By Andrew Cluley
Ypsilanti, MI – More than 60 teams of high school students and robots from throughout the midwest and Ontario compete today and tomorrow at Eastern Michigan University's convocation center.
It's the "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology", or "FIRST" Great Lakes regional.
In the "FIRST" program, teams of high school students partner with manufacturing and technology companies to design, build, and program industrial-style robots. The teams compete in regional competitions across the country, hoping to win a spot in the national robotics competition to be held in Atlanta later this spring.
Great Lakes Regional chair Kelly Shoulders says in addition to inspiring students to persue science and technology education, the program also gives students genuine business experience as they deal with designing and building their robots, fundraising, and public relations.
Shoulders says the students also get to know and work with engineers from sponsoring companies, which could lead to internships and jobs in the future.
The competition today and tomorrow at EMU's convocation center is free and the public.