By Jamie Cook
Here is a question for the community! Are robots impacted by COVID19?
The answer is, of course, robots cannot perform if their human handlers are restricted by COVID19!
Yes, it takes humans to design, build, and operate robots. The 2021 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) season was canceled due to the pandemic. Houston County Team 3635, The Flying Legion, composed of students from all five high schools and hosted at the Career Academy, did not get to compete this season. But, still, they worked as a team to design a robot that just might have won the State Championship this month, if it had happened.
But, have no fear! The Georgia Robotics Invitational Tournament and Showcase (aka, GRITS ) is scheduled, post-COVID, for October at the National Fairgrounds in Perry. Teams from across the state will gather to demonstrate their technical prowess in an off-season competition. And the Houston County team will no doubt show well.
The Houston County team has qualified multiple years to compete at both State and International competitions. The 2022 FRC season will kick off in January, with a new game, requiring a new robot design and a new game strategy. The students will be fully charged and ready to rock. They will need YOUR support, as a mentor, spectator, or financial sponsor.
Competitive robotics gives students the opportunity to program/code, design and build, and maintain robots, as well as develop hands-on experience with logistics, project management, and presentation skills. The robots have industrial applications and train the supply chain of workforce to build and maintain innovative robotic systems. You, the business and industry community of Houston County, will have the opportunity to make an investment of your time and resources in tomorrow’s STEM workforce.
For more information, contact the Houston County Career Academy or the Middle Georgia STEM Alliance.