SPE Delta supports FIRST Bayou Regional Robotics Competition

March, 2010 – The SPE Delta section recently supported the FIRST Bayou Regional Robotics Competition held 4-6 March in Westwego, Louisiana, US.  The Delta section allocated a $1500 scholarship for a student participant in the event who plans to pursue a degree related to the petroleum industry. The SPE Delta section support number energy education outreach events by joining with other local petroleum industry organizations to expand their reach.

The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics contest. As of 2010, 1808 high school teams of 45,200 students from Brazil, Canada, The Netherlands, Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and others compete to build robots weighing up to 120 pounds that can complete a task that changes every year. This year, 40 teams from nine states competed in the FIRST Robotics Competition Bayou Regional. Louisiana was represented by 16 teams throughout the state, with nine teams from the Greater New Orleans Area.

In January, teams were given a standard set of parts and the game details. They had about six weeks to construct a competitive robot, that can operate autonomously and with guided wireless controls, to accomplish the game’s tasks.

This year robots competed in a soccer match. Teams earned points by collecting soccer balls in their goals. Bonus points were earned for each robot not touching the field at the end of the match.

For more information: www.usfirst.org and www.bayouregional.org.