Oak Park Newspaper

The culmination of this year's Vex robotics program, came to a wild finale at the Oak Park Education Foundation's 5th Annual Vex Robotics' Competition. The robotics talent show was held at Brooks Middle School February 24th. The gymnasium seats were totally filled, leaving many to stand or sit on the floor as the two middle schools in District 97, Julian and Brooks, faced-off for the 'Olympics.' A competition of electronics, design, construction and control of the myriad of robotic creations.

Some of the robots were totally automated, requiring programming to keep them on course. This year’s programming to keep the robots on course involved three underlying photo sensors, measuring the intensity of white light reflected from the taped white line. When the sensitivity of one of the outlying sensors detected a diminished amount of light the signal is sent to the controlled wheels to maneuver the robot back to a stronger signal of reflected light. This program is rewritten each year to suit the gears and wheels of that year’s device, thereby requiring additional input but not necessarily requiring a whole new program. Mentors from previous years often assist and help the newer designers. There were many stars in the audience: the proud parents of the participants; a nation-wide radio personality, Peter Sagal (who had a daughter on the Brooks team); judges from the local school board, Peter Barber and Peter Traczyk; and Jim Gates, the attentive and charming Master of Ceremonies of the evening’s metallic battles.

The kids and families had a wonderful time, cheering on their teams, friends, and schools. Admission was free, but the way seats were going tickets would have gone quickly even with a fee. It is nice to see a program offered for the gifted and interested kids in robotics in a world often focused on the underachieving and unmotivated youth--this was a motivated event.

The rules of the robotic competition do not allow these robots to be impolite either in their jousts or aggressive behavior to an opponent. Some of the robots you find at the collegiate level can attack each other violently with spinning saw blades and crunching teeth, but Oak Park’s competition relies on creative design and beguiling control. Currently there is no robotics program at Oak Park and River Forest High School, but some freshman, like Elliot Mertz, would like to see a similar program brought to the high school, but there is always the question of funding and adult sponsorship.