TMCNet: Science in motion

[February 18, 2013]

Science in motion

Feb 18, 2013 (The Dominion Post - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Emily Raque, a Morgantown High junior, watched closely as marVIn went through its paces in the gym at Wesley United Methodist Church on Sunday evening.


Flying discs sailed high as the operator refined his touch so the robot would send the disc through a three foot long narrow rectangle almost level with the basketball net.

The 36 members of Mountaineer Area RoboticS Team 2614, ages 14-18, used an open house Sunday to introduce a steady stream of parents, supporters and students to marVIn, their entry in the 2013 FIRST Robotics Competition, "Ultimate Ascent." They have just six weeks to design, build and program mar-VIn to be ready to compete in the Pittsburgh Regional competition, on March 14-16, and the Tennessee Regional in Knoxville, on March 28-30.

This year's game challenges two alliances of three teams each to have robots fly discs into goals at varying heights and score as many points as possible, then have the robots attempt to climb metal frame pyramids in midfield, according to the FIRST website.

It took a little human help, but marVIn, weighing in at 150 pounds, was able to "chin" himself Sunday on the first bar of a game pyramid in front of an admiring crowd.

"I work on the mechanical team," Emily said. "I worked on the transmission, the drive, the turret this year. I also manufactured parts for it. We have to design the robot as well as build it." They build two robots, she said. The first, "the beta bot," tests whether the designs will work.

"One of the greatest things about being on this team is that you learn something every day," Emily said. "It's hands on." Fellow team member Kari DeMicco, a University High School senior, proudly displayed the trophy table, including the nets earned last year by their successful basketball shooting robot, and the Woodie Flowers Award, presented at the world tournament to the team's mentor and founder, Dr. Earl Scime, chairman of the WVU Physics Department.

The team also worked with NASA IV&V on logistics for the West Virginia LEGO League competition, the junior robotics group, held at Fairmont State in December, she said.

Scime said this year they had to restrict the team to 36 members because they don't have the space to work with more students.

They had to turn away about 20, he said, adding, "this means there is the potential for another team out there." Mark Lusk, of Morgantown, and his son Greg have been with the program all six years. Greg is now an engineering technology student at Fairmont State University and works with Scime.

Both are mentors for the MARS team, Lusk said.

"It's an amazing program," he added. "That's why I stay involved. Everyone is like family." ___ (c)2013 The Dominion Post (Morgantown, W.Va.) Visit The Dominion Post (Morgantown, W.Va.) at www.dominionpost.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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