Above: The Cook County High School Robotics team— Ice Storm—with their creation at the DECC in Duluth. (L-R) Nate Carlson, Casey Deschampe, Kaylee Danielson, Cedar Adams, Clara McNealy, Bergen Keller, Industrial Technology teacher Sam West, Alec Nielson (mentor), Alton Danielson (mentor), Carl Ingebrigtsen (mentor), Brandon Bockovich. Left: Ice Storm in action! The robot built by Cook County High School students successfully tossed a Frisbee during competition.
People may think that the study of robotics is serious business, and it is. However, there is a lot of room for levity as is evident by the slogan on the Minnesota FIRST robotics website. The website declares Minnesota is “Where the robots are good-looking and all of the teams are above average.” The Cook County Robotics Team—Ice Storm—was among those above average teams at the regional competition at the DECC in Duluth on March 8 – 9, 2013.
FIRST is an acronym meaning “For inspiration and recognition of science and technology” and that is what is used to create robots out of a box of miscellaneous parts. Cook County Ice Storm received their parts kit and instructions— build a robot that can play Frisbee and climb a pyramid—in October.
Industrial Arts Teacher Sam West works with the team that he likens to David versus Goliath. Cook County High School faces much larger schools, with robotics teams of up to 24 students. Some schools have more financial resources as well, but West said his team is up for the challenge. “We recycle,” he explained with a grin. “We’ve been tearing down our old robot and rebuilding it every time we compete.”
It’s a lot of work and the pace didn’t let up at competition either. The Ice Storm robot became a member of a three-robot team. The robots from different schools around the region had to work together to get a Frisbee in a special basket and then climb up a pyramid—before the opposing three-robot team completed the task. Students use both mechanical and computer engineering skills, operating the robot from the sidelines with Lab View software and joysticks.
After completing the first face off, the team didn’t get any rest. Teams were switched around and a rematch was under way. Overall, Ice Storm faced the Frisbee challenge six times on the first day.
“It was really fastpaced,” said Julie Carlson, mother of Ice Storm team member Nate Carlson. “When they finished one match, they hurried to the pit area to make a few adjustments and then they were back at it. They just kept going and going!”
The second day, March 9, Ice Storm competed three more times. They did not bring home the gold—only the top three teams in the region advance—but they were quite happy with how their robot performed. In all, nearly 100 high school robotics teams and about 1,000 students from as far as 500 miles away were at the DECC to battle their robots in the sport dubbed a “varsity sport for the mind.”
Ice Storm faced some very good robotics teams, including Duluth East, which takes it robotics team to competitions around the region. “We did better this year,” said West, “and it’s gotten more and more competitive each year.”
Team member Nate Carlson was interviewed by WDIO – 10/13 of Duluth. Carlson said getting a robot to launch Frisbees is a challenge his team looks forward to. “It’s a lot of work, but I mean it’s a lot of fun too. We’re all passionate about robotics; we’re all passionate about being here.”
Carlson vowed to be back next year, and when asked if he wanted to continue to work with the team, West said, “Oh yeah!”
West noted that Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, Inc. has been the robotics team sponsor since the beginning. “They deserve thanks,” he said.
As does his hard-working team. West said, “I’m proud of the team. They represented Cook County High School very well.”
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