On March 2, the winning alliance will be determined.

That will be after more than 40 high school robotics teams battle during a three-day friendly competition in the Utah robotics challenge this year. The contest attracted teams throughout the west coast and from as far away as Turkey.

The For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Robotics Competition helps to promote and foster science and technology learning among high school students, with hopes of inspiring them to become engineers, programmers and scientists. Each year, the competition takes on a different theme and the nature of the game changes.

Amongst the local teams at the Maverick Center this year will be the 8-Bit Miners, Bingham High’s team 7436.

One of those stepping on the floor will be first-year member senior Parker Heath, who was introduced to the competition years ago.

“My aunt took me to the FIRST Robotics Competition when I was 6,” Heath said, who wants to become a mechanical and aerospace engineer. “I thought robots were cool so every year since, I went and watched. I’ve always wanted to join, but when I did this year, I didn’t know much about the machinery or coding. I’ve learned from other teammates; we teach each other what we know. We research online, reach out to other teams or ask how to use some tool from our teachers. Everyone has been helpful.”

A few weeks before the competition, Heath was helping his teammates adjust their yet-to-be-named robot to be able to shoot hard plastic round “notes” into a wooden slot as part of the contest challenge, “Crescendo.” Each note in the shoot will give the team points. When the notes go in a smaller slot, or amp, it amplifies or adds two points to the team score. The Miners also practiced hanging their robot on a chain, simulating the end of play, which will give them additional points.

Sophomore Bryson Hughes said the hardest part of the challenge is getting the notes in the amp.

“That’s why we’re adjusting it; it’s a huge part of being able to score a lot of points,” said the first-year team member who likes to take things apart and understand their mechanics. 

Coming to Bingham, he knew Python and C++ programming languages and has since added Java to his repertoire. He has relied on his knowledge of VEX robots to help the team.

“VEX has certain pieces that you could use. Here we use whatever we want. This is more like the real world where we have access to anything, not just limited pieces. But with VEX, I learned how to design a robot which I think helped us in designing this robot,” he said.

The design and efficiency of the robot has improved from last year, said senior captain Jeremiah Skarda.

“This year, we did a lot more research so we have a better idea of what will and won’t be successful and designed it before we started building it,” he said. “Last year, we designed as we went; it didn’t really turn out very well. A couple times our robot had a tipping problem; our arm was top heavy so every time it extended the robot would tip. In an early match, we were disqualified because when the robot tipped over, another team bumped us, and it pushed us all the way outside the field.”

They were able to fix it before their next match.

That’s part of the goal, said technology and engineering teacher Nathan Jensen, who coaches the team with physics teacher Shannon Briscoe.

“They’re doing lots of problem solving and putting what they’ve learned into their robot,” he said. 

Through classes, team members learn coding, CAD modeling, electricity, machinery and safety training. 

“We go over some of the basics in (Team Robotics) class the first semester,” Jensen said, who has coached for three years. “During the main season, it’s all them. It’s their design completely.”

Briscoe helped start the team seven years ago. It’s the only team in Jordan School District.

“We’ve had a lot of competition from other teams in the (Salt Lake) Valley and in the state that have been established, but this year, the team is really prepared,” she said. “They’ve learned lessons the last couple years and knew what they wanted to improve on. This is the best robot they’ve ever made.”

That’s a compliment the 15-member team likely appreciates as they’ve spent 90 minutes every class period on the robot and its mission. Other team members, who aren’t enrolled in the class, join them afterschool for another 90 minutes or more.

Skarda’s goal is to be an alliance captain. 

“It guarantees we’ll be in the playoffs, and it means we did well,” he said.

Two years ago, the team was ranked ninth and captained an alliance. This year, Briscoe is hoping they improve upon that.

“For their sake, I hope they qualify to go to nationals,” she said. “I’ve been really impressed with this team. They’re able to problem-solve and troubleshoot. When they compete, it’s as close to a real-world engineering process as they can get. Stuff will break. They’re going to figure out how to fix it. They’re going to have to collaborate with each other, and with the other teams to get help if they get stuck. It really is a great engineering opportunity.”

Skarda, who wants to study engineering, said regardless of the placement, it’s a rewarding experience.

“It’s challenging, and it takes a lot of time and effort to make and program the robot,” he said. “When we see it working out in competition, that’s the big reward.”  λ