Versailles’ Rindler competes with Innovators Robotics

Innovators Robotics, Team 3138, a twenty-one member high school robotics team, which includes Versailles’ Sophomore-Chad Rindler, and also includes students from ten different school districts. The team just completed a successful 2013 season winning several team awards:

“Engineering Inspiration Award” celebrates a team’s outstanding efforts in advancing respect/appreciation for engineering and engineers, both within their school and their community at Queen City Regional at Xavier University’s Cintas Center in Cincinnati; 

“Gracious Professionalism Award”, presented by Johnson and Johnson.  Gracious Professionalism is a way of doing activities that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.  Knowledge, competition, and empathy are comfortably blended at the World Championship Competition at the Edward Jones Dome, in St. Louis, MO. 

And an individual award:

“First Dean List Award” by co-captain and Northmont Senior, Justin Chu, which recognizes students for their outstanding technical knowledge, leadership skills, individual contribution to their team, and community outreach.  Justin received this award Cross Road Regional at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terra Haute, Indiana. 

Innovators Robotics won the team awards for their Business Intelligence Program software “Innovators Predictive Analytics Scouting System.” This system was created by Innovators Robotics Scouting Mentor Rob Miller, and Student Scouting Programmer Josh Klar (So. Vandalia-Butler), with additional of input from drive team members: captain, Justin Chu (Sr. Northmont), driver, Austin Huber (Jr. MVCTC/V-B), and other Ohio First Robotics Teams. 

“Innovators Predictive Analytics Scouting System” is a Business Intelligence System, which turns large amounts of collected data into useful information that decision-makers can use to make real time decisions and address critical issues.  This information allowed the team to develop a real time strategy and ‘what if’ scenarios for their matches.  The system also allowed teams it to review data to determine their current own strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats analysis (SWAT). 

One team asked Rob Miller “What can you tell us about our team?”  The data was able to show the team where they needed to improve their accuracy.  The team shot the Frisbees more accurately with the help from the data and their scores improved dramatically. While the judges were interviewing the Innovators, several teams came up to inquire about the new system, and where it showed they could improve. 

The 2013 Season challenge/game was called Ultimate Ascent.  The goal was to score as many discs (Frisbees) into their goals as they can during a two (2)-minute and fifteen (15) second match.  Three robotic teams make up an alliance, and each game is played with two alliances.  Six robots take the field, three per alliance, and the fun begins!  Points are scored according where the discs land in the pyramid shaped goal.  The match ends with robots attempting to climb up ten foot pyramid located near the middle of the field. Each robot earns points based on how high it climbs. 

The team had 6 weeks to complete a robot to compete in this challenge.  The students design, prototype, test, build, and program the robot. Robots cannot be larger than five feet, or weigh up to 120 lbs. To accomplish these tasks, the team has broken into several sub-teams consisting of: the base/drive unit, Frisbee/shooter, Frisbee/hopper, electronics, and programming/control system teams.   

Innovators Robotics would like to thank Midmark for their sponsorship and supporting 2013 season, while also thanking our others sponsors for their support in 2013.  And one final thank you to the Poultry Days Committee for allowing us to demonstrate our robot at the festival, Saturday night between 5:30 and 7:30.  

The Innovators are a 501(3c), organized to generate students to generate excitement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by engaging the students in robotics competitions.  The team functions as a mini corporation with students working in team on website, marketing, programming, machining, AutoCAD, graphics, engineering design and assembly. The students take their robots into schools, business, and camps to promote STEM excitement. 

Innovator’s graduates have received over $300,000 college scholarship offers.  To learn more please visit www.InnovatorsRobotics.com or to learn more about First Robotics visit www.usfirst.org.