A team getting their robot ready for the competition in the practice area on Feb. 10, 2024.
(JESSE TOMAS / iNFOnews.ca)
February 12, 2024 - 1:00 PM
The future of robotics was on display at a competition in Kelowna over the weekend.
The Central Okanagan School Board held the First LEGO League Challenge Regional Qualifier at UBC Okanagan on Saturday, Feb. 10.
It was a competition where 13 teams from schools across the Okanagan put their LEGO robots in a head to head competition.
Nir Light, a teacher at Constable Neil Bruce Middle School in West Kelowna and a coach for its robotics team, said the event is an exciting opportunity for students.
“It’s a lot of work and practice and now they get to see it in action,” Light said. “It’s great to see what all the different teams came up with."
Teams of two adult coaches and up to ten kids between the ages 9 and 16 built robots that would perform different tasks like pulling objects and flipping switches. Teams would compete to see whose robot could accomplish the most tasks in the given time then they were scored on how well their robots performed.
The LEGO league challenges are taking place in 80 countries and the highest scoring teams from regional qualifiers have a chance to move on to the next stage of competition. The best teams compete at the world championships.
Students had to design and program the robots using the LEGO Mindstorms kits that include all of the necessary pieces.
The atmosphere was supportive with the whole auditorium cheering as robots managed to maneuver their way across the tables to the assortment of challenges.
Teammates whispering “don’t panic” to each other when things malfunctioned and needed an adjustment, followed by the roaring crowd when the LEGO bot did its job.
“Events like this inspire wonder in our learners, making them curious about technology’s role in solving real world problems and being able to see their own potential to create change. We are grateful to our staff and the UBCO students for creating this opportunity,” Kevin Kaardal, Central Okanagan Public Schools superintendent, said in a press release.
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