Hometown "Aurobots" Secure Regional and Provincial Awards in FIRST Robotics Competition

While Aurora Scientific loves supporting scientific researchers around the world, we also appreciate the opportunity to support budding scientists close to home. Recently, Aurora Scientific was approached by a local high school to be a financial sponsor for their entry into the FIRST Robotics Competition. Of course, we were thrilled to help these students pursue their passion for innovation.

The FIRST Robotics Competition is an initiative of FIRST Robotics Canada (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Their mission is to inspire young Canadians to be STEM leaders by engaging them in exciting programs, supported by mentors, that build skills, inspire innovation, and help foster self-confidence, teamwork, communication and leadership.

The team had six weeks to design a robot that could lift and transport cargo, secure payloads and maneuver itself back to starting stations, all within a visually challenging environment. The “Aurobots” from Aurora High School competed in two regional competitions winning two separate Rookie performance awards and then qualified for the Ontario Championships where they were awarded the FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Award. Well done!

This is the inaugural robotics team for Aurora High School. Conceived in the spring of 2018, they’ve assembled an impressive group of teens, over 60, in fact, who’ve organized themselves into a cross-functional group of mechanical designers, programmers, business marketers, graphic designers and communications experts. And of course, they’re backed by a network of school and community supporters.

Something of note about the “Aurobots”: unlike the 23% representation of women in STEM professions ^(*), their group boasts 50% women participation.

Our hats are off to a terrific team of budding scientists, engineers and business professionals.

To learn more about FIRST Robotics Canada, programs and competitions, visit www.firstroboticscanada.org

(*) Data Source – The Power of Parity: Advancing Equality in Canada, June 2017

Supporting Research Worldwide

For over thirty years Aurora Scientific instrumentation has been the choice of leading researchers around the world. Our selection of Dual-Mode lever systems and force transducers are used in a broad array of life science research specialties, including exercise and metabolism, cardiology, injury recovery, gerontology, disease progression, pharmacology and more. Our fast response sensors are considered benchmark instruments in olfaction research studying odor dynamics and pheromone/plume dispersion, and our mechanical stimulator technology is used in studies of the neuronal response to touch, pain and stretch. Many instruments have also been adapted for use by material science researchers studying the properties of artificial muscle, locomotion and nanomaterials.

Today, our staff operate from three locations, supporting ground-breaking research in over 40 countries conducted by our valued clients.