Students from two Peoria high schools will participate in a national robotics competition thanks to sponsorship from the maker of large-scale dust suppression equipment.
Dust Control Technologies, which also happens to be headquartered in Peoria, is footing the bill to send a team composed of 20 students from Notre Dame High School and Quest Charter Academy to the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition. The team, which hs been named Team Icarus, will participate in a regional competition to be held next year.
Teams will be required to build working robots and their creations will be judged for originality, efficiency and practicality.
Edwin Peterson, CEO of Dust Control Technologies, said the sponsorship is an investment in the industry’s future.
“It’s fascinating to see the designs these teams come up with, and then to watch them compete head-to-head,” Peterson told Modern Materials Handling. “We’re proud to contribute to the emerging generation of scientists and engineers who will be working to solve some of the world’s toughest problems.”
FIRST was originally created in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen as a not-for-profit agency designed to inspire young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The Central Illinois regional event will be held next April. Team Icarus is being co-sponsored by two other local companies, Martin Engineering and Advanced Technology Services.