Burke-based robotics team The Blockheads receive the PTC Design Award at the First Tech Challenge Virginia Championship on Saturday, Feb. 28 in Richmond. From left, Paul Han, David Desrochers, coach Doug Desrochers, Sam Bove, coach Tom Bove and Amanda Nguyen. Photo contributed
“It’s a big deal,” said Doug Desrochers, coach of the Burke robotics team The Blockheads. He said, “The competition was fierce” at the First Tech Challenge Virginia Championship held in Richmond on Saturday, Feb. 28. But what gave freshmen Sam Bove, of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Roger Clanton, David Desrochers, Paul Han, and Amanda Nguyen, of Lake Braddock High School, an advantage was their use of 3D printing technology. Doug said that the main motors, batteries and controllers must be the same for all teams but other parts of the robot can be made from any materials. This opened up all kinds of possibilities. Three members of the team already had 3D printers, one was built from scratch by Sam Bove.
The Blockheads won the the PTC Design Award for outstanding robot design. They are sponsored by Aviation Systems Engineering Company, Inc. in Maryland and Valador, Inc. in Herndon.
Doug Desrochers, an engineer, said that he hopes people get involved in robotics and try it out. One of the things people learn is coding. It might not always work but “we work through it,” he said. “It’s a great experience” and there is a low barrier to start a team, he said. Go to http://www.virginiafirst.org/ to learn more.