VOLUME 12, NO. 3     MAY 1999

Gompei's place is No. 8 at FIRST

FIRST preparations began last February with a look at last year's robot.

ith Gompei '99 in fine mechanical fettle, the WPI/Massachusetts Academy of Mathematics and Science robotic team went on to an eighth-place finish at the national FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) championship at Walt Disney World's EPCOT in April. "We've been entering this competition since it began in 1992," says Ken Stafford, team leader. "This top-10 finish" in the nationals culminates the team's best-ever season. Nearly 300 international teams competed this year; 208 were represented at the nationals."

Earlier in the weekend the team finished the qualifying rounds in seventh position after pulling out a win against Hot Bot (General Motors Proving Ground/Huron Valley H.S.) and Rhode Warrior (Naval Undersea Warfare Center/Middletown H.S.), which had defeated WPI/Mass. Academy in an earlier round in Philadelphia.

The WPI/Mass. Academy team's distinctive headbands made the competitors stand out from the crowd.

"Being in the top 16 meant we were going to the finals in a seeded position," explains Stafford. "Gompei's four-wheel translational drive system and unique lifting mechanism made us the strongest defensive player at the event. We prevailed against extremely capable opponents who used very aggressive strategies aimed solely at defeating us." After progressing successfully through the quarterfinals, the team went robot-to-robot against Aces High (United Technologies and Hamilton Standard/Windsor Locks and Suffield (Conn.) H.S.), their previous alliance partner at the Philadelphia Regionals.

Gompei '99 during match play.

In the third match of best-of-three in these semifinals, Gompei finally had to bow out after a small but critical piece of hardware broke, but there was some consolation in defeat. "Aces High won the national competition, so at least we were beaten by the best alliance out there," says Stafford. "And in the end, Team 190 had a terrific showing and a great time!"

In March, the team finished fourth out of 55 teams in the Philadelphia Alliance and second out of 41 entrants in the UTC New England Regional in Hartford. It was then paired with Buzz (UTC/Hamilton Standard Space Systems International/ Enrico Fermi High School) in the eight-team playoffs. This combined team won two out of the next three matches to advance through the quarter- and semifinals, where they faced off against arch rival Gael Force (Clinton High School/NYPRO) and partnered with the Cardinals (Eagle Hill-Greenwich High School/Bell Atlantic). The Clinton alliance triumphed in the third (deciding) match to take first place.

Members of the WPI/Mass. Academy team didn't leave Hartford empty handed-they received the Xerox Creativity Award for displaying the most creative design, use of a component of the most creative design, or unique strategy of play. "All of which apply to Gompei," says Stafford.