SOUTHFIELD, Mich.– Twenty-one teams from Michigan have advanced from the Michigan Regional Robofest Championship to compete in the 12th annual Robofest World Championship to be held at Lawrence Technological University on May 7.
Robofest is an international competition of autonomous robots – computer-programmed to act independently and not radio-controlled – that encourages students to have fun while learning principles of science, technology, engineering, and math. Students design, construct and program the robots, and adult coaches are not allowed to assist during the events. Teams compete in the junior division (grades 5-9) or senior division (grades 9-12), using a variety of computer programming languages to participate in various competitions such as games, exhibition, fashion show, and dance using various types of robots.
Robofest is an annual competition inaugurated by Lawrence Tech Associate Professor CJ Chung in 2000. Every year more than 1,500 students from as many as 10 states and five countries compete.
The scenario in this year’s competition is that three pipes of a deepwater oil well are leaking. An autonomous robot must be sent to cap the leaking pipes, retrieve broken pipe assemblies, and collect data. Students need to solve math problems to achieve these missions.
Here are the winners in the Michigan regional competition held at Lawrence Tech April 16:
Robo Fashion & Dance Show
First Place: Fireflies, Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills, Coach Betsy Lamb, lamb@cranbrook.edu
Second Place: Dance of the Jedi, Lakeview Elem. School, Oxford, Coach Cheryl Matas, cherylmatas@oxfordschools.org
Third Place: Robo Ninjas, Norup International School, Berkley, Coach Doug Rezanka, 4kclub@sbcglobal.net
Junior Game
First Place: All 2 Jesus, Homeschool, Northville, Coach Cheri Pelic, peliccheri@yahoo.com
Second Place: 2D-TetraBot, Emerson Middle School, Ann Arbor, Coach Scott Peacor, peacor@msu.edu
Third Place: Wasp, Achieve Charter Academy, Canton, Coach Satheesh Makkapati, sgaecke@wowway.com
Fourth Place: Geek Squad – 1, Canton Chinese, Canton, Coach Steve Xin Tao, xtao@hotmail.com
Fifth Place: Geek Squad – 3, Canton Chinese, Canton, Coach Steve Xin Tao, xtao@hotmail.com
Sixth Place: Demented Penguins, St. Clair Middle School, St. Clair, Coach Scott Eisele, seisele@east0chinak12.mi.us
Accuracy Award: Demented Penguins
Junior Exhibition
First Place: Remotics, Canton Charter Academy, Canton, Coach Bharat Ajmera, ajmerabharat@yahoo.com
Second Place: Eagle Inventors, Plymouth Christian Academy, Plymouth, Coach Timothy Winn, timw@thermalnetics.com
Third Place: RoboSafe, Bethany Christian School, Troy, Coach Will Woodham, willwoodham@yahoo.com
Fourth Place: Ultimate RoboBuilders, Canton Charter Academy, Canton, Coach Manish Singh, smanish@gmail.com
People’s Choice Award: Ultimate RoboBuilders
Senior Game
First Place: SuchBros, Homeschool, South Lyon, Coach Mark Suchezky, suchezky@sbcglobal.net
Second Place: Robohawks, Farmington Harrison H.S., Farmington Hills, Coach Steve Dail, steve.dail@farmington.k12.mi.us
Third Place: Saints Robotic, St. Clair High School, St. Clair, Coach Scott Eisele, seisele@east-chinak12.mi.us
Fourth Place: Geek Squad, Canton Chinese, Canton, Coach Steve Tao, xtao@hotmail.com
Fifth Place: Bethany Bruins, Bethany Christian School, Troy, Coach Brian Kincheloe, skincheloe@briscott.com
Accuracy Award: Bethany Bruins
Senior Exhibition
First Place: RoboCubs-3, University of Detroit Jesuit, Detroit, Coach Jenny Friday, jenniferfriday@uofdjesuit.org
Second Place: Robohawks, Farmington Harrison H.S., Farmington Hills, Coach Steve Dail, steve.dail@farmington.k12.mi.us
Third Place: University High School 1, University High School, Ferndale, Coach Julie Patterson, jpatterson@ferndaleschools.org
People’s Choice Award: RoboCubs-3
Lawrence Technological University, www.ltu.edu, offers more than 100 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programs in the Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Management. Founded in 1932, the 4,500-student, private university pioneered evening classes and today has a growing number of weekend and online programs. Lawrence Tech’s 102-acre campus is in Southfield, and programs are also offered in Detroit, Lansing, Petoskey, Traverse City and Toronto. Lawrence Tech also partners with universities in Mexico, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.