Bots aren’t just for boys.
More girls than ever are participating
in high school and junior
high robot competitions such
as Battlebots IQ, FIRST, and
BEST. What attracts girls
to the sport? How do they
get started? What tips can
they can they offer others?
This is the first in a series
of profiles about girls who
compete in robotics.
Profile:
Adriana Bermudez
by Pamela
Clarkson
Adriana Bermudez,
16, is planning an engineering
career. "I love the hands-on
things you do as a mechanical
engineer," she says. "I want
to design robots and work
with them later on in life.
I love problem solving, and
thinking outside of the box.
It lets me put my mind to
work."
Adriana likes
to put her mind and hands
to work on robots. She competes
in US
FIRST, and is a member
of the BattleBots
IQ team, Alpha Kai Omega.
(BattleBots IQ is a high school
curriculum centered around
building BattleBots.)
Alpha Kai
Omega's robot, Checkmate,
is a SpinBot. Its stainless
steel shell spins at nearly
900 RPM to rip other robots
apart. "SpinBots are sweet,"
says Adriana.
"They can do some major damage,
and they look cool while spinning."
But Checkmate
is more than a machine of
mass destruction; it's a learning
experience, an engineering
feat, and a source of enumerable
frustrations. "Be prepared
for all the burns, cuts, and
bruises," Adriana advises,
"and all the little arguments
you will have with your teammates
here and there. But everything
that you went through during
the building process will
be well worth it once you
see the end result."
Checkmate
made it all the way to the
semifinals at the first IQ
tournament in March of 2002.
The team plans to take the
robot to BattleBots in 2003.
But the best
thing about being on the team,
insists Adriana, "is learning
to get along, work together,
and trust your teammates."
The team's name, Alpha Kai
Omega, means Beginning and
Ending, says Adriana. "It
begins and ends with us."
About the Author: Pamela Clarkson
is a 14 year old avid robot
combat fan who is starting
early on her career as a writer.
You can e-mail her at: Pamela@pamclarkson.com.
Published: August 29, 2002
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Battlebots:
The Official Guide
