Chambana Sun

Youth Robotics Team Ctrl-Z from Champaign County has emerged as the world champions at the 2023 FIRST Championship, held in Houston, Texas. The event took place from April 19 to April 22 at the George R. Brown Convention Center and marked the end of the youth robotics competition season.

The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) brought together 600 teams, each consisting of students in grades 7-12. These teams were tasked with selecting a specialty area such as robot design or programming and managing budgets up to $50,000. During the competition, alliances of three teams competed against one another to score points within a set time limit.

Preparation for this season began on the first Saturday of January when a new game was announced. Teams had approximately 8-10 weeks to build their robots. Coach Bob Smith of Champaign County explained that "on the day the game is announced, the team starts discussing possible strategies and mechanisms." Ctrl-Z focused on designing a robot capable of completing tasks quickly and consistently.

The process involved testing prototypes, using Computer Aided Design (CAD), and fabricating parts through both 3-D printing and manual methods. The team then assembled and programmed their final competition robot.

Despite winning this year's championship title, Ctrl-Z is already planning for future endeavors. "Building on the FIRST Impact award," Smith stated, "the team plans to continue to work to start new robotics clubs in the area."

Financial support for this year's competition came from Caterpillar, Bayer, and the Illinois 4-H Foundation. Other Illinois teams participating included Metal Cow Robotics from McLean County and Binary Bullets from Knox County in the FRC, while Super Scream Bros from Macon County competed in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC).

Both competitions require teams not only to design robots but also to engage in fundraising and community outreach efforts.

For more information about local 4-H Robotics programs, contact your local Extension Office.