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Robots Battle For Space Cargo and Robot Supremacy Again This Weekend at GVSU

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The Average Joes from St. Joseph Robotics are in Grand Rapids today and tomorrow, as are members of Team Excel from Niles, the Bionic Bison out of New Buffalo, and the Fennville Robohawks. They, and three dozen other teams from across West Michigan are competing for robotic supremacy at the annual FIRST Robotics event hosted by Grand Valley State University.

The teams are competing today and tomorrow, March 22nd and 23rd at Grand Valley’s Fieldhouse Arena in a challenge where, as they did earlier this season in St. Joseph, they will use the robots that they have designed and built to fill a cargo ship and rocket with elements from space. Teams are racing against the clock, as well as their opponents, to pick up as much cargo as they can.

Grand Valley students and alumni are volunteering at the event to encourage students to pursue careers in STEM education fields.

FIRST Robotics is the unique competition model where students gain real-world experience designing, programming, creating and marketing robots to win the competition. Many teams work hand-in-hand with industry mentors from places like Whirlpool, Eagle Technologies, Bosch, Hanson Mold, Kay Manufacturing, JR Automation, Gaishin Manufacturing, Vail Rubber, Edgewater Automation, Liberty Steel and others to gain experience and skills not available in a traditional classroom setting.

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The competition is being live-streamed on Twitch by clicking this link: https://www.twitch.tv/firstinmi03

For more information, you can visit online at:  http://firstinmichigan.us/FRC/

The photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market is a screen shot from this morning’s live-stream on Twitch, courtesy of Grand Valley State University and FIRST Robotics.