Teton Gravity Robotics

[gatorboy]

Cool.

Is that a robot skiing down the "T" on the shirt.

If so....can I buy one?

[The Suit]

Cool.

Is that a robot skiing down the "T" on the shirt.

If so....can I buy one?

It is, and I don't know.

[Tye 1on]

if they need a fundraiser, a t-shirt sale could be pretty popular around these parts...

[hutash]

FKNA that rocks, good luck at the next comp. It is very cool to see one's kids accomplish things like this. Makes all those times you want to strangle the little bastards worth it

My nephew (wife's sister's kid) just entered his first robotics comp, and won, but he uncle (wife's brother) does that shit for real (designs satellites for Hughs) so it runs in the family.

Now just get Todd and Steve to fly the team to the comp in the TGR corporate jet to really pysc-out the competition.

[GetAmped]

FIRST Robotics is awesome. I volunteer as Treasurer for the 501c3 that my ladyfriend set up to do fundraising for the Shaker HS team (2791). It's fairly sophisticated design and manufacturing with about a $25,000 annual budget. Sponsors and year round fundraising is essential to keeping the program viable. Coming down to the wire now for build season for this year's challenge: Ultimate Ascent.

[GoldMember]

Very cool, Suit!

[I Am Mr. Ed]

It's a ll fun and games till someone loses an eye. Glad to see they're all wearing safety glasses.

Is there a Red Rider BB gun involved?

[Tippster]

if they need a fundraiser, a t-shirt sale could be pretty popular around these parts...

I'm in for 2 at least.

[The Suit]

if they need a fundraiser, a t-shirt sale could be pretty popular around these parts...

They're going to be fundraising pretty hard in the next few weeks. We need to check in with TGR before we sell t-shirts with what is mostly their logo.

[Tye 1on]

They're going to be fundraising pretty hard in the next few weeks. We need to check in with TGR before we sell t-shirts with what is mostly their logo.

oh, right, i've heard of those guys...good idea...

[GetAmped]

Down to the last few days of build season. Base (frame, drive train, electronics, etc.) is done, frisbee shooter is almost done, bumpers going together tonight and then some finishing touches. py cell phone pix but you get the idea:

[GetAmped]

Ready for BAE Regional on Mar 2 and WPI on Mar 9. Looks like these guys will be able to score some points!

[krp8128]

Suit, PM me if you guys need any Carbon Fiber Materials, I think I can hook up the team.

[The Suit]

Suit, PM me if you guys need any Carbon Fiber Materials, I think I can hook up the team.

Thanks, that's a very generous offer. I think we are probably set. I have a bunch of carbon cloth, balsa & plywood for cores, laminating epoxy, vacuum bagging gear, etc. Our primary issue with fabbing parts out of carbon is the availability of child labor.

I will check in with the kids to see if they have more ambitious plans than I'm aware of.

There's a part I want to help them make out of kevlar for durability, but I've never worked with the stuff and I'm afraid of wasting time figuring it out.

[The Suit]

Ready for BAE Regional on Mar 2 and WPI on Mar 9. Looks like these guys will be able to score some points!

That's awesome. I love watching FRC comps when I get the opportunity. That one looks entertaining.

Are the frisbees preloaded or do they have to collect them?

[Yanos]

That is seriously impressive, good luck to them. Really make my cardboard canoe we built in school look like complete and utter shit.

[userA]

just used this to encourage mine to do something other than ski.

[GetAmped]

That's awesome. I love watching FRC comps when I get the opportunity. That one looks entertaining.

Are the frisbees preloaded or do they have to collect them?

The frisbees are loaded into the end through a slot at the opposite end of the field from the targets. They can hold 4 at a time. We've only seen a couple of teams that have designed a way to pick up stray ones on the floor. The same for climbing to any higher rungs on the pyramid.

The events are usually streamed live. I'll post the URL when I get it. They are spectacles to be sure.

[GetAmped]

Holy crap!!

Team 118 is sponsored and mentored by NASA:

[GetAmped]

There are 78 regional/district competitions, many starting in the morning. A full list is here:

http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...-events?id=430

We are at the BAE Granite State Regional in Manchester, NH. A webcast of the event is supposed to be available here:

www.coderedrobotics.com/webcast

[The Suit]

There are 78 regional/district competitions, many starting in the morning. A full list is here:

http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...-events?id=430

We are at the BAE Granite State Regional in Manchester, NH. A webcast of the event is supposed to be available here:

www.coderedrobotics.com/webcast

Good luck!

[GetAmped]

Good luck!

Thanks! They did well despite some mechanical/electrical problems with the shooter and gearbox. Managed to keep it together enough to hold 8th place overall in a field of 54 teams. Tomorrow is another round of qualifying matches in the morning and semis, quarters and finals in the pm. They have a good shot at being in the elimination rounds but whichever alliance forms around Team 610 will be very difficult to beat to take the regional championship.

[GetAmped]

Team 2791 did well in the BAE Regional. They had an issue with their frisbee feeding mechanism that was causing intermittent jamming in the shooter, but should have that worked out for the next comp. Part of their strategy was to compete in a 1st week comp to get experience and work out any kinks and go to the 2nd week comp better prepared than most of the other teams who will be out for the 1st time.

Team 610 from Canada was just amazing. By far the best performer: fast on the field, extremely accurate and fast shooting, and a 10 point hang within the final seconds. They dominated in every match, even in the face of aggressive defense. We qualified for 12th seed and moved up to the 8th spot as higher seeded team were picked to form alliances for the elimination rounds. So we did get to pick two other teams, but the 8th seed alliance faces the 1st seed alliance (Team 610) in the quarter final eliminations. Not surprisingly, we were eliminated in just 2 matches. Even so, a fine showing out of a field of 54 teams.

And the judges recognized the craftsmanship that went into the 2791's robot with the Quality Award.

"Sponsored by Motorola, the Quality Award celebrates machine robustness and workmanship. The winning team demonstrates these characteristics in many ways from planning through execution; building the robot is only part of their success and the judges recognize them as a quality example to others."

The announcement during the award ceremony:

"This team channeled their energy. They kept their frame solid, but watched their weight. Everything was in its place, even when their machine was taking a powder. For a well-lit combination of workmanship and planning, this award goes to to Team #2791, Shaker Robotics."

[GetAmped]

Another great regional competition at WPI last weekend. At the end of qualifying matches, 2791 was the number one seed and made it into the finals. Their alliance won the first match easily, but a change in defensive tactics by the other alliance evened it up. The tie-breaker was incredibly close and could have gone either way. It came down to points for hanging and none of our alliance bots had a clean hang and they lost by 10, the amount awarded for a single bot hang from the bottom rung.

Even so, they went home with the Excellence In Engineering award for design and construction and the trophy for WPI Regional Finalists. They will participate in some off season events like Ramp Riot and Battlecry. With some minor modifications they will address the last remaining mechanical issues and be the team to beat.

Aside from the competition results, what I really love about FIRST is the incredible spirit of "Gracious Professionalism" embraced by all the participants. If you have a couple of minutes (and you do, since you are already reading this), check out this thread on Chief Delphi, the FIRST forum to see the reaction of the different teams to the final results:

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...=109312&page=2

Here's a video of the 1st match of the finals. Starts with the hands-off autonomous program (points scored are doubled). At the whistle the drive teams control the bot for the rest of the match. In the final 30 seconds, human players can throw colored frisbees at the targets. Lowest target is 1 point, larger, higher one to each side is 2, highest, narrowest is 3 and there is one on top of the pyramid for 5. Climbing points are 10 for lifting off the floor and 10 more for clearing each of the rungs. Penalties occur if the opposing alliance hits your bot when it is in the safe zone at the feeding slots or in contact with the pyramid.

[Binky]

Great stoke! Kids = awesome