15 VEXIQ teams decended down to the banks of the Brandywine to the Hagley Museum on a frozen Delaware morning to play Squared Away. The event was part of Hagley’s STEMtastic weekends, an annual event (started as the Invention Convention) showcasing STEM activities.
Teams played on the third floor of this 1800’s historic building. They also got a chance to do the activities on the second floor. Roboters got a chance to disassemble computers, printers, even a 70’s AM/FM radio similar to what was in my college dorm room. There was also a chance to create a new invention and have a patent “granted”. Rohan, one of the Brandywine Hundred student volunteers, manned the STEM Robotics build table that let future roboteers build their own robots using VEXIQ parts.
Pizza was served thanks to Hagley, STEM Robotics and most importantly Joan B who picked up and delivered 38 pizzas and water for everybody. (Joan and her son are key members of Mt Pleasant High School robotics program.
This is the first event that we are seeing a movement away from the beginning “Clutch” robot. Today’s robots featured
* Mini claws to grab just an edge of a cube
* Front hooks that can lift cubes to the upper platforms
* Wide guides to allow cubes to be herded to the corners
Also there is more cross team strategy happening to create flows on a pretty full game board.
Awards:
Tournament Winners:
Claymont Boeing
Claymont Google
Tournament Finalists:
Brandywine Hundred Library FLEXIQ
Harlan Raven
Awards:
Team Orion for their flip lift arm that could grab cubes from either side of the robot
Brandywine Hundred Library BESJAY for their double threat ball and cube robot
(Thanks to our hosts at Hagley, with special thanks to Leigh Ann Scholtz for all her help coordinating our activities)
Today 15 robots attending this event:
Brandywine Hundred Library BESJAY
Brandywine Hundred Library FLEXIQ
Brandywine Hundred Library LIV
Brandywine Hundred Library Strawberry Pink Horse
Claymont Boeing
Claymont Google
Claymont Lenovo
Hanby Beetles
Hanby Hornet
Harlan Condor
Harlan Falcon
Harlan Phoenix
Harlan Raven
Lombardy Snow Tigers
Team Orion