Rockford Robotics hosted its Fall Open House and Recruitment Meeting on Thursday, October 6. The evening included student presentations, a shop tour, and a chance for attendees to drive our 2016 ‘Bot. Read more
2016 Fall Recruitment
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2016 Senior Recognition Picnic
Rockford Robotics celebrated our 2016 competition season with a Senior Recognition Picnic at the Hamilton Sundstrand Association Park. We’re proud of all our seniors! Read more
Spring Recruitment Open House
Rockford Robotics held its Spring Recruitment Open House on Saturday, April 30 at our ‘Bot Shop in the Superior Joining Technologies building. We hope everyone who attended joins in our robot enthusiasm. Rookie Build workshops start on Saturday, June 18.
2016 Midwest Regional
Rockford Robotics ended its 2016 competition season on a high! At the April 1 – 2, 2016 Midwest Regional we ranked 13 of 52, were chosen to compete in the elimination rounds, and won the Gracious Professionalism Award.
After being picked by the 8th alliance, we knew playing the 1st place alliance (and eventual champions) wasn’t going to be easy. The students stepped up again, implementing new autonomous to work best with our alliance, tearing apart the defenses, and flying around defensive robots.
Our students also shined by helping a team without a robot build one on site, which gave them the opportunity to compete. This along with all that the team does in the community was so impressive that we were presented with the Gracious Professionalism Award. This Award Celebrates outstanding demonstration of FIRST Core Values such as continuous Gracious Professionalism working together both on and off the playing field.
2016 Central Illinois Regional
Rockford Robotics competed in the Central Illinois Regional March 18 -19, 2016. Though we struggled during initial rounds, the team rallied to address robot issues. Students made enough improvements that we won three of our last four matches. By the end of the competition, we were successful in showing off our robot’s capability to breach several defenses and shoot in both the low and high goal. Robot improvements included:
- Added arm to lift the portcullis and lower the Chival de fris
- Fixed electrical connections that were causing loss of battery power
- Replaced shooter motors to reduce shot time from 6 seconds to 1 second
- Added a climbing mechanism
While our team was not chosen to participate in the elimination rounds, this disappointment had its benefit. We were able to get an extra five uninterrupted hours working on the robot, which will put us in a much better position for the next competition. We were able to move and trim the arm to pass inspection, deploy and test autonomous operation, fix the shooter controls, collect camera data, and remove arms for further testing. While there is still lots of work to do in the next two weeks, the team is ready for the challenge.
2016 Team Mascot
A cool robot deserves and equally cool mascot. Like the robot, our mascot design is a work in progress. Final edition will include full armor.
This picture also includes the team standard which will be on display during matches.
2016 Build Season Update: Week 5 Activities
Our build team completed assembly of the drive train. This year’s drive train is our most compact and sophisticated yet. It includes eight motors and twelve wheels. For comparison sake, the greatest number of motors we mounted on previous drive trains was four. We’re proud to have achieved our goal of building a robot that can sneak under the low bar.
The electrical team completed wiring and began testing the drive train program.
Students continue to work on the shooter assembly, intake rollers, and the lift arm. We hope to mount these parts on the drive train by Friday.
2016 Build Season Update: Week 3 Activities
Our build team cut drive train parts and sent them out for welding. Superior Joining Technologies is providing welding services for us. Build team is now prototyping the pickup system.
The CAD team is working at the challenging task of fitting eight motors and four gearboxes into a five foot space on the drive train.
The software team is developing a vision tracking system that will allow the robot to autonomously aim the shooter at the goal.
The electronics team completed the first draft of the electrical schematics.
Mentors, parents and students finished construction of the tower and several defense obstacles that we will use in the practice field.
2016 Build Season Update: Week 2 Activities
We spent much of week two continuing to design the robot and build our prototype. Most of the drive train CAD work is complete.
This year’s game has a medieval theme that requires robots to “breach” defenses and “challenge” a tower. Teams can earn points by crossing obstacles, shooting boulders into the tower, and scaling the tower. Highest points are gained when a robot scales the tower. However, a robot can’t scale the tower until it has been weakened. And the tower is only weakened after eight boulders have made into the tower.
Our build strategy is to design a robot with a drive train capable of crossing all the outer works, i.e., obstacles. The works vary from rugged terrain to moats, gates, rock walls, drawbridges, and even low bars for the robot to cross under.
We are also working on a ball shooter that can target the upper tower windows. And we hope to develop a climbing system.
2016 Build Season Update: Week 1 Activities
During our first build season week, the team brainstormed some drive train and special system ideas. When we are satisfied with the design, our CAD team will create 3D models from which the build team will construct prototypes.
The electrical team also got right to work. They are building a control board for the prototype.
And our media team is working on designing t-shirts and promotional material as well as completing award applications.