in 24 competitions. In 2001 the NU-TRONS won the National Championships.
On January 4, the 2003 competition, “Stack Attack” was announced during a live television broadcast and Saturday’s media event marked the end of the competition’s five-week design and engineering period. The NU-TRONS robot, which includes a grappling claw and suction cup, was built to acquire and stack plastic storage bins. Points are earned during Stack Attack Competitions by moving containers to the correct location and achieving height by stacking containers.
The team made final adjustments to the robot earlier this week and shipped the machine to Manchester, New Hampshire for the first of three regional competitions.
Regional Competition Schedule
March 6-7-8
Manchester NH (Regional)
Verizon Wireless Arena
March 26,27,28,29
Philadelphia PA (Regional)
Drexel University
April 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
Houston TX (Championship)
Reliant Park
