Servo - 201306

called LOGICOM Logic Systems ( www.LOGICOMLLC.com). Back in the 80’s and 90’s I built computers and networks, and sold components and stuff. These days, LOGICOM is all about cutting-edge industrial controls — automated handling equipment, automated mills, lathes, presses.

We do all phases of industrial automation from the concept to the mechanical design and layout, to the electrical and electronic design, to component specification, to PLC and industrial PC programming, to cabinet building, to installation, to documentation, to training.

I love the design process with industrial automation as much as I did with combat robots. I love taking a boring, accident-prone, dangerous manual job and making it a safe, efficient automated process.

SV: Any last words you’d like to leave with our readers?

BN: I used to complain how much money I wasted on combat robots. The robots themselves, the travel, the time off work, the event arena, and all, literally hundreds of thousands of dollars, but then I realized it wasn’t wasted.

I look back at all the great friends I made, all the great times I had, everything that I have learned, and realize that it was an incredible journey.

I only wish that I had the foresight as I traveled the journey to realize how incredible it was, but there was always a schedule to keep, always a goal to meet, always a chore to complete, and I couldn’t see the forest for the trees. I single-mindedly pursued that goal with blinders on ... and I missed most of it!

One memory burned into my mind was when my brother and I rounded the back curtain to the main arena of BattleBots. My robots were doing well in Season 5 and we were nearing the finals. We had been rushing around like crazy getting the robots ready, getting in line, making sure of this, and checking that.

EVENT REPORT:

FIRST Orlando Regionals: A New Set of Heroes Emerges

● by Collin Berry

Another year of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics competitions have completed, and I attended an event in Orlando which was co-hosted by the University of Central Florida and NASA. The FIRST competition teaches high school students the value of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, for the three of you who might be confused by that acronym) education. It also aims to get the students working as a team, cooperating, and learning the skills it takes to enter the workforce.

Each year, teams are given a robotics challenge that takes place in the form of a game. Teams have six weeks to design, test, and build their robots in order to compete in this game. This year, the game was called Ultimate Ascent. The game takes place in two stages; two minutes total.

First, the robots (groups of three per side) launch Frisbees at goals that vary in point value. The first 15

seconds of the game is completely autonomous; points are doubled in this period. The second aspect of the game happens at the end. With the clock winding down, the robots attempt to climb a pyramid. There are three levels, again varying in point value. The robots hang from a rung of the pyramid; they must be completely off the ground in order to collect the points.

Teams have various strategies for completing this goal. Some of the speedier robots unload their clips quickly, and then make a mad dash towards the human load zone (a team member is allowed to reload the robot with Frisbees), while others collect loose Frisbees from the arena floor.

Some teams have Frisbee shooters that are able to be aimed; others have static launchers, choosing to focus purely on the highest point goals on top of the pyramid.