Top tech team creates an Earth-friendly invention

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.

The Technical Trojans Robotics is a team of  seventh and eighth-graders who attend the James Weldon Johnson College Prep.

The Technical Trojans Robotics consists of 10 students and coach Mikalene Temples.The team  is comprised of second place champions in Jacksonville and the state of Florida, and first place for teamwork in the world.

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The Technical Trojans Robotics' project addresses the problem of micro plastics, also known as microfibers. These are microscopic fibers that come off of athletic and polyester clothing in the wash. They exit with the waste water and are too small for JEA Water treatment facilities to filter out.

They are now ending up in our drinking water, in our aquifers and the food we eat.

 

The students on the team determined that an average load of laundry releases about 27 million microfibers.  These fibers act as sponges and soak up toxins and can also scratch stomach and intestinal lining as well as the esophagus. The Technical Trojans Robotics  developed a filter that can be built for around $20 that will fit most washing machines and can filter out 75% of these microfibers.

The Duval County Public Schools is working in collaboration with Renaissance Jax, the local Lego League Affiliate Partner for FIRST. More than 50 DCPS schools have First Lego League Teams.

 

According to Renaissance Jax, America is in the midst of an unprecedented tech drought. Their data reflects that American students are earning science and technology degrees at a much lower rate than other industrialized countries.

 

Temples said she is excited for the students and very proud that they came up with the invention on their own.

The Trojans Trojans Robotics are competing in the Northeast Florida Regional Championship competition on Saturday Feb. 3, at the Prime Osborne Convention Center.

It's expected to be the largest robotics competition in the history of Northeast Florida with more than 2,000 people attending.