For many, the idea of building a robot from scratch belongs to those high-powered brains over at Boston Dynamics. But students in Western North Carolina are finding their way into STEM through the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), with mentors like UNC Asheville student Nick Haas to help along the way.
The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) spans ages from 4-18 and encourages inclusive, interactive skill-based learning in the realm of engineering and math. Teams form through after school programs and can enter into three different levels of challenges ranging from LEGOs to fully-fledged robots that compete on obstacle courses.
UNC Asheville has supported local students in their FIRST Robotics engineering adventures for several years. Students in the mechatronics program at UNC Asheville spend their free time volunteering as mentors and coaches for local teams, and some have even participated in the competitive team hosted on UNC Asheville’s campus.
Nick Haas, a senior mechatronics major, mentors a FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team in Mills River. The team finished their second season a few weeks ago, building on the basic computer science and visual engineering skills they gained in their first season.
“There’s definitely a learning curve,” said Haas. “The process of building an entire design just from the idea of mechanisms in your head is very challenging.”
For FTC and FRC, a new “game” is created for each season, which is typically played on a basketball court. Each game has different specifications for the robots to complete, like placing cones on specific rods or having treds that can manage platforms and podiums.
“I was lucky enough to have returning students on my team, and they were able to make a cohesive design,” said Haas. “We went to our regional finals over at the Asheville School. We lost, sadly, but we came out with a trophy, which was a big moment for my students. Out of all the robots I’ve helped with, I’m the most proud of this one. They came together to design it, to troubleshoot, and put it all together. I was there to help, but it was mostly my students working together to make a robot that really stuck out at our competition.”
For many students like Haas, FIRST Robotics is the initial step into the world of engineering, computer science, and mechatronics. The program, for both high school and college students, has brought great minds together in a competitive, interactive, and rewarding environment.
Here at UNC Asheville, students will gather in the Kimmel Arena for the FIRST Robotics district event to battle their robots and meet new friends, in a whirlwind of excitement and anticipation. The competition will take place from March 3-5, with opening ceremonies kicking off the competition at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 4.
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