Volunteers get guidance to form area robotics team

Volunteers looking to form a group to guide local students in building robot warriors were briefed at the first meeting of the Palouse Area Robotics Team Sept. 29.

“I think the potential here is to put together an incredible team that would build an incredible robot,” said Dave Tharp of Palouse, organizer of last week’s meeting at the SEL Event Center in Pullman.

Tharp has proposed a team that would be based in Pullman but include students from schools around Whitman County.

Janet Schmidt, director of WSU’s Whitman County extension office, said the project fits into the science-based focus of 4H, which conducted a robotics camp at Colfax in August.

She said local 4H would help assemble a team to build a robot.

The team would build a robot which would compete in agility challenges sponsored by the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology foundation, or FIRST, of Manchester, N.H.

Tharp said his goal is to develop scientific and engineering skills in area students. While many focus on athletics, he said, more will be likely to excel in technology fields.

“We could make these kids real stars,” he said.

Last week’s meeting brought more than two dozen adults and students.

With a $6,500 grant from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, the group is applying to FIRST which would then provide robot parts valued in the thousands.

Students, under the guidance of their adult volunteers would design, market and build a robot to enter into regional and national competitions.

Parts would arrive in January, and the team would have six weeks to build the robot for the, as Tharp tabbed it, “Olympics of the Nerds.”

Tharp said previous years have had contests only in Seattle. This year, a regional robot contest will be at Eastern Washington University.

Volunteers from last week’s meeting are now beginning the process of recruiting students from area schools.