Aquidneck Island Robotics team finishes successful season

AIR STRIKE competed in FIRST World Championship

Posted 5/22/19

NEWPORT — It’s been a good year for the Aquidneck Island Robotics FIRST Robotics Competition Team 78, AIR STRIKE.

Comprised of 25 high school students from 13 schools across Rhode …

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Aquidneck Island Robotics team finishes successful season

AIR STRIKE competed in FIRST World Championship

Posted

NEWPORT — It’s been a good year for the Aquidneck Island Robotics FIRST Robotics Competition Team 78, AIR STRIKE.

Comprised of 25 high school students from 13 schools across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, the team competed at the FIRST World Championship in Detroit, Mich. on April 24-27,  finishing fourth out of 68 teams in its division and going on to lead a strong alliance in the elimination matches. 

While celebrating its 10th anniversary, AIR STRIKE had its most successful season as a team. At three New England FIRST District Events, AIR STRIKE seeded first in qualification matches and proceeded to win all three events. AIR STRIKE placed ninth out of 210 teams in the New England District, which qualified them to compete at the World Championship.

During this successful run, the team was recognized with the following awards:

• Chairman’s Award at the Rhode Island District Event — This award is the most prestigious award in FIRST, honoring the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST.

• Engineering Inspiration Award at the South East Massachusetts District Event — This award celebrates outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a team’s school and community.

• Quality Award at the Central Massachusetts District Event — This award celebrates machine robustness in concept and fabrication.

• Dean’s List Semi-Finalist at the South East Massachusetts District Event — Isabella Heffernan, a sophomore at St. Mary Academy-Bay View, was selected as a semifinalist for the Dean's List Award, which celebrates outstanding student leaders whose passion for and effectiveness at attaining FIRST ideals is exemplary.

This year’s challenge

Students worked with professional mentors to design and build a robot to compete in the 2019 FRC game challenge, “Destination Deep Space.” 

This year’s game challenged the teams to launch spaceships by loading balls, sealing hatches, and preparing for flight by climbing levels. This all took place during 2.5-minute-long matches while partnered with two other teams against another alliance of three teams.

AIR STRIKE team members had only six weeks to design an effective solution, build and program a 125-pound robot, and practice before the competition season. 

The robot, controlled remotely by students, quickly retrieves and loads balls and hatches into the spaceships. Additionally, the robot efficiently climbs a 1.5-foot step above the playing field to join other robots in their habitat. Students gained experience in programming, machining, electronics, teamwork and more.

Major sponsors for AIR STRIKE 78 include the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport, Nordson EFD, Bank Newport,

Casapinka, CVS Health Foundation, KVH Industries, Raytheon, BAE Systems, Rite-Solutions, and Waters Corporation.

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