Utah’s 2017 Regional FIRST^® Robotics Competition

Bots battled it out in Steampunk- themed FIRST Robotics Competition. Robots built by 48 high school teams from Utah and elsewhere converged at the Maverik Center in West Valley City for the annual Utah Regional FIRST Robotics Competition.

This year’s event, held March 10 and 11, involved students building and controlling robots with a retro-tech feel in which students designed and built robots to lob “fuel cells” (in the form of balls) into a mock steam boiler to build enough fuel to operate a simulated steam-powered airship. Meanwhile, robots also must transport giant gears to the airship to engage the ship’s propellers. Teams score points for each action. Finally, teams then must hoist the robots to their hovering airship to complete the round.

The Steampunk aesthetic combines science fiction or science fantasy with the design of industrial steam-powered machinery from the 1800s. In addition to books and graphic novels, Steampunk has been the backdrop for movies such as “Hugo” and “Wild Wild West.”

Twenty-four of the teams were from Utah.

Teams that win the Utah regional competition and select judged award winners will move on to the FIRST world championship held April 19-22 in Houston and April 26-29, in St. Louis. In all, more than 85,000 high school students from around the world will participate in this year’s competition, which is in its 26th year.

The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition helps promote and foster science and technology learning among the nation’s high school students, creating a new generation of engineers, programmers and scientists.

Media Coverage

April 18, Native American Students Win Rookie Robotics Award
March 13, Tiny Navajo Mountain school reaches Utah robotics contest – The Salt Lake Tribune (includes 1 video)
March 11, Navajo Mountain H.S. competes in regional robotics competition, wins “Most Inspirational’ – KUTV (includes 1 video)
March 10, Robotics competition requires smarts, skills and a competitive spirit – Fox13 Now
March 10, Bots battle it out in Steampunk-themed competition – Deseret News Utah

Awards – March 10 & 11

An asterisk denotes a team or contestant who qualified for the FIRST Championship 2017^® in Houston, Texas.

Volunteer of the Year Award	Sanford Meek Utah Regional FRC Planning Committee University of Utah Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor
Woodie Flowers Finalist Award	David Giandomenico Team 846 Funkey Monkeys
Imagery Award In Honor of Jack Kamen	Team 3729 The Raiders from Aurora, CO
Team Spirit Award sponsored by FCA Foundation	Team 4585 Husky Robotics from Midvale, UT
Creativity Award sponsored by Xerox	Team 2996 Cougars Gone Wired from Colorado Springs, CO
Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers	Team 662 Rocky Mountain Robotics from USAF Academy, CO
Rookie Inspiration Award sponsored by National Instruments	Team 6546 Jaguars from Aneth, UT
Quality Award sponsored by Motorola Solutions Foundation	Team 4598 Icarus Innovated from Sandy, UT
Gracious Professionalism® Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson	Team 3245 Ravens from Sandy, Utah
Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors	Team 987 Highrollers from Las Vegas, NV
Judges’ Award	Team 5871 Chickadees from Boise, ID
Industrial Safety Award sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories	Team 3239 Birds of Prey from Layton, UT
Innovation in Control Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation	Team 846 The Funky Monkeys from San Jose, CA
Excellence in Engineering Award sponsored by Delphi	Team 2403 Plasma Robotics from Mesa, AZ
Highest Rookie Seed Award	Team 6717 Spartans from Castle Dale, UT
Regional Winners	Team 987* Highrollers from Las Vegas, NV Team 2073* EagleForce from Elk Grove, CA Team 6411* Jordan High Gravediggers from Sandy, UT (also won Rookie Alstar qualifying them for championship)
Regional Finalists	Team 662* Rocky Mountain Robotics from USAF Academy, CO (wild card) Team 1339* AngelBotics from Denver, CO (wild card) Team 1619* Up-A-Creek Robotics from Longmont, CO
Rookie All-Star Award	Team 6411* Jordan High Gravediggers from Sandy, UT
Engineering Inspiration Award	Team 1619* Up-A-Creek from Longmont, CO
FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Award	Shadaj Laddad Team 846* The Funky Monkey from San Jose, CA Estafani Quiroz-Rablesi Team 3374* RoboBroncs from Jackson, WY
Regional Chairman’s Award	Team 4944* The Hi Fives from Grand Junction, CO

Important Dates

March 9, 2017: FRC® Competition: Robot inspection and practice rounds
March 10, 2017: FRC® Competition: Competition day 1
March 11, 2017: FRC® Competition: Competition day 2, finals, and awards ceremony

The Competition: STEAMWORKS

FIRST STEAMWORKS^SM FIRST® the 2017 Competition game, invites two adventure clubs from an era in which technology relied on steam power to prepare
their airships for the ultimate long distance race.