This year's FIRST Robotics Competition presented a robotic challenge around a new game called Breakaway, in which each team's robots must score as many points as possible by moving the balls on the field into goals set up in each corner. The White Bear Lake team leveraged the ease-of-use and flexibility of SpaceClaim's software through prototyping and testing. Students were able to go quickly back and forth between their virtual and physical models, experimenting with different approaches. Dr. Robotnic, the completed robot, is capable of dribbling and kicking a ball and moving in six directions without the need to rotate.
"SpaceClaim makes it so easy to manipulate components within the assembly," said the team's head mentor Joe Viavattine, Principal Project Engineer, Medtronic. "The students were able to grab a few components, try different scenarios, see how the design looked and then move them back if it didn't accomplish the objective. Many great ideas came to the surface through this process. The students didn't have to worry about losing ground in trying out a lot of different approaches with SpaceClaim, as there was no harm in making errors."
More than 45,000 students on over 1,800 teams from around the world are competing this year. With only six weeks from the time each team receives its initial robotics kit to the submission date for the completed robot, time is of the essence in the design process. With his own experience using SpaceClaim at Medtronic, Viavattine knew the software would be an ideal tool for the students to use to express their wealth of creative ideas.
SpaceClaim also sponsored the FIRST Robotics Team from Steinart High School in Trenton, N.J.
"The FIRST Robotics Competition is inspirational and a terrific way for budding engineers and scientists to work as teams, learn new skills and have the gratification of creating a robot capable of solving complex challenges," said SpaceClaim CEO Chris Randles. "We were extremely pleased to be able to sponsor the White Bear Lake and Trenton teams and look forward to continuing our participation in the years ahead."
The preliminary round of competition for the White Bear Lake team will be April 1-3 at the Minnesota Northstar Regional event, which will be held in Mariucci Arena on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. The competition will available for viewing online here.
About SpaceClaim Corporation
SpaceClaim provides the world's fastest and most innovative 3D Direct Modeling solutions. SpaceClaim has created a quantum leap in engineering productivity, enabling 3D solid modeling that is accessible to everyone from power users and engineers to part-time designers. Global customers include Nokia Siemens Networks, BorgWarner, Medtronic, Lotus Cars, Sharp, K2 Medical Systems, FuelCell Energy, Emhart Glass, GE Aviation, General Dynamics, and the U.S. Navy. SpaceClaim is privately held and backed by Borealis Ventures, Kodiak Venture Partners, and North Bridge Venture Partners. For more information on SpaceClaim, please visit: www.spaceclaim.com.
SpaceClaim is a registered trademark of SpaceClaim Corporation. All other names mentioned herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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Contact: Ben Sharbaugh CHEN PR (781) 672-3117 Email Contact Bernie Buelow SpaceClaim Corporation (978) 482-2211 Email Contact
