Detroit Named Site of International Robotics Competition

2119

DETROIT — The city of Detroit has been named as one of two cities to host an international robotics competition for high school students for the years 2018 to 2020.

“We’re excited to show off Michigan’s talented students and the companies and universities that support them through FIRST Robotics,” says Gov. Rick Snyder. “It’s also great that people from around the world will be visiting Detroit, the comeback city, and seeing firsthand the exciting things happening there.”

High school students spend six weeks creating a robot that is no more than 120 pounds that can complete such tasks as balancing on a balance beam, throwing a Frisbee into a goal, and hanging on a bar. Teams from countries such as Israel, Canada, and Australia, among others, compete in the event.

Michigan will send 345 FIRST robotics teams to the 2015 event. The state supports the teams through

About 3,000 teams will compete in the 2015 FIRST Robotics Competition, which will be held in St. Louis, Miss. at the end of April.

The event will be held at Ford Field and Cobo Center. Houston will be the other city to host a robotics championship during the three years.