Palm Harbor robotics team qualifies for international competition

Nearly everyone has heard that U.S. students are lagging behind their counterparts in Asia and Europe when it comes to math, science and engineering.

It might, however, be hard to prove the case for a rising tide of American technical mediocrity to anyone who has seen the Palm Harbor University High School robotics team in action.

"These students are designing our future, they just don't know it yet," said Dan Kinzer of Raytheon, a design engineers and one of the team's mentors. Each week Kinzer and Raytheon colleagues and scientists from ITT help turn the students' robotic visions into reality.

The future of our nation's space travel, development of a new generation of prosthetic limbs, robots that substitute for humans in dangerous situations and advances in drone aircraft lies in the minds of youngsters learning the intricacies of designing robots with virtual intelligence.

In November, the Palm Harbor University robotics team, known as Pandara Team #506, was named state champion in the Florida Tech Challenge. The team is now fundraising and gearing up the FIRST Championship, to be held April 25 - 30 in St. Louis.

The mission of the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology program is inspiring young people to be scientists and engineers by matching them with professional mentors. Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway personal transporter, and Woodie Flowers, an emeritus professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, created FIRST in 1989.

Students drawn to robotics gain special insight into otherwise dry math and physics formulas learned in class. Mark McNeely, a senior, said robotics shows students how the physics and math they learn in the classroom determine the speed, maneuverability and potential of a robot.

Some students say they just like building things and letting their imagination run free, while others want to be able to develop prosthetic limbs and robots that can save lives or explore outer space.

"These kids are the future engineers for this country," said Scott McCauley, another of the mentors.

During weeks of planning and design, one youngster may devise the virtual brain that allows a robot to maneuver through an obstacle course that includes hills, see-sawing ramps and rough surfaces. Others work on the robot's electronics so it has "arms" to perform tasks such as grasping, twisting, opening and pouring items into cylinders while completing the obstacle course.

The students quickly learn that one incorrect mathematical formula, a forgotten plug, poorly placed electronic connector or misaligned chain means the difference between success and failure.

During competition the students learn "co-opertition," a blend of cooperation and competition based on the idea that rivals in one match could be partners the next, said mentor Jeffrey Mogensen, an ITT staff scientist.

Robotics team students find they know a lot about how the virtual world functions, but during test runs and in preparing for competition that they learn what to expect about operating robots in the physical world.

Businesses or individuals looking to sponsor the team's travel to the FIRST Championship in St. Louis can e-mail drkinz@verizon.net or svmccauley@yahoo.com.

Video of Pandara Team #506's robot in action at FTC can be seen on YouTube.