The Robert E. Lee High Robotics Team recently won first, second and fourth places at the first annual UNF Robotics and Automation Society Robotics Competition.
"This is a significant accomplishment for our school, as Lee was the only high school represented at the university-level competition, and is the latest in a long string of successes for the robotics team," said Jeff Cumber, technology teacher at Lee and team sponsor.
In the past four years, Lee's Robotics Team has been regional finalists twice, with their biggest success coming in 2007 as they garnered International Finalist honors at the Global Conference on Educational Robotics held in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
The competition at UNF consisted of a maze that the robots were required to navigate. The dimensions of the maze were not known before the competition, and the robots were rated on completion of the course, time of completion, and mechanical and sensor system design.
The Lee High teams adapted well. The first-place team was the only one to solve the maze, and did so in 51 seconds using a combination of proximity detectors along with predictive algorithms. They were also awarded best system design.
The second-place team used a wall-following algorithm with touch sensors that allowed their robot to get about 3/4 through the maze. They were also awarded best mechanical system design.
The fourth-place team also attempted to use a wall-following method, and completed the first leg of the maze before faltering.
The Robotics Competition was sponsored by the UNF Robotics and Automation Society, IEEE, and Eta Kappa Nu.
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