We are AVBotz
AVBotz is the largest engineering team at Amador Valley High School; for more than 20 years we have continued to explore robotics and create opportunities for Amador students to explore real-world engineering, coding, and business skills.
We compete in RoboNation's RoboSub AUV competition and, since 1999, we've had the privilege to compete with Robotics teams from Caltech, MIT, Cornell, IIT Bombay, Harbin, NUS, and more organizations around the world.
We build an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) to compete in RoboSub, a competition designed to test, experiment, and advance underwater exploration technologies through an underwater challenge course. We meet at our club president's garage on Saturday afternoons during the school year, with more frequent meetings during the summer as we prepare our sub for the competition in San Diego at the end of July.
Marlin: Main AUV
Weight in air: 36 kg (80 lbs)
Max Depth: 32 meters (105 feet)
Top Speed: 4 m/s underwater
35,000+ lines of mission code
Anodized aluminum frame
5 years in development
8x Thrusters @2:1 thrust ratio
Mechanical Team
Mechanical team members are responsible for designing and manufacturing the physical structure of the submarine. This year, they will be improving the submarine, using 3D CAD, finite element analysis, CNC machining, 3D printing, and more. Members will maintain all parts of the robot, making sure components are working efficiently and safely. Mechanical recruits should be able to solve physical problems creatively and be willing to work with their hands as well as with their computers for 3D modeling software.
Electrical Team
Electrical team members are responsible for designing and maintaining the electrical infrastructure of the submarine. This year, electrical will be improving the current system, which includes incorporating new sensors and circuit boards. Members will maintain the computer, making sure components are working efficiently and safely. Electrical recruits should be interested in learning design principles of circuitry and capable of learning about and handling complex systems with many integrated components.
Software Team
Software team members are responsible for writing all code for the submarine. Most of the code is algorithms for vision processing, digital signal processing, and mission control. This year, they will be writing code to integrate new hardware, accomplish the new competition tasks, modeling the competition course, and modularizing mission control architecture, as well as improving the efficacy of existing code. Software recruits are recommended to have prior programming experience.
Business Team
Business team members are responsible for raising funds, creating a positive public image, and organizing outreach projects. This year, they will be presenting sponsorship pitches to companies around the Bay Area, writing emails and calling potential sponsors, and networking at outreach venues like fairs and meetups. Business recruits should feel comfortable meeting strangers and presenting during high-pressure situations, have good writing skills, and be eager to take initiative on their own projects.