NORWICH – Members of the Chenango County FIRST Robotics Team – T-Rx 145 – visited Norwich Pharmaceuticals Thursday for a tour, panel discussion, lunch and demonstration of their award-winning robot, “Clamps,” in appreciation of the company’s sponsorship in 2011.

In early March, the team – comprised of high school students from Norwich, Sherburne-Earlville, Otselic Valley and Unadilla Valley – beat out over 30 others hailing from Canada and the Northeast at the Finger Lakes Regional FIRST Competition in Rochester to reach the final four, according to FIRST Team Mentor Jon Ryan.

After being retired by an alliance team that utilized excellent strategy and defense versus its robot “Clamps,” Team T-Rx 145 came away with the competition’s Imagery Award, for attractiveness in engineering and outstanding visual aesthetic integration of machine and team appearance, he added.

Dozens of Norwich Pharmaceutical employees were on hand to witness the team’s demonstration of the multiple tasks “Clamps” was challenged to complete in Rochester. Despite some early difficulties with the robot’s wireless capabilities, the crowd was enthusiastic with its applause every time it pulled-off a successful maneuver.