In a celebrator fashion of enthusiasm, a Vail robotics team has been combining science and engineering into an intense exercise of the mind through building a competition worthy robot. The team, officially known as the Boxerbots has been one of many robotic teams involved with the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition. The annual competition includes high school students working with mentors to accomplish a complex game using a robot that is designed and built by team members during a six week build period. Teams then compete with their robot at regional events held across the nation and in many other countries. The Boxerbots just recently returned from competition with an award that has finally cast a deeper sense of accomplishment among the team. Working late into the second semester school nights, the Vail High School FIRST Robotics Team 1828 has been producing competitive robots along with future opportunities in science and technology for students.
This year’s competition titled Lunacy involved a moon themed game in which robots and human players scored points using nine inch diameter orbit balls called moon rocks. Three robots were grouped together to form an alliance. Two alliances, one red and one blue would then compete during two minutes and fifteen seconds. Each robot pulled a trailer behind it with the objective of scoring points by placing moon rocks into an opposing alliance’s trailer. A low friction playing surface was used to replicate the one sixth gravitational force present on the moon. Additionally, all robots were required to use the same wheels with low friction characteristics in whatever desired quantity. Robots could perform preprogrammed tasks during the fifteen second autonomous mode at the beginning of the game. Operators could then use radio control to play the remaining two minutes. Bonus points could be scored after attaining a blue and orange orbit ball called an empty cell and switching it out with a green and purple orbit ball called a super cell. These super cells could be thrown by a human player during the last twenty seconds of the game and if scored counted as fifteen points compared to the normal moon rocks worth only two points.
Amidst the sum of the rules and the pairing of alliances, the Boxerbots managed to earn second place as regional finalists. This year stands out as the true indicator of the effort and ability of the team to perform well and gain recognition. The journey towards this latest victory is one comprised of unquestionable determination. Initially, the team competed in the San Diego Regional, the first out of state competition for the team. The team members used this competition to practice with and refine the functionality of the robot. While the resulting place of twentieth out of thirty-six other teams appeared discouraging, the team had developed a well rounded edge of experience dealing with the idiosyncrasies of the robot. After a two week break, the Phoenix Regional Competition confirmed the improvements and experience in an epic journey through to the final round. The Boxerbots were paired with an incredible alliance that fell by only two points into second place. It was a glorious accomplishment for a team that had invested countless hours while working together with the thrill of engineering in mind.
In a bitter sweet manner the team will lose the original freshmen that first started the team four years ago but will maintain the program and the strong encouragement of science and technology. It has been the goal of the senior members to pass on the skills and associated drive that comes with the competition to the younger members. Additionally, many of the seniors leaving this year plan on pursuing careers in science and engineering. The culmination of support and self determination reinforced by FIRST and the mentors who volunteer for Team 1828 have and will still continue to inspire high school students to achieve excellence in the application of academics upon the excitement of engineering.
Team 1828 would like to thank the gracious support of Raytheon Missile Systems (Tucson), ITT Technical Institute (Tucson), RCS Equipment Rental, ITDE (Industrial Tool, Die, and Engineering), P and H MinePro Services, Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold, and the Cacioppo Foundation.
Go Boxerbots!
