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BRIEF: VIDEO: Robotics holds last open houseCHICKASHA, Feb 20, 2013 (The Express-Star - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The Cockadoodle Dominators' open house night gave the community a last chance to see the amazing 3931 robot before it spits frisbees at the FIRST Robotics Competition, Ultimate Ascent. After six grueling weeks of evenings after school and Saturdays spent building their robot, the Cockadoodle Dominators' hatchling can throw frisbees at a distance of 45 feet with accuracy. Chickasha Robotics Mentor, Ann Fairburn, said the Cockadoodle Dominators are more confident this year. However, due to the amount of tweaking it takes to build a competitive robot, confidence levels have varied from week to week. "A week ago we felt like we were two weeks ahead. On Friday we felt a week behind," Fairburn said. Weight is always an issue in robotics. Fairburn said she bought a scale this year because last year there was a lot of stress about the robot's weight. This year the robot is a trim, five-pounds-lighter than the weight limit. At the FIRST Robotics Kickoff on Jan. 5, the Cockadoodle Dominators and other robotics teams from the region received their robot kit and instructions. The first competition will take place in Lubbock, Texas Feb. 28-March 2. The second competition will be on March 29-30 at the Oklahoma City Cox Arena. ___ (c)2013 The Express-Star (Chickasha, Okla.) Visit The Express-Star (Chickasha, Okla.) at chickashanews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |