Building upon its years of support of competitive robotics at the local, regional and national levels, AutomationDirect raised its game this year at the annual Georgia Robotics Invitational Tournament and Showcase (GRITS) competition by providing automated trophies to the winners. AutomationDirect also sponsored the 2013 GRITS event—a one-day event, produced by GeorgiaFIRST Robotics, the arm of US FIRST that promotes FIRST Robotics Competitions in Georgia.
The automated trophies from AutomationDirect grow to nearly twice their starting height with the flip of a toggle-style hand lever pneumatic valve. The cylinders, regulators, valves and fittings used to animate the trophies are part of AutomationDirect’s Nitra line of pneumatics. Two dial pressure gauges from AutomationDirect’s ProSense process control and measurement devices are also used on the trophies. Each trophy has an on-board air tank, allowing the trophy to operate 10-15 times before requiring a refill. The trophies are topped with the same Frisbee game element used by the robotics teams in this year’s competition.
Held on October 5, 2013, at the Georgia World Congress Center, the GRITS competition gave out trophies in the following categories:
• The Winning Alliance with awards going to 3581 Troupe High School SumDroids, 1683 Northview High School Techno Titans, and 4509 Lanier High School Mechanical Bulls;
• GRITS Coopertition Award for the team that is the most cooperative, helps others and gets visitors engaged was awarded to 2974 Walton Robotics; and
• The GRITS Spirit Award for the team with the most Spirit and Enthusiasm went 2415 The Westminster Schools WiredCats.
• GRITS Outreach Award for the team that brings the most prospective new team members was awarded to 1261 Peachtree Ridge RoboLions;
AutomationDirect says it hopes that by providing these unique trophies the teams and students will “be inspired not only to compete but also cooperate with and learn from each other, and to display the gracious professionalism that is expected at all FIRST competitions.”
Learn more about the GeorgiaFIRST Robotics organization and see the automation trophies in action in the video below.
