Daily Press file photo Students prepare their robot for competition at a past high school robotics competition. The FIRST Robotics Rapid React Competition is being hosted by the Escanaba RoboMos at Escanaba High School this week.

ESCANABA — High school robotics competition is returning to Escanaba this week. The FIRST Robotics Rapid React Competition is being hosted by the Escanaba RoboMos at Escanaba High School March 17-19. For the first time since 2018, First Robotics teams across the world are gearing up for in-person competition.

The competition starts on Thursday, March 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, March 19 starting at 9 a.m. On opening day 40 teams will arrive from across the U.P.. Teams will begin competition on Thursday. They will not only compete with their robots, but for FIRST awards as well. On Friday, teams will have their final matches and awards will be presented for both how well the teams’ robots did, as well as the teams’ community outreach, spirit, and other FIRST awards.

This year’s FIRST Robotics Challenge is a game called Rapid React, in which high school robotics teams are challenged to brainstorm, build, and program a robot that can pick up and deposit cargo (oversized tennis balls). Teams will be paired in an alliance of up to four other U.P. teams. Each alliance will play one match, and the teams will then swap alliances.

Each match will involve a 15 second autonomous period where robots will follow pre-programmed instructions that have been coded by students, and have different opportunities to score. These opportunities include taxiing, and placing cargo in designated areas. This will be followed by a 2:15 driver controlled period. Each robot will be controlled by the teams’ chosen student drive team. Teams can still score with cargo and also by hanging from any one of the three hanging rungs. The winner will be the alliance with the most points per mat.