News
Posted on the 13th March 2023
Written by Patrice

Northern Ireland Regional 2022-23 results

5 teams of Northern Ireland ninjas weathered the Belfast blizzard and rocked up head-strong at the iconic W5 Science and Discovery Centre to take on this season’s energy-driven FIRST Tech Challenge game, POWERPLAY.

The Northern Ireland Regional Tournament saw local teams flaunt their robot designs on the game field with super impressive programming and lift mechanisms, but the real stars of the show were the young innovators controlling them.

New and experienced members of the FIRST community joined forces and tackled the challenge with focus and determination, applying a super inclusive approach to teamwork and game strategy.

We want to say a huge congratulations to all teams that took part. Your epic bots embody all the hard work you’ve put in and you should all be very proud!

Here’s how they scored on the day…

Team scores and rank

Rank Number Name RP TBP1 TBP2 HS Played
1 21000 @FSL_ROBOTICS_2022 2 27 26.3333 0 6
2 21116 UK MCB 1 20.6667 19.6667 0 6
3 20955 UK-051 0.6667 27.3333 17 0 6
4 22706 UK 049-St. Patricks College-SPC 0.6667 19.6667 19.3333 0 6
5 21194 RBAI 0.6667 18.3333 14.6667 0 6

Table key

RP – Rank Points TBP – Tie Breaker Points HS – High Score
TBP1: For a single Team competing remotely, the Team’s Autonomous Period score for a Qualification Match is used as their TBP1. Total TBP1 is the sum of the TBP1s of all non-Surrogate Qualification Matches that a Team plays in a Tournament.
TBP2: For a single Team competing remotely, the Team’s End Game specific task score for a Qualification Match is used as their TBP2. Total TBP2 is the sum of the TBP2s of all non-Surrogate Qualification Matches that a Team plays in a Tournament.

 

Team Awards

Control Award sponsored by Arm, Inc Winner, ‘mastering robot intelligence’
UK-051, 20955, The Resistance, Belfast High School

“This award is given to the team that was very clever with their programming and has shown innovative thinking in the control system to solve game challenges.”

“So many teams showed these qualities but for us one team in particular stood out and encompassed all and more that was required. The winning team came up with a strong plan to tackle this challenge. They stuck to it and had a team member dedicated to this area, going so far to use their chosen language.”

 

Motivate Award Winner, ‘sparking others to embrace the culture of FIRST
UK-159, 21194, RBAI, Royal Belfast Academical Institution

“This award celebrates a team that represents the essence of FIRST Tech Challenge through team building, team spirit, enthusiasm, and by encouraging those around them to get involved with the challenge.”

“Now there was a lot of cheerleading going on and while team identity, fundraising, sustainability and outreach were demonstrated amongst all teams, there was one team that stood out here. Their section within the portfolio regarding these values were clear and well laid out. They made a strong effort in sustainability and kept to a modest budget, but what was particularly impressive was their outreach and the enthusiasm and gracious professionalism shown.”

 

Design Award Winner, ‘industrial design at its best’
UK-381, 21116, MCB Robotech, Methodist College Belfast

“This award goes to a team with a robot that functions well, and looks great too. The innovative design does not compromise the practical operation of the robot, but complements its purpose.”

“The design award looked for good examples of mechanical design. The winner had some good drawings in their Engineering Portfolio. They had great descriptions of different design ideas and how these were tested and proven. They even included some trigonometry!”

 

Connect Award Winner, ‘connecting the dots between community, FIRST, and the diversity of the engineering world’
UK-049, 22706, Beltel, St.Patrick’s College

“This team has helped the community understand FIRST, the FIRST Tech Challenge, and the team itself, and has recognised that engaging their local STEM community plays an essential part in their success.”

“The winning team’s efforts in engaging with the wider STEM community have set them apart. They managed to find a sponsor and secure collaboration with them even going forward. Their vision for the future and their profound collaboration with leaders in the industry made them most deserving of this award.”

 

Runner-up Alliance
UK-381, 21116, MCB Robotech, Methodist College Belfast
UK-049, 22706, Beltel, St.Patricks College

Winning Alliance
UK-344, 21000, Digital Pancakes, Friend’s School
UK-051, 20955, The Resistance, Belfast High School

 

Inspire Award Winner, ‘the BIG one’
UK-344, 21000, Digital Pancakes, Friend’s School

“They have embodied the ‘challenge’ of the FIRST Tech Challenge programme, were a top contender for many other judged awards, and are all-rounded gracious competitors.”

“Throughout the competition, all teams have excelled in multiple categories. The winning team was chosen because of their efforts in inspiring other students, outreach, fundraising and their ambitious design. Despite some challenges, they performed consistently well.”

Photo highlights

To download an image for use in your school comms, hit the link to open the photo gallery in a new window, open the photo you want to use and click the download icon. Please credit all photos used to “FIRST UK and W5″. All images ©️ FIRST UK 2023.

FIRST Tech Challenge UK - Northern Ireland Regional 2022-23

 

Alrighty! A virtual round of applause for Northern Ireland and to our wonderful partners at W5 for hosting the event and volunteering their amazing staff. We want to thank all Game Changers who donated their time to make sure this event ran smoothly, you rock!

We can’t wait for next year with more inventive robots and new teams bravely taking on the next challenge.

 

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