2023-24 Season
Our Robot
Before building our robot, we designed it all in the CAD software Fusion 360. We focused on a modular system, starting with our chassis, then the arm, and then the intake, ensuring that each module could be independently modified and worked together cohesively. A struggle last season was our intake/outtake system. Since they were on the same side, it forced us to rotate the robot during matches and cost us valuable time. Now, our intake/outtake system extends through the entire robot from end to end. Pixels are taken in using a counter roller, sent up a ramp with a series of boot wheels, and fed into a bed to be sorted and grabbed by our claw. Our intake consistently sorts the 1st pixel into the right position and the 2nd pixel into the left. This provides our coaches and human players more control over pixel placements on the board. Last year we faced challenges with linear slides. So this season, we opted for a triple-jointed arm. This increases our range of motion: ability to scoop pixels off the floor, speed: quickly place pixels on the backboard, and strength: hanging using this bracket.

Modular Systems

Description:
Last season, our chassis resembled a cube which limited our access to wires and motors for repairs. The cube created a higher center of mass, causing the robot to tip over when extending linear slides. Now, with our innovative juggernaut design, our center of mass is lower, the robot is more stable, and wires and motors are easier to access for quick, convenient repairs.
Description:
The main goals for our arm design are to have a wide range of motion, and be multi-functional, fast, and accurate. We took inspiration from an excavator design to create a triple-jointed arm.ode itself.
Description:
A ramp was carefully designed to align pixels as they enter the bed one at a time. The constraint of fitting inside the chassis encouraged us to shorten the original ramp and perform multiple tests to find the optimal angle for the pixels to be sent to the bed successfully. The sloped bed includes a side ramp to ensure the pixels fall precisely where the claw can grab two at a time.
Description:
The claw grabs the pixels in a horizontal configuration allowing easy placement on the backboard. It only utilizes one servo and is 3D printed. Early iterations used a stationary wrist so only the bottom part was able to move. 
Description:
Using a simple design, we launch our drone with a rubber band in a U channel. During earlier competitions, it could be knocked out of place due to robot collisions so we added additional protections by competition 3.

Explore the Robot in 3D

Interleague B
This event marked the fourth competition within our season, presenting us with a palpable sense of anticipation as we prepared to engage in spirited competition. Initially, our performance was auspicious as we swiftly ascended to the top position during the qualification matches. Regrettably, our journey took an unexpected turn during the elimination rounds, culminating in our early exit following the first match. Despite this setback, our team persevered with resilience. It was with profound satisfaction that we emerged triumphant, clinching every award, including the coveted First Place Inspire Award.

Awards Won

Award Placement – 2nd Place

Description:
This judged award is given to the team that most connects with their local science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) community. A true FIRST team is more than a sum of its parts and recognizes that engaging their local STEM community plays an essential part in their success. The recipient of this award is recognized for helping the community understand FIRST, the FIRST Tech Challenge, and the team itself. The team that wins the Connect Award actively seeks and recruits engineers and explores the opportunities available in the world of engineering, science, and technology. This team has a clear team plan and has identified steps to achieve their goals
Award Placement – 2nd Place

Description:
The Control Award celebrates a team that uses sensors and software to increase the robot’s functionality in the field. This award is given to the team that demonstrates innovative thinking to solve game challenges such as autonomous operation, improving mechanical systems with intelligent control, or using sensors to achieve better results. The control component should work consistently in the field. The team’s engineering portfolio must contain a summary of the software, sensors, and mechanical control, but would not include copies of the code itself.
Award Placement – 2nd Place

Description:
This judged award recognizes design elements of the robot that are both functional and aesthetic. The Design Award is presented to teams that incorporate industrial design elements into their solution. These design elements could simplify the robot’s appearance by giving it a clean look, be decorative in nature, or otherwise express the creativity of the team. The robot should be durable, efficiently designed, and effectively address the game challenge.
Award Placement – 2nd Place

Description:
The Innovate Award celebrates a team that thinks imaginatively and has the ingenuity, creativity, and inventiveness to make their designs come to life. This judged award is given to the team that has an innovative and creative robot design solution to any specific components in the FIRST Tech Challenge game. Elements of this award include elegant design, robustness, and ‘out of the box’ thinking related to design. This award may address the design of the whole robot or of a sub-assembly attached to the robot. The creative component must work consistently, but a robot does not have to work all the time during matches to be considered for this award.
Award Placement – 1st Place

Description:
The Inspire Award winner is an inspiration to other teams, acting with Gracious Professionalism® both on and off the playing field. This team shares their experiences, enthusiasm and knowledge with other teams, sponsors, their community, and the judges. Working as a unit, this team will have shown success in performing the task of designing and building a robot.
Award Placement – 2nd Place

Description:
This team embraces the culture of FIRST and clearly shows what it means to be a team. This judged award celebrates the team that represents the essence of the FIRST Tech Challenge competition through Gracious Professionalism® and general enthusiasm for the overall philosophy of FIRST and what it means to be a FIRST Tech Challenge team. This is a team who makes a collective effort to make FIRST known throughout their school and community, and sparks others to embrace the culture of FIRST.
Award Placement – 3nd Place

Description:
This judged award is given to the team that best reflects the journey the team took as they experienced the engineering design process during the build season. The engineering content within the portfolio is the key reference for judges to help identify the most deserving team. The team’s engineering content must focus on the design and build stage of the team’s robot.

Interleague Interviews!

Regionals

This event marked the culmination of our season, serving as our fifth and ultimate competition. While our initial performance exhibited promise, we encountered unforeseen challenges with our robot shortly thereafter, hindering our progression to the elimination rounds. Despite the disappointment weighing upon us, our team was uplifted by an unexpected triumph: securing the prestigious First Place Design Award.

Awards Won

Award Placement – 1st Place

Description:
This judged award recognizes design elements of the robot that are both functional and aesthetic. The Design Award is presented to teams that incorporate industrial design elements into their solution. These design elements could simplify the robot’s appearance by giving it a clean look, be decorative in nature, or otherwise express the creativity of the team. The robot should be durable, efficiently designed, and effectively address the game challenge.

Judging Presentation