Code Red Robotics team faces new challenges

By Tompkins Weekly Staff
 
Code Red Robotics, the robotics team of 56 students from Ithaca High School (IHS), officially finished and bagged their robot on Feb. 23, the date on which all FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) teams in the high school division must complete their robots, not to be touched until competition day.
 
This year, Code Red ia competing at two regional competitions: in Cleveland, from March 17-19 and in Rochester from March 24-26 Livestreams of these competitions can be seen at thebluealliance.com, and frequent updates will be posted on the Code Red Robotics Facebook and Twitter account.
 
Code Red Robotics is a team within FIRST, a program with teaches children and young adults about science, technology, engineering and mathematics throughout their school careers. Each year, FIRST issues all of its high-school division teams a challenge. Every season brings a new, complex game for the robots to play, driven by high school students. Sometimes the games are reminiscent of sports, like soccer or basketball. Others are completely original. Every season, however, these games have one thing in common: they must be played with the large robots built from scratch by high school students.
 
This year the game is known as FIRST Stronghold. Points can be scored in several ways. Basketball-sized foam balls can be shot through either high or low goals at either end of the “field”. Between the sides are any six of eight “defenses.” These could be anything from a five-pound portcullis, to three small teeter-toters side by side, to swinging gate.
 
The defenses must be traversed by robots, scoring the team additional points, before shooting on the goals. At the end of the match, the robots must also be able to raise themselves off the ground by attaching to a bar, positioned just over six feet high. All of these details are just a taste of the complexity in this year’s medieval-themed game. For more information, watch the official game release video by clicking on this link: http://bit.ly/1K4VMfs
 
Code Red Robotics’ robot this season, known as The Predator, weighs just over 107 pounds and was built over six weeks. Build season ran for over 30 hours each wek in the high school’s technology wing, with students working from 4:30 to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. The Predator has the ability to shoot into low goals, bridge all eight presentable defenses, drive under a 1-foot bar, pull itself several feet in the air after attaching to a high bar, and help other robots move across the complex playing field. To see the team’s official robot reveal video on YouTube, follow this link: https://goo.gl/AcDpGv
 
While adding so many extra hours into a busy life is certainly a huge commitment, students unanimously agree that Code Red gives the unique opportunity of learning practical skills outside of the classroom, as well as confidence, public speaking, and group work. Further, Code Red teaches students how to explore their passions in a helpful and constructive environment, which becomes the students’ home and community.
 
“ helps you learn a lot about all aspects of engineering, time management, and how to socialize with new people,” says Imaan Grewal, a member of the CRR media team.
 
Code Red Robotics receives generous support from the community and local companies. Sponsors include Rheonix, BorgWarner Morse TEC, CBORD, BAE Systems, Cayuga Family Medicine, Cornell University College of Engineering , Cornell Institute for Computational Sustainability, Cornell Computing and Information Science, Datapoint Labs, Tompkins Trust Company, Vector Magnetics, Wegmans, AccuFab, GORGES, Incodema, U-Haul of Ithaca, Standard PC, Ithaca City School District (ICSD), ICSD Board of Education, IHS, Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) and IthacaSTEM Advocates.
 
FIRST Code Red Robotics, an IHS student organization, is an associate member of Ithaca STEM Advocates, an affiliate of IPEI. IPEI is a not-for-profit organization.
 
For more information about FIRST, Jr. FIRST Lego League, and Code Red Robotics, email ikrywe@icsd.k12.ny.us, visit team639.org, or go to firstinspires.org.