Young engineers and programmers were competing to reach the next level in regional robotic competition over the weekend of Jan. 18.
The action took place at Swift Creek Middle School where the gymnasium was the site of ferocious battles, but the game wasn't basketball. Instead the competitors were small robots, built largely of Lego blocks, which were trying to complete torturous obstacle courses in the shortest time. In a separate area, FIRST Robotics Mentor Laura Leonard pointed out more advanced robots attempting a complex transport task.
"This challenge is called 'Sky Stone,'" she explained. "It's the first Lego League city-shaper. Part of their challenge is to build a tower and then move the tower out of the building platform."
The winners of Saturday's games go on to the regional championships at Chiles High School the weekend of Feb. 22.
