Dozens of robots and hundreds of students have converged on North Bay for the sixth annual FIRST Regional Robotics competition.

The event is taking place at Nipissing University’s Surtees Athletic Centre.

Practice runs go tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow morning, followed by the opening ceremonies and start of the qualification matches.

Looking back on his own high school days, event vice chair Paul Cook says the future is in good hands with the students involved in this competition.

“I certainly thinking that four or five years down the line I would be a physician or engineer, but if you talk to these young people, they have got it together, they’re very bright, very articulate,” he says.

Nickolas de Boer is the Lead Programmer for Team 1305.

He says the competition is called “Deep Space” and their robot is named after astronomer Johannes Kepler.

“He had the theory of planetary orbiting, laws of orbiting and because our tower orbits our robot, we decided to name it after him,” de Boer says.

There are 35 teams, including over 900 students, mentors, supporters and their robots taking part in the competition.

Qualification matches continue through Saturday morning with the elimination round in the afternoon, followed by the awards and closing ceremonies.

Filed under: #OMGrobots, Near North Student Robotics Initiative, Nipissing University R.J. Surtees Athletic Centre, North Bay FIRST Robotics