​Kinetic Knights ready to run rings around the competition in new FIRST “Crescendo” challenge

The Kinetic Knights Robotics Team of Kincardine (FRC Team 781) is ready to run rings around the competition in the new FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) “Crescendo” challenge.

Revealed Saturday during kick-off, held at the Kincardine Legion, this year’s challenge requires the robot to shoot rings (called "notes") into amplifiers and speakers to gain points and then, at the end of the game, dangle on a chain with two other robots.

The match features two alliances (each made up of three robotics teams) competing, and the alliance that scores the highest number of points wins the game.



This year’s FIRST robotics challenge is called “Crescendo;” video courtesy of FIRST

With the help of their mentors, the Kinetic Knights now have about 10 weeks to design, build and program a robot to meet the “Crescendo” challenge. The rest of Saturday afternoon was spent brain-storming.

The team has registered for two competitions in March – one in Oshawa and one in North Bay. If the Kinetic Knights qualify, they would then advance to the provincial championships in Mississauga in April.

Kinetic Knights Robotics is a community youth robotics organization, open to young people, ages 13-19, in Kincardine. Currently, there are about 25 members and 12 mentors who focus on various aspects of team-building, as well as constructing a robot to enter in FIRST competitions.

For more information or to sponsor the team, contact lead mentor, David Dadson, at dcdadson@live.com.