Brownsville students build robot
BROWNSVILLE – Constructed out of PVC pipes, “Buzz” may not appear to be as mighty as his namesake, Buzz Lightyear of the Disney animated movie “Toy Story,” but “Buzz” embarked on an adventure of cinematic proportions recently. For three weeks in May, three Brownsville Area High School students worked nonstop to build an underwater remote operated vehicle (ROV), affectionately nicknamed “Buzz,” to use in a competition in Florida at both the Kennedy Space Center and Brevard Community College-Cocoa Campus. The students departed May 18 for Florida and competed against colleges and high schools from around the country during the three-day conference.
The ROV competition is sponsored by the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center and the ROV Committee of the Marine Technology Society (MTS). It is part of a national effort to introduce students to the world of marine science and technology and to help them develop the skills necessary to become successful marine technicians.
“There is a big need for people trained to build, operate and maintain oceanic equipment,” said Ken Harasty, who has been an earth and space science and marine technology teacher at the high school for the past 29 years and headed the team of competitors. Harasty said that marine technicians generally maintain offshore oil wells and the thousands of fiber optic cables that now run beneath the water.
Upon the group’s return from Florida, Harasty said he was “elated” with his team’s performance among the 26 entrants.
“Considering that we competed, that’s better than some teams,” Harasty said. “Some didn’t show up because of problems with their ROV and others had technical difficulties that day. Ours did compete, and it did so on schedule.”
Competition organizers awarded prizes only to the top three groups, but Harasty estimated that the Brownsville team – comprised of seniors Rachel Divici, 18, Kayla Harasty, 18, and Tiffany Brady, 17 – finished in 15th place. He said that 13 college and 13 high school teams competed, with the Brownsville squad being the only one from Pennsylvania.
During the competition, teams used their ROVs to engage in underwater battle and to pick up items such as teacups, wine baskets and bars of gold (made of lead) and bring them to the surface.
“Buzz” has three motors, a video camera and arm to scoop up objects. Harasty said that by constructing this ROV, the students have learned about video technology, floatation, control systems and meeting deadlines.
Harasty said his team had to troubleshoot at times during their 20-minute session in the pool, but the students benefited greatly from the competition.
“It was a greater experience than any of us realized,” he said. “They learned technical skills, about teamwork and the spirit of competition with other schools. All in all, every aspect of the competition was useful to them.”
In addition to the ROV contest, Harasty and the students attended marine technology workshops and seminars and met with industry leaders while in Florida. This was the inaugural year for the event, but Harasty said he hopes to attend if the group hosts another.
Brownsville’s team also was special because it was one of the only all-female groups present. Harasty said that the three girls were chosen for the team because they were the first to volunteer.
“I’ve been to workshops and things where they’ve said that girls are under-represented in the fields of science, math and English,” he said. “So, why not make them a role model for the future?”
Divici said she plans to attend Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio, and major in aerospace engineering. Since working in water and space is similar, she said she thought joining the team would be “right up my alley.”
Kayla Harasty said she hopes to pursue a career in computer management. She said the competition sounded like it would be fun.
“Where else in school can you play with wires, motors and electronics?” she added.
Brady has enlisted in the U.S. Navy and will leave for boot camp June 5.
“I liked marine technology class, so I thought it would be fun to do this,” Brady said.
Harasty said his interest in marine technology was heightened in 1999 when he was chosen as one of 12 teachers in the state to participate in a research cruise. During the cruise, Harasty, who was enclosed inside a tiny submarine called Alvin, plummeted nearly 11/2 miles into the depths of the ocean to explore underwater volcanoes.
Editor’s note: Herald-Standard Staff Writer Ted Boscia contributed to this report.