FIRST Robotics Team #1711 (also known as Team ICEBOT) competed at the FIRST Robotics Great Lakes Regional at Eastern Michigan University the second weekend of March.  This team consists of students from Traverse City Central High School and from Traverse City Area Public Schools’ SCI-MA-TECH program (housed at Traverse City Central High School). ICEBOT is an acronym for Intelligent Creative Energetic Brains Operating Together. 

The FIRST Robotics Program excites students about science and engineering by providing them with a kit of parts and a six-week time period to build a robot to participate in a game at various competitions throughout the country.  In this year’s game, points were scored by placing inflatable inner tubes on bars of various heights. Points were also scored if the team’s robots finished the game elevated above the floor.  During the competition, teams were randomly placed on teams of three.  Each of the fifty-nine teams at the Great Lakes Regional competed in eight preliminary matches. 

Team ICEBOT finished a respectable 2-4-2 at the Great Lakes Regional.  This regional is considered one of the toughest regionals in the country, as many teams are very experienced and extensively mentored by engineers from the auto industry.  The ICEBOT robot is capable of picking up the inflatable inner tubes through the use of a robotic arm and pneumatic grabber.  The ICEBOT robot also uses pneumatic cylinders to lift off the ground. 

Initial registration costs for the Great Lakes Regional and the kit of robot parts were raised through a grant from the State of Michigan.  Additional funds were generously donated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, TBA Credit Union, MEEMIC Insurance Harvitt Agency, RJG. Inc., and the Mende, Jessup, and Rodgers families.  These funds helped cover costs such as additional robot parts, travel expenses, and team apparel.  Mentoring for Team #1711 was provided by engineers from TranTek Automation Corporation, and Matt Cauchy, Irvin Payne, and Bud Schardt.  Other businesses such as Neff Engineering, Bond Fluidaire, Ace Welding, Lowe’s, Grand Traverse Canvas Works, and Larry’s Pool and Spa donated parts or services for the robot construction.