Seattle Academy's Underwater Robotics team participates in the annual MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) contest which simulates many real-world aquatic challenges through a series of tasks. Blueshift Robotics designs and constructs Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) to complete these tasks in new and innovative ways. In the 2020-21 competition Blueshift Robotics advanced to Worlds; which went swimmingly as we placed in the top 10 telepresence teams!

Some challenges we have faced in the past are:

• Locating the wreckage of a vintage airplane and returning its engine to the surface.
• Installing and recovering a seismometer.
• Installing a tidal turbine and instrumentation to monitor the environment.
• Transplanting coral fragments.

The team practices several times per week for the entire school year, learning principles of buoyancy, fluid power, water-proof electronics design, coding, design, prototyping, fabrication, and testing to produce a working robot that can solve the competition tasks. In addition, the team learns best practices in product management and team dynamics.

While every team member is involved in multiple aspects of the project, each member works on subprojects, such as budgeting, marketing, electronics, chassis design, and documentation. There are roles for both engineering and business-focused team members. Project leaders are elected by the team and the work is done entirely by students (with mentor supervision). 

While the team is competitive in the Northwest Region, this program is intended to welcome all enthusiastic participants regardless of experience level. In Blueshift Robotics, the world is your oyster.

meet our underwater robotics faculty

league and competitions