Bots to brawl during high school robotics competition at California University

Robots will fight it out gladiator-style during the 17th annual BotsIQ high school robotics competition this weekend at California University of Pennsylvania.

Students from 41 regional high schools will bring their 15-pound bots to the brawl on Friday and Saturday, according to a BotsIQ news release.

The teams have spent the past year perfecting their bots’ design and construction.

“(BotsIQ) is definitely more exciting than just turning in a paper,” said Fox Chapel Area team adviser Ryan Siniawski during a March preliminary round. “(The students) can see their design come to life, and then they can see it die at the same time. It’s cool.”

The bracket-style competition aims to “mimic the industry” with its regulations, guidelines and safety procedures, according to Michel Conklin, BotsIQ executive director. As students prepare their bots, they learn about manufacturing, engineering and teamwork.

Thus far in 2022, BotsIQ held three preliminaries in March. While no team eliminations occurred during the prelims, they were used to seed the final competition.

During the final competition, bots will duel it out in an industrial enclosure as students control their bots with a remote from the sidelines. A panel of judges will watch the fight.

The finals competition is free and open to the public. Opening ceremonies begin at 9:05 a.m. Friday and 8:45 a.m. Saturday.

More information regarding the 2022 competition can be found on BotsIQ’s website.

Schools participating include:

• Admiral Peary AVTS
• Beaver County CTC
• Bedford High School
• Belle Vernon Area High School
• Brentwood High School
• Canon-McMillan High School
• Central Valley High School
• Central Westmoreland CTC
• Chambersburg Area Career Magnet School
• Charleroi Area High School
• Clairton High School
• Deer Lakes High School
• Eastern Westmoreland CTC
• Fox Chapel Area High School
• Frazier High School
• Freedom Area High School
• Freeport Area Senior High School
• Greene County Career and Technology Center
• Greene County Homeschool
• Greensburg Salem High School
• Hempfield Area High School
• Mon Valley CTC
• Monessen High School
• Mt. Pleasant Area High School
• Penn-Trafford High School
• Penns Valley Jr/Sr High School
• Pine-Richland High School
• Plum Senior High School
• Punxsutawney Area High School
• Riverview High School
• Seneca Valley Senior High School
• Serra Catholic High School
• Somerset County Technology Center
• South Park High School
• Southmoreland High School
• Springdale Junior Senior High School
• The Gow School
• Trinity High School
• Union High School
• United Jr/Sr High School
• West Greene High School