MS Robotics Teams Tour Fairgrounds St. Pete

The Shorecrest Middle School Robotics teams (Team 1448/The Force and Team 1449/The R2D2s) launched their season by visiting Fairgrounds St. Pete, an immersive and interactive artist-made environment. These robotics teams compete in FIRST LEGO League robotics competitions. In addition to building and programming robots and demonstrating FIRST Core Values, teams are asked to solve a real-world problem connected to the current year’s theme. This year the theme is Masterpiece. The research question for this season’s innovative project asks teams to develop a way to increase participation or engagement in their hobbies and interests through the use of technology and the arts. Fairgrounds St. Pete gave the teams the opportunity to explore how art and technology can be combined to create an engaging immersive experience. In the words of team member Caleb S. '30, “Each artist had their own hobbies, interests and medium. The museum worked with each artist and they were allowed to express the story through their medium in their own way.”

During their visit the teams also interviewed one of the museum's Co-Founders, Mikhail Mansion. Mikhail is an accomplished media artist and design-engineer who played a vital role in designing and building Fairgrounds St. Pete. As the Chief Creative and Technology Officer he guided the company’s artistic and technological endeavors during its inception, spearheading creative innovations to enhance the museum’s immersive experiences. 

David M. ‘29 explained that technology was incorporated in each room. “There was lighting, screens that would change based on input, music, etc.” He also noted that having items to look for on a clipboard helped pace the experience. This was a tip added for the teams to think about for their overall project - slowing your audience down may help them process new information coming at them in an innovative way.

David V. ‘30 said, “Even though each room was different they were still all connected. [There was] art that on its own might have been boring but the technology and interactive components helped bring it to life.”

Flickr album: MS Robotics to Fairgrounds St. Pete | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin

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