The Guam Department of Education's Underwater Robotics teams showed what their remote-operated vehicles can do at the regional ROV competition on Friday.
Teams from Jose Rios, L.P. Untalan and Benavente middle schools, and Tiyan and Okkodo high schools competed in a volunteer's private pool in Barrigada.
In previous years the competitions were held at public swimming pools in Hagåtña and Dededo, however, those pools remain closed because of leaks and other problems.
Competitors had to complete three tasks related to addressing water pollution and environmental protection.
Assisting with the event, computer science teacher Elaine Corpuz said, "Each task is themed. The first task is dealing with plastic pollution. Collecting debris, replacing dirty mesh trash bags with clean ones."
The tasks had to be completed remotely using an underwater ROV. The vehicles had to be able to submerge completely and carry out tasks like retrieving items from the seafloor and bringing them to the surface. That meant the ROVs had to be easily maneuverable to complete the tasks within a specific time limit.
"For our ROV, we attached a net, and the net really did come in play in the competition. It helped us grab the objects above surface and acted like a second hook – a reverse hook – so that really helped," said Hunter Wood, an eighth grader from Jose Rios Middle School.
"We wish we could have done more, but some of the rules we weren't prepared for. But it was good, and it was fun," said Wood.
Behind the wheel of the remote-operated vehicle was Wood's partner, seventh grader Daniel Smith, who competed for the first time. He said they had some challenges during the competition.
"Well, there were some challenges and mistakes because we have a little bit too much buoyancy. But we can always change that. But if we had a little more time to practice and build it, I think it would have been perfect," said Smith.
Fascinated by the world of underwater robotics, the duo spent roughly 55 hours working together to build the ROV.
"The pool we had practice in was a bit shallow and small, but we made use of it. ... Another big problem with us was the buoyancy because we had limited resources. We just had to make sure the buoyancy was perfect," said Wood.
Setback by school break in
The next team to compete was the L.P. Untalan Middle School team of three eighth-grade students. Sean Fabian, Darren Concepcion and Rianne Marquez said they were just grateful to compete.
"Personally, I feel very blessed and happy coming into this competition even with all the incidents that happened to us," Fabian said.
The UMS robotics team was dealt a heavy blow leading up to the competition. Thieves broke into the team's classroom, stealing their tools.
"We had to improvise," said Concepcion. "Thankfully, we did receive donations from a few friends and family and from the GDOE supervisors for us to buy tools."
The ROV built by the UMS team was complete with a hydraulic arm and a camera to see underwater.
"Initially, we created the hydraulic arm, and with the hydraulic arm, there's six syringes that move the whole arm. Theres two syringes that move it up and down, two that move forward and backward, and there's two syringes that open and close the hydraulic arm," said Fabian.
It took the team about 72 hours to build and even more time making tweaks.
"For fixing it, it took us a very long time for perfecting it. Fixing the leaks, making sure the parts stay intact, those kinds of things," said Fabian, who was the pilot in Friday's competition.
Finding solutions
As the students competed, problems rose to the surface. Robotics teams had to identify the problems and come up with real-time solutions.
"The first problem was it wouldn't go down, obviously," said Concepcion. "We had to cut some of the floaters off our wires so that the wire would sink with the ROV, so the ROV would reach the seafloor."
While students in the competition are competing for recognition, all the teams walked away learning something new on Friday.
"I've learned that in real life, most objectives aren't easy, and you have to adapt and overcome," said Fabian.
Concepcion learned that communication is key to a successful team.
"You can't do a goal properly if your teammates don't know what you're trying to do," said Concepcion.
