Local robotics team, Embers 7583, took out 3rd place with its alliance partners, The DropBears and Koalafied, in the 2023 FRC Southern Cross Regional competition at WIN Entertainment Centre on Sunday, 13 March.
Embers Robotics is a team of 17 high-school students, with members from years 7 to 12 from various schools in the Wollongong area. The students competed over the weekend in a series of qualifying matches in the flagship regional event for FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition.
Recognised for its impressive robot, the team was one of the top 8 team alliances to compete in the playoffs, where they were eliminated by a 12-point margin in the semi-final.
Part of the FIRST program from the US, this robotics competition sees student teams, under the guidance of adult and alumni mentors, design and build robots specifically for a particular game. In January each year, the details of the competition game are released giving the Embers six weeks to brainstorm, design, prototype, build, program and learn to drive a robot. More about the competition here.
FRC robots are controlled by human drivers, are up to 2 meters tall and weigh as much as 50kgs.
Kayla, one of the founding members and the only girl at its origin, said the team is a democratic one, with all members voting on the final design.
Parent mentor Karen Love said that the competition is not just about building robots, but focusing on the skills developed along the way, including conflict resolution, problem-solving, teamwork and collaboration.
“The way that the competition is structured curates a very supportive and encouraging environment for the kids. Everyone is there to help each other, whether that’s helping to fix competitor’s robots or simply networking and forming friendships,” Karen said.
Maya, in her second year of competing, said that her favourite thing about the competition was being part of the community.
The team share great admiration, respect and genuine support for each other.
Maya said, “We haven’t done well in the ranking but I am really proud of how we played.”
Karen manages community outreach to ensure the sustainability of the team and its ability to take part in competitions.
“The kids don’t necessarily have to get overly interested in STEM subjects. We’ll always find a place for them, whether they gravitate towards mentorship, social media, community outreach,” Karen said.
To promote STEM education and foster leadership skills in the Illawarra community, the Embers run community programs across the Illawarra for kids aged 4 to 18, starting with FIRST Lego League Explore, After School and Holiday Robotics and FIRST Lego League Challenge.
For more information on kid's programs, click here.
Follow the Embers team on Facebook, Instagram and the website.
