After assembling the KitBot chassis, we decided to test something we were more familiar with: a six-wheel-drive chassis. However, in order to aid in going over the bump, we used large 8″ wheels. This chassis turned much better than the KitBot, but going over the bump was a bit rough. We will try one more chassis concept.
Assembling the second test chassis
Complete six wheel test chassis
Due to this year’s unique terrain challenge, our team decided to prototype many feasible chassis designs. Today we assembled the KitBot, the basic chassis that comes in the Kit of Parts. We found that although it goes over the bump nicely, it does not turn well. We will test more chassis designs in the upcoming week.
Assembling the KitBot
Putting an old electronics board on the KitBot
Today, FIRST released the 2010 challenge, Breakaway! This challenge offers an unusual twist to the traditional game of soccer. Played on a 27 by 54 ft. rectangular field with bumps, two alliances—each consisting of three robots—attempt to earn points by scoring soccer balls in their alliance goal while being defended by the opposing alliance. Each soccer ball scored is one point, and can be herded or kicked from anywhere on the field. During the last twenty seconds of each match, robots can hang off of a tower-like structure located on the playing field for bonus points. Two points are earned when a robot hangs off of a tower—not touching the ground—and three points are awarded if a robot is suspended in mid-air off another robot. The end result of this new game is a challenge that brings enthusiastic students across the world together in an unprecedented combination of technology and sporting excitement!
First Team Meeting of the 2010 Season
FIRST released the second game hint for the 2010 FRC Challenge!
It appears to be a CAD render of the field wall, but is so special about it? Only time will tell!
http://usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/content.aspx?id=161195
It's part of the field border, but what's so significant about it?
Remember to download an encrypted copy of the 2010 manual before Kickoff, so FIRST’s server doesn’t get bogged down on Kickoff day! The encryption key will be announced at the Kickoff event.
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/content.aspx?id=452
FIRST released the first game hint for the 2010 FRC Challenge!
Is it a game piece? Or some sort of track? Or does it have a deeper meaning? Let the speculation begin!
http://usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/content.aspx?id=16075
What could this be?
Our team ended another successful season today at the 2009 California Robot Games, an off season competition based on the 2009 FIRST Robotics Competition challenge “Lunacy,” winning not only the CalGames Champion Award for the second year in a row, but also the BLADE Entrepreneurship Award and the BAE Systems Design Award.
After four wins and one tie in the qualification rounds, our team seeded second and invited Team 254 from Bellarmine College Preparatory and Team 2854 from Evergreen Vally High School to join our alliance. We glided through the double-elimination matches without losing a single match.
Many thanks to our alliance partners, Team 100 from Woodside and Carlmont high schools for hosting the event, and all of the volunteers at CalGames! We hope to be back next year!
Watch our match videos on YouTube here!
2009 CalGames Winning Alliance
Our Team
Scoring on a trailer
The Sacramento Regional was held at UC Davis on March 27-28, 2009.
After setting two of the highest scores of the competition in the first two matches — 88 and 98 — teams started playing heavy defense on us; we were pinned by two robots for an entire match. Despite this, we still won six out of nine matches in the qualification rounds. Some matches were very close; we lost one match due to a two-point difference.
We were picked by fifth seed Team 599 and then picked Team 1662. Our alliance won the first quarterfinal double-elimination match 92 to 78, but just like at the Silicon Valley Regional, we unfortunately lost the next two.
Still, we walked away from the Sacramento Regional with another award for our unique camera tracking system, the Rockwell Automation Innovation in Control Award.
Our next competition is the FIRST Championship Event in Atlanta, Georgia, where teams from all over the world will come to compete. Wish us luck!
The field at the 2009 Sacramento Regional
The Silicon Valley Regional, our home regional, was held at the San Jose State University Event Center on March 13-14, 2009.
After winning six matches and losing two in the qualification matches, our team seeded fourth overall and picked Team 846, the Funky Monkeys from Lynbrook High School, and Team 8, The Vikings from Palo Alto High School, to join our alliance. The alliance moved on to win the first double-elimination match in the quarterfinals 88 to 48, but unfortunately lost the next two 64 to 69 and 52 to 72.
Regardless, our team managed to win three awards: the Best Website Award, the Delphi Driving Tomorrow’s Technology Award for our two-stage camera tracking system, and the Underwriter Laboratories Industrial Safety Award.
We are looking forward to our future competitions!
Team picture
Our Robot
After six weeks of hard work, our robot is now complete and shipped off to our first competition. We can finally catch up on all the sleep we lost during build season. See you all in a few weeks at the Silicon Valley Regional!
Our robot on ship day
Site last updated on April 22, 2010
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