PNW Robotics Teams Score Big at 2019 FIRST® Championship in Houston

The results are in from the FIRST Worlds Championship in Houston and teams from the Pacific Northwest District scored big! While Spartronics did not compete at Worlds this year, many team members watched the live broadcast. Bellevue’s Team 948, NRG (Newport Robotics Group) was on the Einstein Field and in the Finals as part of a four-team alliance that included the world renown FRC Cheesy Poofs. But their Alliance lost in the tiebreaker 114-103.

Lion Robotics Robot 2019 at Worlds
Lion Robotics 2019 robot at World’s in Houston

But the Pac Northwests still had some huge winners, and Spartronics send our shouts and CONGRATULATIONS to:

Dean’s List Winner:  FRC winner Lauren Vitellaro, Team 3574, High Tekerz, Seattle, Wash., and FTC Winner Rispa Vranka Wafula, Team 7776, Loose Screws, Portland, Ore.

Championship Finalists – from the Turing Subdivision, Team 948, NRG (Newport Robotics Group), Bellevue, Wash.

Subdivision Winners – in addition to NRG, from the Hopper Subdivision Team 2046, Bear Metal, Maple Valley, Wash.; and from the Roebling Subdivision, Team 2907, Lion Robotics, Auburn, Wash.!

Subdivision Finalists – from the Carver Subdivision, Team 6443, AEMBOT, Hillsboro, OR and Team 2811, StormBots, Vancouver, Wash; from the Hopper Subdivision Team 4043, NerdHerd, McMinnville, Ore. and Team 2976, Spartabots, Sammamish, Wash.; and from the Newton Subdivision Team 1983, Skunk Works Robotics, Seattle, Wash. and Team 3674, CloverBots, Battle Ground, Wash., and Turing Subdivision Team 2733, Pigmice, Portland, Ore.

More BIG News:

From the Galileo-Roebling Division, Team 2557, SOTAbots, Tacoma, Wash. won the Engineering Inspiration Award!

The Autonomous Award sponsored by Ford – was won by Team 1425, Error Code Xero, Wilsonville, Ore. (Hopper-Turing Division).

The Creativity Award sponsored by Xerox, was won by Team 1318, Issaquah Robotics Society, Issaquah, Wash. (Galileo-Roebling Division), and Team 6443, AEMBOT, Hillsboro, Ore. (Carver-Newton Division).

The Innovation in Control Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation was won by Team 4469, R.A.I.D. (Raider Artificial Intelligence DIvision), Federal Way, Wash. (Galileo-Roebling Division).

The Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors – was won by Team 4488, Shockwave, Hillsboro, Ore. (Galileo-Roebling Division).

Jack in the Bot at Worlds
Jack in the Bot at World’s Houston

The Quality Award sponsored by Motorola was won by Team 2910, Jack in the Bot, Mill Creek, Wash. (Carver-Newton Division).

The Judge’s Award was won by Team 6831, A-05 Annex, Hood River, Ore. (Hopper-Turing Division)

FIRST Tech Challenge award winners from the Pac Northwest included:

Finishing in the FTC Division Finals were Team 11089, Bytes of Kitkats, Portland, Ore., and Team 12599, Overcharged, Portland, Ore.

Cooperative Model Award – Team 19, Robo Wildcats, Los Angeles; Team 39, Royal Queens, St. Louis; Team 2, LEGO Lions, Kissimmee, Fla.; Team 37, Rockin’ Robots, Renton, Wash.; Team 38, UNIbots, Houston; and Team 43, Brave Builders & Beyond, Camdenton, Mo.

CyberKnights Team 4911 at World's in Houston
CyberKnights Team 4911 at World’s in Houston

FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. awards went to:

One more shout out to Team 4911, CyberKnights from King’s High School in Seattle. We started at the same time as FRC Teams and they finished 9-1 in the Carver Division at Worlds and in 2nd Place! The swept in the Quarterfinals but lost their second match in the Semi Finals by 3 points, 106-103. We also need to give credit for the photos used here from World’s, courtesy of CyberKnights Facebook page! Thanks 4911.

 

Here is the full news release from FIRST with all of the World’s winners and award recipients: 

Youth Robotics Teams Inspire Record Crowds at FIRST® Championship in Houston

More than 15,000 Students from 40 Countries Competed with Team-Built Robots and Showcased Innovation Skills with Support from Presenting Sponsor Qualcomm and Other Global Brands

This past weekend, more than 15,000 students from around the world traveled to Houston, putting their innovation skills to the test at the annual FIRST Championship Presented by Qualcomm Incorporated, held at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Minute Maid Park and Discovery Green.

The four-day Houston event, attended by more than 33,000 people came down to a heart-pounding conclusion Saturday night in front of thousands of cheering fans at Minute Maid Park when teams competed in match finals for the FIRST® Robotics Competition and FIRST® Tech Challenge world championships. Four teams from California – Atascadero, Madera, Burlingame, and El Segundo – were the FIRST Robotics Competition Winning Alliance for this year’s game, DESTINATION: DEEP SPACE Presented by The Boeing Company. Teams from Palm Harbor, Fla.; Elon, N.C.; and Leawood, Kan., were the FIRST Tech Challenge Winning Alliance for ROVER RUCKUS Presented by Qualcomm.

Over 15,000 students, ages 6-18, participated in FIRST Championship Houston. FIRST Championship, the world’s largest celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for students, will continue next week with 15,000 more students in Detroit (April 24-27).

Selected Quotes:

Among the participants, many earned honors for design excellence, competitive play, research, business plans, website design, and teamwork. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) inspires innovation and leadership in young people through engaging, team-based robotics challenges.

In Houston, more than 700 robotics teams from 40 countries competed and exhibited in the four FIRST programs, including FIRST® LEGO® League (ages 9 to 16, varies by country); FIRST Tech Challenge (ages 12 to 18); and FIRST Robotics Competition (ages 14 to 18). In addition to the high-energy robotics matches, 60 teams participated in the FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. (grades K-4, ages 6 to 9) World Festival Expo.

FIRST Championship Houston honored significant supporters of the FIRST mission:

At Minute Maid Park, FIRST, unveiled FIRST®RISESM, a unified season theme for all four FIRST programs that is powered by Star Wars: Force for Change, a philanthropic initiative from Lucasfilm and parent company Disney. This 2019-2020 season, themed around building sustainable cities for our future, is setting out to inspire citizens of the galaxy to work together, strengthening and protecting the Force that binds us and creating a place where collaboration and collective wisdom can elevate new ideas and foster growth. The reveal video was narrated by Mark Hamill.

2019 FIRST Championship Winners

The 2019 winners of the competitions and awards announced in Houston are as follows:

Dean’s List Award – This award celebrates outstanding student leaders whose passion for and effectiveness at attaining FIRST ideals is exemplary.

From FIRST Robotics Competition:

From FIRST Tech Challenge:

1. FIRST® Robotics Competition Championship – FIRST Robotics Competition combines sports excitement with the rigors of science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams are challenged to fundraise, design a brand, exercise teamwork, and build and program robots to compete in an exciting game that includes autonomous and driver-operated periods. In the 2019 challenge, DESTINATION: DEEP SPACE Presented by The Boeing Company, two competing alliances collect samples on planet Primus. With only two-and-a-half minutes until liftoff, the alliances must gather as much cargo as possible and prepare their spaceships for liftoff before the next sandstorm arrives.

More than 94,000 students on 3,800 teams competed during the 2019 season.

Other FIRST Robotics Competition Awards included:

Championship Finalists –

Turing Subdivision

Subdivision Winners –

Carver Subdivision

Galileo Subdivision

Hopper Subdivision

Newton Subdivision

Roebling Subdivision

Turing Subdivision

Subdivision Finalists –

Carver Subdivision

Galileo Subdivision

Hopper Subdivision

Newton Subdivision

Roebling Subdivision

Turing Subdivision

Engineering Inspiration Award –

Autonomous Award sponsored by Ford –

Creativity Award sponsored by Xerox –

Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers –

Excellence in Engineering Award sponsored by Delphi –

Gracious Professionalism® Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson –

Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen –

Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors –

Safety Award sponsored by UL –

Innovation in Control Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation –

Quality Award sponsored by Motorola –

Team Spirit Award sponsored by FCA Foundation –

Highest Rookie Seed –

Rookie All-star Award –

Rookie Inspiration Award –

Judges’ Awards –

2. FIRST® Tech Challenge World Championship – FIRST Tech Challenge students learn to think like engineers. Teams build robots from a reusable kit of parts, develop strategies, document their progress, and compete head to head. In the 2018-19 game, ROVER RUCKUS Presented by Qualcomm, robots descend from the lander, collect and sort minerals into cargo holds, and perform autonomous tasks to compete on the field during two-and-a-half-minutes of gameplay.

More than 70,000 students on 7,000 FIRST Tech Challenge teams competed during the 2018-2019 season. FIRST Tech Challenge sponsors include Season Presenting Sponsor Qualcomm, Official Program Sponsor Rockwell Collins, and IoT, CAD and Collaboration Sponsor PTC.

Other FIRST Tech Challenge awards included:

3. FIRST® LEGO® League World Festival – FIRST LEGO League introduces younger students to real-world engineering challenges by inviting them to conduct research projects and build LEGO-based autonomous robots to complete tasks on a thematic playing surface. FIRST LEGO League teams, guided by their imaginations, discover exciting career possibilities and learn to make positive contributions to society. This year’s challenge, INTO ORBIT, tasked more than 323,000 students on 40,000 teams representing 95+ countries with exploring how to solve the physical and social problems associated with long-duration space flight, and propose solutions for any issues they identify.

Top honors went to Champion’s Award winner, Team 44264, IDB TECH-NO-LOGIC, of Verona, Italy; Champion’s Award Finalist, Team 14938, Club Oreo, of Austin, Texas; and Champion’s Award Finalist, Team 44195, DYCI Blue Ocean’s 10, of Quezon City, Philippines.

Other FIRST® LEGO® League awards included:

4. FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. World Festival Expo – FIRST LEGO League Jr. introduces children ages 6 to 9 to the exciting world of science and technology. Teams of up to six children and two adult Coaches take on a real-world Challenge, to be explored through research, critical thinking, and imagination. In this year’s Challenge, MISSION MOON, students learn about the Earth’s moon and what is needed to live there.

FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. awards went to:

Watch highlights from FIRST Championship Houston on FIRSTtv and download select photos from the FIRST Facebook page.

The 2019 FIRST Championship will continue next week in Detroit, Michigan, happening from April 24 to 27 at the Cobo Center and Ford Field. Visit firstchampionship.org to learn more.

2019 FIRST Championship Sponsors

Qualcomm is the 2019 FIRST Championship Presenting Sponsor.

2019 FIRST Championship Lead Sponsors include: Google Inc. and Magna International Inc.

2019 FIRST Championship Event Sponsors include: ABB; The Abbott Fund; Bechtel Corporation; Delta Air Lines; Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau; The Dow Chemical Company; DTE Energy; FCA Foundation; FedEx; Ford Motor Company; Houston CVB; Keysight Technologies; Lockheed Martin Corporation; National Instruments; Nokia Bell Labs; Rockwell Automation; TE Connectivity; Toyota USA Foundation; Two Sigma Investments; U.S. Air Force; and United Technologies.

2019 FIRST Championship Key Sponsors include: ARMI | BiofabUSA; Autodesk; BAE Systems; BOSCH; Central Michigan University; The Coca-Cola Company; Consumers Energy; Gene Haas Foundation; Hilton; Kettering University; Mouser Electronics; PwC US; Quicken Loans; Southwest Airlines; Texas Instruments; United Therapeutics Corporation; Walt Disney Imagineering; and ZF North America, Inc.

Other 2019 FIRST Championship Supporters include: Alta Resources LLC; Arm; H-E-B; J.R. Automation; and Jacobs.

Save the date! The 2020 FIRST Championship will be held in Houston April 15-18 and Detroit April 29-May 2.

About FIRST®

Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than $80 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST® Tech Challenge for Grades 7-12; FIRST® LEGO® League for Grades 4-8; and FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. for Grades K-4. Gracious Professionalism® is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.firstinspires.org.