Student robotics team creates innovative drainage system
The Brickwizards, a First Lego League team comprised of Beaverton School District elementary and middle school students, recently competed in the First Tech Challenge 2017-18 Hydro Dynamics competition.
The task: How to find, transport, use or dispose of water.
The Brickwizards won the Google Data Center Research Award at the Oregon State Championships on Jan. 13. The award recognizes a team that utilizes diverse resources to formulate an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the problem they have identified.
The team also was selected as one of three groups to advance to the next round to compete for the Global Innovation Award.
This nomination recognizes teams for their problem-solving, creativity and inventiveness with an opportunity to further pursue their project solutions.
The Brickwizards developed the Intelligent Drainage System to improve existing ways to transport storm-water runoff to efficiently manage human water cycles. The system was developed to improve storm-water transport by combining new technology with existing solutions. It has three main parts:
• Soil moisture sensor and system of valves
• Rooftop garden
• Filtration and storage
Storm-water runoff is recognized nationally as the leading cause of fresh water pollution. The team's creation is an early warning system that is eco-friendly, sustainable and cheap. The Brickwizards have started a petition on Change.org to move their project forward.
"Our solution is meant to be implemented into commercial buildings," the team explained in a press release. "We have talked to lots of experts about this idea and they have supported us and would like to bring this solution to solve real life problems."
To learn more about the Brickwizards, their robot and the project, visit https:// brickwizards.wordpress.com/