Underwater Robotics Competes

Submitted by amy.huhtala on Tue, 03/08/2016 - 14:14
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Our school, Salem Jr, has many extra-curricular activities that it supports: track, musicals, 4-H. One of these activities that has largely gone unnoticed, is the Underwater Robotics 4-H club. Underwater Robotics is an engineering class that teaches participants about engineering and unmanned robots. Students learn how to create a remotely-controlled robot that functions underwater, and go on to actually make one. This class is taught by Mr. Boyer and Mrs. Roberts, along with volunteer assistants from BYU.

A participant in the Underwater Robotics Club, Nathaniel Meads, explains that he likes building robots. Another participant says that he likes the friendships they share. Multiple robot builders say that this is the best class.

On March 24, participants will be going to the Legacy Center in Lehi, Utah, to compete against teams of robot-builders from other schools. The competition consists of a series of tasks your robot must complete in a swimming pool. The tasks include having your robot open a cage, having it retrieve pool rings from the bottom and delivering a “probe” to a certain place. Contestants must also make a poster about their robot and commercially-used submersibles. Points are awarded depending upon how well one completes tasks and makes their poster, and the team with the most points wins.

Underwater Robotics is almost over, but it is currently planned to continue next year.

Good luck at the competition, Underwater Robotics competitors!!

Attributions
Hyrum Devenport