2019-2020 Season

Theme: SKYSTONE^SM Presented by Qualcomm

What if you could build a better world? Where would you begin?

More than ever, we must come together to innovate and solve problems. In FIRST, you are part of a thriving community brimming with inspiration, creativity, and hope for a stronger, more sustainable future—one that’s built better together. You have the power to help the cities, towns, and places you call home reach new heights. With the support of the FIRST community, this is your opportunity to lead our future forward—and up.

We’re pushing FIRST City forward and up into the skies – and shifting the way we think about our place in the galaxy. Check out the official game animation for the FIRST Tech Challenge SKYSTONE^SM season Presented by Qualcomm.

– FIRST WEBSITE

story of the robot

This season, we are taking a different approach to our robot design. We have chosen to build our robot completely out of wood. We found that wood is an easier material to work with and can be decorated better.

Trojan Bunny Mark I - Base and Sides

We began with a plywood base. We used a 17" by 17" board with two slits cut for the wheels.

We attached the wheels to metal bases for stability, then drilled these into the base. The electronics mess on the top is temporary, only for our test driving.

Next, we made the sides out of 2" by 4" studs (drilled in by 20+ screws).

“Pizzabot” – our pizza delivery robot!

At this point, we completed the robot drive train. Next we began building an arm and intake system to grab the blocks with.

Intake System and Arm V1

We began by removing one side to allow space for the intake system. Next, we created an arm made of two 1" by 1" by 10" pieces of wood. We connected these with a shaft, and were ready to mount them to a motor.

We attached a motor to the shaft to control the arm and bent a plexiglass sheet to create a ramp for the blocks to be pushed up and into the robot. We also mounted the electronics temporarily for testing.

After some testing, we discovered that this arm was not very stable in control. We spent a while brainstorming, deciding to re-do the arm design but keep the idea of an intake system.

Arm V2

Our head builder, Brock, was able to come in and work on the robot for a few extra hours and completed the re-design of the arm. He was able to mount the grabber we built onto the end and add the intake wheels.

A few weeks into the build, we decided that we would create a prototype version of the robot, then re-build the everything except for the drive train with higher quality wood. At this point, we had finished building the prototype and decided to get started on building the final version.

Trojan Bunny Mark II - Sides V2

We began by removing everything except the base and drive train. Next, we connected the three side boards and mounted them to the base. We also added some support columns in the corners.

Next, we added the next layer of wood to the sides. We also mounted the new REV expansion hub and ran all the wiring from the motors to the REV.

Upgraded pizzabot - with room for an oven inside!

Arm V3: Sliding Mechanism

One of our mentors, Mr. Brian, suggested that we implement a mechanism used in cabinetry that would allow us to slide the grabber in and out. We ordered one, built it, and installed it on the robot, as shown in the photo to the left.

Intake Grabber and Raising the Arm

For our grabbing device, we decided to go with an intake grabber that would lower onto the bricks to grab them. We ordered some intake wheels and attached them to servos on the arm.

Next, we added a gearbox motor to drive a spool, which would roll up a cable, that in turn would pull the arm upwards via a pulley. During our testing of the design, the cable failed twice and the pulley failed once, so we re-enforced both.

Our programmer, Jackson, requested the phone to be mounted outside the robot so he could identify the Skystones. Our mentor Mr. Brian was able to help us create a custom slot in the outside wood for the phone.

The Robot in Action: Video

In January 2020, we attended a scrimmage at St. Cecilia Academy in Nashville, TN. Below is a collection of video from the event.

Robotics Scrimmage Recap V1.mp4

Select portions of this page were taken from the FIRST website at https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/ftc/game-and-season. FIRST®, FIRST® Robotics Competition, and FIRST® Tech Challenge, are registered trademarks of FIRST® (www.firstinspires.org) which is not overseeing, involved with, or responsible for this activity, product, or service.