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ROBO-STUDENTS in Southfield MI

19 February 1998

Lawrence Technological University Announces Special Southfield Alliance For 'FIRST' Competition to Unveil Robot Feb. 18

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 17 -- A special alliance between
students and teachers at Southfield High School, engineers from Lear
Corporation , and students from Lawrence Technological University
has been formed to compete in the seventh annual FIRST Robotics Competition.
They will unveil their "Champion Robot" February 18, 6-8 p.m. at an open house
in the atrium of Lawrence Tech's Buell Building.  Among those attending the
6:30 p.m. unveiling will be Ken Way, chairman and CEO, Lear Corporation;
Charles Chambers, president of Lawrence Tech; and Don Jones, principal,
Southfield High School.
    "The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology)
competition is aimed at increasing the interest and aptitude of high school
students in science and engineering by participating in a hands-on competition
that builds school pride and teamwork as well as individual skills and self
confidence," said Don Jones, Southfield High School principal.
    The 36 member Lear/Southfield team is among some 25 area FIRST teams and
200 teams competing nationally to build functioning  robots.  The competition
will culminate April 24 in Orlando, Florida.  The Southfield team will enter a
regional competition March 19-21 at Eastern Michigan University.  "This is not
a science fair, this is an engineering project that introduces high school
students to technical concepts," said Dan Golles, director of engineering at
Lear's Chrysler Division.  "The competition part is the celebration and the
tool to get kids excited about science and technology," he added.
    "The FIRST competition provides an opportunity for high school students to
help organize a significant project," said Robert Williams, one of three
Lawrence Tech students advising the Southfield High School team.  Williams
became involved in the FIRST project through his leadership in Lawrence Tech's
student chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.  "The team must
build, test, and compete with a 30"x36"x48" robot that moves on casters and is
powered by an automotive battery.  During competitions, one student uses a
radio-controlled joy stick to steer and position the robot while another uses
a second joy stick to extend and manipulate the arm," Williams added.
    The Lear/Southfield team, dubbed the "TechnoJays," an adaptation of the
school's Blue Jay mascot, started work on January 10.  To date, the students,
advisors, and Lear engineers have spent more that 100 hours on the project
preparing for Wednesday's unveiling of the robot at Lawrence Tech.  Each FIRST
team has only six weeks to work together to brainstorm, design, construct and
test their Champion Robot before sending it out for the competition.
    The open house and robot unveiling are open to the public.  Lawrence
Tech's campus is at the intersection of W. Ten Mile Rd. and the Lodge Fwy.

SOURCE  Lawrence Technological University