SciTech Tuesday: Museum Hosts Second Annual Robotics Challenge

Middle school students from across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas converged on the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center on Saturday for the Museum’s second annual Robotics Challenge. Working together over a period of four months, teams designed, built, and programmed an autonomous robot using the LEGO^® MINDSTORMS^® robotics platform.

Presented with D-Day related challenges, the teams scored points on the WWII-themed playing field by completing missions like deciphering an encrypted message, avoiding beach obstacles, unloading soldiers from a Higgins boat and delivering airborne troops to the drop zone. In addition to building a robot, each team completed a research project in which they designed a device to improve the safety of troops landing on Omaha and Utah beaches. Teams built a model of their device, wrote a government proposal and filmed a promotional video.

The Grand Champion Award was presented to the team who embodied the spirit of innovation and teamwork by excelling in all areas of the Challenge including robot design, robot performance, and the project. Robot Performance Awards were presented to the teams scoring the most points during the robot missions. Teams competed in two matches and their highest score was considered. Project Awards were presented to teams who designed an innovative and effective device, communicated clearly through a cohesive presentation. Teams recognized for robot design utilized outstanding engineering design and a well-planned strategy to produce an efficient, effective, and reliable robot. Judges awards were presented to teams deserving special recognition from the judges.

AWARD WINNERS:

Grand Champion: Tiger Techs from Florida Avenue Elementary in Slidell, LA

Robot Performance

• 1^st Place: Tiger Techs from Florida Avenue Elementary in Slidell, LA
• 2^nd Place: Lego Warriors from Radney Elementary in Alexander City, AL
• 3^rd Place: Techno Tic Tocks Westdale Heights Academic Magnet in Baton Rouge, LA

Project

• 1^st Place: Purple Phyre from Mandeville Junior High in Mandeville, LA for their Amphi-Higgin boat
• 2^nd Place: The Starry Knights from Episcopal High School of Baton Rouge, LA for their Turtle Tents
• 3^rd Place: The Riveters from the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, LA for their Dwyer water vessel

Robot Design

• 1^st Place: Mercy Robotics from Our Lady of Mercy in Baton Rouge, LA
• 2^nd Place: The Avengers from Metairie Academy in Metairie, LA
• 3^rd Place: Faith Christian Robotics from Faith Christian Academy in Alexander City, AL

Judges Award for WWII Themed Costume and Team Spirit: The Starry Knights from Episcopal High School of Baton Rouge, LA

Judges Award for Teamwork and Sportsmanship: The MBS Pelibot Bombers from Most Blessed Sacrament of Baton Rouge, LA

For more information about robotics at The National WWII Museum, visit www.nationalww2museum.org/robotics

Post by Annie Tête, STEM Education Coordinator