Eleven members from GEAR (Geauga Engineering and Robotics) 4-H Club participated in the National Robotics Challenge in Marion, Ohio April 6th – 8th. Eight robots were entered into three contests, Tactile Maze, Non-tactile Maze, and Rescue Robot.
Maze contests involve programmed robots navigating through a maze as quickly as possible. GEAR President, Robert Sunderhaft, represented the club in a very competitive Non-tactile High School Division Maze Contest. Ryan Mobley and Mitchell Wesen won bronze with their LEGO robot in the Elementary Division. Gregory Wenner (Gold), Alyssa Mobley (Silver) and Peter Wesen (fourth) represented GEAR in the Intermediate Division. Gregory Wenner also won Silver for his tactile robot. This robot was also nominated for the prestigious Honda Innovation Award.
The Rescue Robot contest mimics a robot rescue which might take place in a collapsing building. The remote controlled robots must be able to climb stairs, go over a beam, through a gravel pit as well as into a ‘cave’. At each of these places there is a ping pong ball to retrieve.
GEAR Rescuers, Grant Congdon, Bryn Morgan, and Aidan Dondero, took the Silver Award. The EMU Rescuers, Luke Reed, Gordon Zeitz and Gregory Wenner, won Bronze.
Congratulations to all the GEAR 4-H Club members who participated in Marion!
Pictured In Photo: Back Row: Luke Reed, Aidan Dondero, Gregory Wenner, Grant Congdon, Robert Sunderhaft. Front Row: Gordon Zeitz, Peter Wesen, Bryn Morgan, Mitchell Wesen, Ryan Mobley and Alyssa Mobley.
