Mad robot skills tested at the track

High school teams are converging on Williams Arena and the U's Sports Pavilion. The competition is like nothing those venues have ever seen.

Last update: March 29, 2008 - 7:25 AM

High school teams are converging on Williams Arena and the Sports Pavilion at the University of Minnesota, and the competition is like nothing those basketball venues have ever seen.

More than 50 teams from Minnesota and nearby states are competing in the inaugural Minnesota Regional FIRST Robotics Competition. The event began Friday and will conclude with championship matches today.

Borrowing from the sports playbook, the robotics competition uses the excitement of athletics to promote science, technology, engineering and math.

The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition challenges team members and their mentors to build a robot in six weeks and enter their creation in competitions.

The robots stand almost 5 feet; some will unfold to 9 feet.

This year's game, named FIRST Overdrive, is based on the simple concept of robots racing around a 27- by 54-foot carpeted circular track. A video simulation can be viewed at www.mnfirstregional.org.

The event is free to the public.

Winning teams from the regional competition will advance to the nationals April 17-19 in Atlanta.

The use of Williams Arena by the robotics competitors forced the move of the boys' state high school basketball tournament games this week to neighboring Mariucci Arena, home of the University of Minnesota men's hockey team.

PAUL WALSH

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