FIRST Competition

Participated in FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition.   Each year First Designs a new challenging game for robots to compete in.  This year’s game was names First Frenzy, Raising the Bar (2004).  Below is a summary of the game as reported on the FIRST web site, http://www.usfirst.org/.

         THE 2004 GAME- “FIRST FRENZY: Raising the Bar” 

            The students decided to design their robot to manipulate the larger balls and hang from the bar.  A long arm was built with a gripping “claw” mechanism to grasp the large ball so it could cap and uncap the goals. A pneumatics actuated hook was fabricated and attached to the end of the arm, so the hook could be extended to catch the bar and retracted raise the robot off the ground. In addition, the more advanced returning students worked on developing an Inertial Navigation System (INS) to be used during the Autonomous Period.

            The students worked diligently designing, constructing, testing, and then redesigning the different components for the robot.  At the end of our build period, we had a functioning drive train, motorized arm, and pneumatic actuated claw and hook.  Although we were over weight, and knew we had to drop 15 pounds by the day of the competition. 

            The students analyzed different ways to lose weight, but examining how effectiveness of drilling holes to lose weight, taking off components, and replacing existing parts with lighter weight materials.  Much research was put in to this.  Time constraints, budget and effectiveness of each method were considered, and it was decided to replace the large heavy steel sprockets and axle with aluminum pieces.  Being unable to locate aluminum sprockets of the desired size, the students were given the opportunity to deign each piece in AutoCAD and see their design through the machining process.

            This last minute problem was a great learning experience, but also led to future problems at the competition.  During the first day of the competition, which is purely a build and practice day, our team had to replace the entire drive train with the aluminum parts.  The students were successful in the rebuild, but soon learned about weight distribution.  By lowering the weight of the drive train, the center of mass was raised, and our previously stable robot because more susceptible to tipping.  This led to more last minute alterations and frustrations on the field.  Although, overall I feel that the complications are what the students learned the most from and do not regret the problems we faced.