The most intense and difficult competition of FIRST is the FRC, in which five-foot tall, 120 lb robots form alliances and compete against other teams of robots to complete a simple task. High school teams are given six weeks to build a mobile robot out of specific materials that fall under certain regulations. During this build season, students work on creating a manipulator (ex. a claw or arm) and chassis (the driving force) for the challenge.
Due to the enormity of the project, build season requires a lot of planning. Team 2489 is divided into several subgroups, each responsible for formulating a plan to cover tasks that need to be completed before the members meet and actually start building. Another major task for our team is recruiting new members, because each and every helping hand is appreciated for the construction of the robots for FRC. Our team demonstrates our recognition of almost any potential recruits by extending membership to several schools in the area. While programming, electronics, and engineering are all necessary in the participation in robotics, PR (public relations) is just as important. We want to build not just an excellent robot, but also a community greatly involved in FRC. The hardest part doesn’t arrive, however, until the day of the competition, when the teams meet with their alliances, create strategies, and demonstrate full-out spirit and enthusiasm for our work.
Team members prepare for a 2008 FRC match.
Other Competitions
Another one of FIRST’s challenges is FTC. While FRC requires thousands of dollars in materials to build large robots, FTC is more affordable for a small group of high school students to partake in. With a smaller playing field and a more miniature sized robot, it is a great competition for students with less experience in robotics to participate in. Every year, FTC introduces a different kit and series of obstacles for students to confront.
Several members of Team 2489 have also participated in FLL, a competition open for people within the ages of nine to fourteen. The purpose of it is to create a robot completely out of provided Lego pieces, with the exception of a few objects (for ex. Rubber bands and tape). Teams play their robots in little fields and in simple challenges. To accomplish these, they program robots with easy commands, such as “move left” this much, in the required programming application. Today, many people in Team 2489 mentor students participating in FLL at nearby junior high schools, helping them learn more about the wonders of engineering and robotics.
