Hawai‘i Students Explore the Science of Undersea Volcanoes in Big Island Regional Underwater Robot Competition

Hilo High and Highlands Intermediate advance to international competition in June

HILO, HAWAI‘I — Teams of local middle and high school students competed today using underwater robots that they designed and built over the past weeks and months.  At the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Student Life Center Pool, students used their underwater robots, known as remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs), to navigate the precarious terrain of active undersea volcanoes in a mock setting. 

Finishing first place and second place overall respectively in today’s competition, students from Hilo High School and Highlands Intermediate School Team 2 earned the right to compete with teams from all over the world in an international contest, which will also be held at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, June 24-26.   Highlands Intermediate School Team 1 finished as the first runner-up overall.

This year’s competition theme was undersea volcanoes and the role that ROVs play in their science and exploration. The focus of the competition missions is the Lo‘ihi seamount, an active undersea volcano rising more than 3,000 meters above the seafloor, located off the coast of the Big Island.

Additional team awards included:

• First Ranger Class - Intermediate: Highlands Intermediate Team #2
• Second Ranger Class - Intermediate: Highlands Intermediate Team #1
• Third Ranger Class - Intermediate: Kealakehe Intermediate
• First Ranger Class - High School: Hilo High
• Second Ranger Class - High School: Waimea High
• Third Ranger Class - High School: Kealakehe High
• Judges Award - Diversified Team: Kealakehe Intermediate School
• Judges Award - Aloha Team Spirit: Highlands Intermediate School Team #1 and #2
• Judges Award - Guts and Glory: Waimea High
• Judges Award - Outside Da Box: Kea‘au High
• Judges Award - Engineering Design: Hilo High

Managed by the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center and the Hawai‘i Robotics Organizing Committee (ROC), the Big Island Regional ROV Competition is one of 19 regional contests held across the U.S. and Canada and in Hong Kong and Scotland.

The following schools and organizations participated:

• Earl’s Garage (Waimea, Hawai‘i)
• Highlands Intermediate (O‘ahu)
• Hilo High
• Hilo Intermediate
• Ke Kula o Nawaihiokalaniopu‘u Public Charter School
• Kea‘au High
• Kealakehe High
• Kealakehe Intermediate
• Konawaena High
• Waimea High (Kaua‘i)
• E.B. DeSilva Elementary
• Ka‘umana Elementary

Robotics engages students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and provides them with the teamwork, critical thinking and problem- solving skills they need to compete in the 21st century workplace.

Underwater ROV is one of six programs which are supported by the Hawai‘i Robotics Organizing Committee (ROC), including FIRST, FIRST LEGO League, Underwater ROV, Botball, VEX Robotics and Micro Robotics. Recognizing the importance of promoting robotics education at an early age and sustaining students' interest in STEM education throughout their schooling, Hawai‘i's six robotics programs joined together to form the Hawai‘i Robotics Organizing Committee (ROC). The six of the robotics programs are coordinating efforts to promote robotics education in elementary, middle and high schools statewide.

Learn more by visiting www.hawaiiroc.org.

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WHT: Hilo team wins robotics competition