2 Parsippany Teams to Compete in Robotics World Championship

Eleven Parsippany students making up two different teams have advanced to the 2014 FIRST Tech Challenge World Championships to show their stuff when it comes to robotics.

According to parsippanyfocus.com, the Metal Marauders and Nano Gurus will both head to St. Louis, Missouri from April 22 to 26 for the event after advancing from the Super Regional competition earlier this month.

A total of 150 American and international teams will compete at the FTC World Championship, the report said, including seven teams from New Jersey.

According to the report, the final competition involves the following:

The 2013-14 season FTC game, “Block Party”, is a timed event lasting 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Click here for video). During the first 30 seconds (autonomous mode), each team runs a computer program to accomplish the task of putting a 2 inch square block into a basket on a balanced bar and then driving up a ramp and parking with all four wheels on the ramp. More points are scored if the robot can place the block in the basket above an infrared beacon. During the next 2 minutes (tele-op mode), each robot is operating with remote controls (like game station remote controllers). During this time each alliance team (of 2 robots) tries to scoop up and place as many blocks in the baskets as possible, in order to out –score their opponent alliance. More points are scored for blocks in the outer baskets and if the bar is level at the end of the game. In the last 30 seconds of the game, the EndGame, each alliance seeks to raise their team flag to the highest point and to drive up the ramp and hang their robot from the cross bar between the two alliance balance bars. Points are earned for each task completed, but penalty points can be assessed for unsportsmanlike conduct or breach of rules. 

Members from both teams come from Parsippany and Parsippany Hills High Schools, as well as the town's middle school.