The FIRST Robotics Team 2013, the Cybergnomes have begun building this year’s bot.
During a six-week build period 22 students from Grades 9-12 will work as a team to construct a competitive robot.
Team members have different positions and jobs to complete.
The Cybergnomes have participated in many other events prior to build season, such as off-season events, Robots Rule, a public exhibit at the Ontario Science Centre, and the GNE The team has had weekly meetings since the beginning of September, where new build members have learned how to operate machinery and programs. The team has also been working hard fundraising and raising awareness in the community for their team.
The Cybergnome build season will consist of long hours and hard work to create a perfectly functioning robot that will give the team the best chance of doing well in the competitions to come. The team is currently working on ideas for the best robot design and is hoping to start prototyping and testing their ideas soon. Once the season is over, they will have a fully operational robot and will be ready for competitions in Oshawa, North Bay, Calgary and St. Louis.
The team travelled to the Bruce Nuclear School in Kincardine to watch the kick-off of the official game featured in this year’s competitions with the Kinetic Knights, Kincardine’s resident Robotics team.
Kick-off revealed this year’s game, Recycle Rush. It is a game based on the values of reducing, reusing and recycling. The object of the game is to stack containers, or totes, and a large recycling bin on top of each other to gather points.
Points can be gathered by stacking up to six totes, putting a recycling can on top of the stacks, by putting a pool noodle, representing trash, in the recycling bin or by putting trash into the landfill zone in the arena.
The Cybergnomes are always fundraising and looking for sponsors to help them pay for all of the materials that they need as well as pay for all of the competitions that they hope to attend. They host many different fundraisers throughout the year, such as spaghetti dinners and silent auctions.
After a fantastic year in 2014 which saw the Cybergnomes go to the world championships.
For more information about the Cybergnomes and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.cybergnomes.ca, find them on Facebook at Cybergnomes FRC team 2013, on twitter @cybergnomes or contact Gary Page at 705-888-0731.