Micro, bio bots
Best Robotics Inc. (BRI) has decided to branch out from its normal retrieve and rescue missions to enter the field of medical technology. To develop new medical equipment, BRI decided to take the low-risk approach of relying on established radio-controlled robotic technology. The business development plan shows that robots are more reliable than humans and require less pay than certified medical technicians.
So that off-the-shelf components can be used for in-vivo medical procedures, BRI has purchased a second-hand miniaturization machine capable of shrinking a 24-inch robot down to about 24 microns.
Unfortunately, the bargain-priced miniaturization machine is based on old technology, so the miniaturization effect is limited to 3 minutes.
Once miniaturized, your machine, and that of three other teams will work to move blood cells from various locations within a sterile field to a Cell Saver used for autologous blood transfusions. There are several blood vessels within the sterile field that contain various types of blood cells and a few green diseased cells. The value of the cell to the transfusion process depends on its type. Since white cells fight infections, they are more valuable than oxygenated red cells. Blue cells, which are actually oxygen-poor red cells, are less valuable than the oxygenated red cells.
Although the miniaturization process sterilizes the robots, each team has a spot decontamination unit that may be switched on to ensure complete sterilization. The spot decontamination unit must be used in the event that one of the diseased cells is accidentally ruptured.
Teams must remember that one of the cardinal rules of medicine is "Above all, do no
harm." Therefore, they should be careful not to damage any of the cells or disturb
the vessels.
Mission Summary
The objective is to design and build a remotely controlled device to safely transport as many blood cells as possible into your portion of a Cell Saver within the 3-minute time limit.
Kickoff - September 20, 2003
Mall Day - October 25, 2003 (Mall Day Pictures), Towne East Square Mall, Wichita Kansas
Game Day - November 1, 2003, Charles Koch Arena, Wichita State University, Wichita Kansas
Regionals - November 22, 2003, Texas BEST
BEST Award
1st place - Wichita Homeschool*
2nd place - Goddard High School
3rd place - Circle High School*
Game Results
1st place - Ambassadors for Christ Academy*
2nd place - Goddard High School*
3rd place - Collegiate Upper School
Special Awards
Boeing Creativity Award - Ambassadors for Christ Academy
LSI Logic Storage Systems Most Robust Award - Northeast Magnet High School
Raytheon Craftsmanship Award - Goddard High School
Cessna Teamwork Award - Ambassadors for Christ Academy
Cessna Teamwork Award Honorable Mention - Wichita Homeschool, Halstead High School
Sportsmanship Award - Wichita Homeschool
Sportsmanship Award Honorable Mention - Rose Hill and Goddard High Schools
* Teams advance to Texas BEST
Kansas Teams at Texas BEST 2003 (Texas BEST Pictures)
Teams from Kansas BEST once again scored top wins at Texas BEST today at Texas A&M University in College Station. The First Place BEST Award was won by Wichita Homeschool, and Second Place BEST Award was won by Goddard High School. This repeats last year's stellar performances by these two teams. This year Homeschool won with an almost perfect score.
In the Game competition Ambassadors for Christ School from Bentonville, Arkansas, won First Place decisively, placing First in both the Semi-Finals and the Finals. They also were awarded First Place for Most Elegant Design. At the Award Ceremony they carried a large Kansas flag and the team Captain explained that "We are a Kansas Team."
Additional Kansas winners in the Game competition were Goddard High School, 4th Place, Wichita Homeschool, 8th Place, and Circle High (Towanda), 39th Place.
Texas BEST Award
1st place - Wichita Homeschool
2nd place - Goddard High School
Texas BEST Game Results
1st place - Ambassadors for Christ Academy
4th place - Goddard High School
10th place - Wichita Homeschool
39th place - Circle High School
Texas BEST Special Awards
1st Place Most Elegant Robot - Ambassadors for Christ