Steve Anton discusses the robotics project schedule in which the team must design, build, debug and learn to operate their robot by Feb. 19. Photo by TK Thompson/ladailypost.com
Heads start spinning with ideas as soon as the 2013 rules presentation ended at UNM-LA earlier this month. Photo by TK Thompson/ladailypost.comStaff Report
Students and mentors held a kickoff meeting of the 2013 FIRST Robotic Project in Los Alamos Jan. 5, where they learned the rules for the competition, which include 45 days to design, build, program, debug and learn to operate their robot.
Los Alamos Team 4153, comprised of 23 students including 16 boys and seven girls in grades 9 through 12, as well as 13 adult mentors, is planning to build another robot for the 2013 competition.
Nine students have returned from last year’s team. The mentors are Los Alamos National Laboratory employees, teachers, local engineers, retirees and community members.
Activities to date have focused on gaining proficiency on tools in the UNM-LA shop and raising money. The major sponsor is the Northern New Mexico Chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME.) Additional sponsors include Los Alamos National Bank, NASA, JC Penney and UNM-LA.
A total of $22,000 has been raised but the team still needs about $8,000.
The 2013 competition officially started Jan. 5 and the robots must be bagged and tagged on Feb. 19 – giving the team exactly 46 days of frantic activity.
The Los Alamos Daily Post is following the team’s progress and will report on it throughout the competition.
Mentors and students attend the robotics kickoff meeting at UNM-LA to learn this year’s rules. Photo by TK Thompson/ladailypost.com 
The Programming and Electronics Team gets busy on the computers at UNM-LA after learning the 2013 competition rules. Photo by TK Thompson/ladailypost.com 
In the 2013 competition, the robot contestants will be shooting flying discs (Frisbees) at various targets and climbing pylons … and it is going to be wild. Photo by TK Thompson/ladailypost.com 