Aiming High

Super Troopers Jon, Sophia, Kersten, and Chrissy were in the science project room today for the 6 *AM* automatic light turn off. That's some serious commitment. So starts the six week FIRST Robotics Competition. We all met up today in San Jose State University for the 7AM kickoff and came back to Castilleja with a huge kit of parts (KOP) worth well over $10,000 given to each team. FIRST is amazing for what it is able to put together for high school students - enough to make engineers like myself droool.

This year's challenge is 'AIM HIGH'. Apparently the clue about the 'shovel's show' is a reference to David Spade's appearance in "Just Shoot Me". A very interesting complex challenge involving a finite number of foam balls, six robots on a field and scoring through a hoop. There are four periods: autonomous, defense, offense, then open. I'm not even going to try to explain the scoring details.

For a short 3 minute animation of what the game entails, go here: http://robotics.nasa.gov/events/first/AimHigh-Sml.mov

For more details on the robot requirements, game and arena details, go here:
http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2006/frcdocs.htm

Some highlights of the day:

* When Jim Beck (FIRST Regional Director) pointed Gatorbotics out in the premier edition of Robot magazine at the kickoff.

* When we learned that pushing the cart quickly can result in a kit of parts in a puddle.

* When we learned from team 115 that the KOP provide us with a structural member with an offset center hole already in place for a six-wheel robot configuration.

* When Sophia kicked off the season in the Chorale Room to 30 students, parents and mentors. Oh the excitement. So much brainstorming and ideas that needed to be unleashed!!

* When we did our inventory on the KOP and found all sorts of wonderful sensors and actuators and goodies.

* When we finally left Castilleja at 4:00 pm, after a very long day for a few of us!

Kudos to the the subleads, the lifeblood of the team, for getting to Castilleja in the morning to all come together and for a very successful afternoon kickoff and brainstorm. As well, thank you to all the parents and teachers for supporting this effort. We cannot do this without you.