International robotics showdown coming to UOIT and Durham College

High school robotics teams from across Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and the states of New York and Texas will converge in Oshawa for a three-day robotics showdown at the annual FIRST^® Robotics Canada (FRC) Greater Toronto East Regional competition. The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Durham College (DC) will co-host the event at the schools’ shared Oshawa campus from Thursday, March 10 to Saturday, March 12.

The event is free and open to the public.

More than 1,000 students, competing on 50 teams, will demonstrate their engineering skills and knowledge playing FIRST Stronghold™, the new game developed for the 2016 competition, as they contend for a coveted spot at the FRC World Championship in St. Louis, Missouri from April 27 to 30.

Two competing alliances (teams of three) will remotely guide their robots on a quest to breach their opponents’ fort, weaken their tower with boulders and ultimately capture their opponents’ castle. During each two-minute-and-30-second match, points will be awarded to each team for defending their castle, retrieving boulders and defeating the other alliance. During the first 15 seconds, the robots operate independently of their drivers to earn points by moving themselves. Competitors will also be recognized for robot design excellence, sportsmanship and teamwork.

• Link to visual demonstration of FIRST Stronghold™ game

Practice rounds begin on Thursday, March 10, followed by qualifying rounds on Friday, March 11. Elimination rounds and the awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 12. Students will also have the opportunity to fine-tune their robots in DC’s state-of-the-art Integrated Manufacturing Centre.

The FRC Greater Toronto East Regional is the second of seven national qualifying competitions across Canada and is part of For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. In 2016, more than 3,000 teams comprising 78,000+ students from around the world will compete in FIRST Stronghold™.

Where:

Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre (CRWC) gymnasiums

DC-UOIT shared Oshawa campus

2000 Simcoe Street North

When:

Media is encouraged to attend at any of the following times:

Friday, March 11:

• Opening ceremonies: 8:30 a.m.
• Qualification matches: 9 a.m. to noon; 1 to 5:45 p.m.

Saturday, March 12:

• Final rounds: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Awards ceremony: 4:30 p.m.

Parking:

Enter off Simcoe Street North or Conlin Road and proceed to the Founders 3 parking lot. Follow the signs to the CRWC.

For more information, please visit the FIRST Canada website.

Media contact:
Bryan Oliver
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Communications and Marketing
905.721.8668 ext. 6709
289.928.3653 (cell)
bryan.oliver@uoit.ca