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[FIRST 2010] To Do (still)

 It's 7:30pm on Tuesday and Team 114 is working hard in Rm. 602 at Los Altos High School. They've been hampered by the weather, though. It's not that the weather is awful here, but it's been snowing really hard up in Oregon, and the UPS truck that was supposed to have delivered the track system by now is stuck.

(Photo 1: Make machine parts like crazy!!!)
  
 There's only 3 weeks left till the robots have to be completed and the team can't afford to wait long. One of the mentors from another local team has volunteered to drive up north to receive this backbone component for both of the teams. It's a great example of "Co-opetition" - the marriage of cooperation and competition - which FIRST strongly promotes.
 

 Another case of co-opetition: Los Altos High School is fortunate to have a "mill" which is used to shape all sorts of metal parts. Other teams in this area that don't have this kind of tool are free to come here and use it.

(Photo 2:Working with the mill)
 

 While the team waits for the track system, they've used the base from their robot from FRC 2008 to put the prototype on and drive it around.

(Photo 3: Team mentors Roy and Charlie. Charlie =left= was on the team for 4 years before he graduated. He explains about the robot that he built for FRC 2008.) 

 The team's 2 advisors, Ms. Karen Davis, who teaches physics, and Mr. Thomas Budd, science teacher, are trying to keep everyone focused. "What else do we need to do now?"

 

(Photo 4: Figuring out the design of the lifter)

(Photo 5: Mr. Budd in front of the mockup goal)

 (Photo 6: Parts finished and waiting.....)

[FIRST 2010] FIRST Robotics Competition - Go Team #114!

 GetRobo will be covering the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) for the first time this year. The main purpose is to report about FRC on ROBOCON Magazine - which is THE magazine for robot enthusiasts in Japan - and to tell the story to the students and teachers that  are involved in various robotics competitions there.
 
 The goal of robotics competitions in both countries are the same - to inspire and encourage students to pursue science and technology as a career. But might there be some differences in the way teams are built, strategies are set and the games organized? What could we learn?
 
 To fulfill this mission, GetRobo will be following Team 114 (Eagle Strike) of Los Altos High School in Northern California. The team has been competing in FRC since 1997 and they've been to the Championships several times in the past, most recently 2005. This year they will be competing in the Silicon Valley Regional on March 18-20 and then hopefully head on to the Championship which is being held in Atlanta on April 15-17.

 

 GetRobo is privileged to share this journey. It will be fun!!