Photos & Results: BIOS Robotics Challenge

March 27, 2018

A total of twenty-two teams from eight schools – including two new teams from Bermuda College – met recently at the National Sports Centre for the 2018 Marine Advanced Technology in Education [MATE] Bermuda Regional Remotely Operated Vehicle [ROV] Challenge.

A spokesperson said, “The program, hosted by the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences [BIOS], is part of the organization’s Mid-Atlantic Robotics IN Education [MARINE] program, with lead donor support from HSBC Bank Bermuda Limited [HSBC], who has partnered with BIOS in support of these two programs for the past four years.”

Jane Estey Head of Financial Crime Compliance Transformation for HSBC, and HSBC spokesperson for the BIOS partnership, said, “We are pleased to support BIOS for the fourth year of the ‘Remote Operated Vehicle Challenge’.

“It is encouraging to see the growth of participation in the competition over the years, particularly the knowledge-base amongst our young participants on important issues such as sustainability and climate change.

“Programmes such as these help promote ocean conservation, protecting the quality of our marine and ocean life for future generations. Thank you to our young participants and their teachers for their commitment.”

“The ROV challenge reflects BIOS’s commitment to using underwater vehicles to understand complex ocean processes,” said Kaitlin Noyes, Director of BIOS’s Ocean Academy.

“Building ROVs fosters critical thinking skills, enhances individual and group problem solving skills, and boosts technological fluency. It also supports education goals associated with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, known as the STEM fields.

“During the competition, which lasted about four hours, teams of students sent their uniquely designed robots on a variety of missions centered around this year’s theme of “Jet City: Aircraft, Earthquakes, and Energy.”

“Multiple courses were set up in the Sports Centre pool, each with pre-determined tasks for the ROVs, and their student pilots, to complete within an allotted time. Students competed at a variety of levels of difficulty, as designated by MATE: Beginner, Scout [Intermediate], and Ranger [Advanced Intermediate].

“Students on the beginner teams were asked to build vehicles capable of maneuvering a net to collect plankton in a mock-up of the Sargasso Sea. Scout and Ranger teams were tasked with locating the simulated wreckage of an airplane and returning its engine to the surface, as well as installing or recovering seismometers and turbines. Students on all teams also earned points from judges based on a marketing poster and team interviews about their respective ROVs.

“This year’s challenge saw some truly talented teams spanning primary school to Bermuda College, and it’s been amazing to see how the expertise and innovation of young Bermudians has grown since we started this program,” said Noyes.

“The teachers were extraordinary and pushed the boundaries further than I thought possible—they are the true winners.”

The 2018 ROV Challenge team winners are as follows:

Beginner Prize Categories

First Place Total Score [Primary]: Somerset Primary “Bees”
First Place Total Score [Middle/Senior]: Clearwater Middle School “CW Crazy Engineers”
Second Place Total Score [Middle/Senior]: Saltus Grammar School “Sea Wolf”
Third Place Total Score [Middle/Senior]: Clearwater Middle School “CW Pioneers”
Best Overall Marketing Poster [All Beginners]: Dellwood Middle School “DMS Bottom Feeders”
Best Overall Product Interviews [All Beginners]: Dellwood Middle School “DMS Sargassos”

Scout/Ranger Prize Categories

First Place Total Score Scout [Middle/Senior/College]; Dellwood Middle School “Narwhals”
Second Place Total Score Scout [Middle/Senior/College]: Clearwater Middle School “KNZL Robotics”
First Place Total Score Ranger [Middle]: Clearwater Middle School “CW ROV Inc.”
Second Place Total Score Ranger [Middle]: Warwick Academy “Smartwater”
Best Overall Marketing Poster [Middle/Senior/College]: Dellwood Middle School “DMS Sea Kings”
Best Overall Product Interviews [Middle/Senior/College]: Bermuda College “Deep Divers Inc.” and Warwick Academy “Water Wings”

“BIOS would like to extend special thanks to La Trattoria and the Orange Bay Company for sponsoring a pizza lunch for all participants, mentors, and event volunteers.”

Photos by Alex Masters, click to enlarge: