WE ARE WARRIOR ROBOTICS
Team 2503 is a part of the FIRST Robotics program. Since 2008, our Warrior Robotics team has been developed to inspire students to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership. Our meetings take place after school in which our students learn many skills while working with a variety of mentors from industries in and around our community. The Robotics competition is set up in a 3 on 3 format in which teams never know who their partners will be for each round leading up to the championships. This means that if another robot goes down, your responsibility as a team is to do whatever you can to get them going again. Team members communicate with other allied teams to come up with ways to win their round. Wins and losses become important for the championship seating. Seeing students from other schools working together is an example of a positive skill being learned by FIRST teams and their student members.
WHAT IS FIRST?
FIRST stands for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," which gives a good idea of what they do. Their goal is to inspire students to become STEM leaders. FIRST's three main programs are: the FIRST Lego League (FLL), the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), and, the one we are part of, the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). While most FIRST teams are based in the US, FIRST's programs are global, and many teams exist in many other countries around the world.
WHAT IS FRC?
Every year, students, coaches, and mentors work together during a six-week period to build robots capable of competing in the game for that year. Robots complete tasks such as scoring balls into goals, placing inner tubes onto racks, hanging on bars, balancing on balance beams, and many more. The game, along with the required set of tasks, changes every year. This program has a unique culture that is built around two values: Gracious Professionalism embraces the competition inherent in the program while maintaining empathy and respect for all teams, and Coopertition which emphasizes that teams can cooperate and compete at the same time.
FRC TERMINOLOGY
Autonomous - Auton for short, at the start of all FRC matches, robots perform tasks without driver input. These actions are coded completely by the students.
Teleoperated - Teleop for short, after the autonomous period, the driver will then have control over the robot for the rest of the match and have to perform specific tasks. Drivers can use any method of inputs to control the robot, the most common of which are gamepads and joysticks.
Alliance - Each match has two alliances, one red and one blue alliance. Each alliance is made up of 3 teams. Alliances need to communicate and work together to strategize around their strengths and weaknesses in order to win the match.
Alliance Captain - The top teams from each competition become alliance captains. Alliance captains choose two other teams to be on their alliance during the playoff matches.
Scouting - When a person or group of people gather information on other robots in the competition. This information is used to choose alliance members for the playoffs if your team becomes an alliance captain
Programmer - This person writes all the code for the robot, from teleoperated controls to the autonomous route, to tracking objects with sensors.
Technician - This person does all the wiring for the robot, connecting every single piece together. They also organize and manage the cables in order to make troubleshooting easier and prevent wires from disconnecting during the match.
Mechanic - A person who works on the actual structure of the robot, planning out how every physical part will work together to form the final product.
Multimedia Manager - A person who takes pictures, captures video, and maintains social media accounts, in order to show and document the team's progress. These people often do scouting as well.
Mentors - FIRST alumni and supporters who volunteer their time to help a team build the best robot they can, using past experience to help guide team members. Mentors are one of the most integral parts of a FRC team, helping to push the team further than they think they can go.