Updates

Better than Ever!

February 24,  2025

Post-Winter Break and we are on our way to FTC Regionals! We qualified with the 3rd Place Inspire Award at the last second during our Peekskill Qualifier competition, and we are headed to Utica! Of course, we realized how many mechanical changes we needed to make, but we also realized the true importance of our Engineering Portfolio, considering our success with the Inspire Award, but we need to make sure we maximize our potential in Gus and his Portfolio before we move on...

Lots to Do!

November 26 2024

We have been very busy lately as competition is right around the corner. One big thing is that we have updated our intake so that now it is big enough to scoop up the pixel without having to be exactly aligned. We constructed and coded two other robots so that when we do driver practice we can simulate a more accurate environment in the gamefield to when we’re actually at competition. We worked a lot on strategy and developing a plan for both teleop and autonomous. We also remodeled the arm as the wires kept falling off and it was put under lots of tension so our builders used surgical wires to fix this issue. Some of our team members researched about the four color theorem and as a part of outreach decided to create slides explaining a little bit of the history of it and how it works. We created examples that people could fill out and a slideshow with four of the examples formatted in a 8.5 x 11 format so that it can be printed out and cut for other people’s use. We brought what we made and the information we used to the closest CS unplugged fair to present to younger kids and get them involved in STEM and the field in general. We began to run through the gamefield and see how many points we could score, although we got off to a rocky start we’re currently hard at work trying to get our scores higher before the John Jay competition in eleven days.

22 Days til Competition!

November 15 2024

We had a big problem to tackle today that luckily we were able to effectivly manage! Yet again we had a problem in regards to our slide kit which we believe may have been caused by the difficulty we had when assembling them. While at the time we believed it was put together correctly, we had a number of parts flipped. As of today, they are working as intended and the code for the slides and intake work as well. Our teleoperated code is fully functioning and we are ready to get our autonomous going! 

Builders:

Fix slides

CAD:

Put the new intake together

Coders:

Continue Auto drive functions and work on servo programming

Management:

Complete posters for CS Unplugged Fair

Our First 3 Hour Practice!

November 12, 2024

For the first hour we works completly on documentation, with a goal to have a document that fully encapsulated all of the hard work we have put in so far this season. A main focus that had to be thorough analysis of the complications we have had with the slides recently. For the last 2 hours that we worked today we mainly focused on remodeling the intake in Fusion 360 and finishing the prototype with the intake attached. We learned more about how to program a servo and the necessities of it in regards to our robot running efficiently! We thought more about our endgame strategy and believe it is a necessity to at least plan to hang from at least the first rung of the submersible.

Builders:

Complete prototype and test 

CAD:

Refine intake and design component to hand out to other teams at competition

Coders:

Continue Auto drive functions and work on servo programming

Management:

Website updates and documentation organization

Finalizing Our Prototype / Today's Jobs

November 7, 2024

Builders:

Add update and images of CAD intake

Coders:

Talk about java for tele op and auto (Matt and Arnav

Management:

Talk about sponsorships, website

More Engineering Progress

October 25, 2024

Recently, we have been working diligently on the controller-operated code for our drivetrain. Making the decision to move completely to Java, rather than using blocks, has opened up so many possibilities for us. Our code team has had two productive practices, and, in these sessions, we've successfully adjusted the code for our drivetrain to enable a combination of movements, such as driving and strafing at the same time. It's a significant step forward, but it really leverages the power and versatility of Java, giving us the flexibility to create more complex and sophisticated behaviors for our robot. This progress has been challenging but incredibly rewarding as we see the robot becoming more agile and capable. We're excited about the future development and the new capabilities we can unlock with this more advanced approach to our coding. This transition to Java has not only advanced our coding abilities but also fostered an inclusive learning environment within our team. This shift has allowed us to engage the younger students more deeply in both the coding and building processes. By breaking down the complexities of Java programming and the mechanical aspects of building the drivetrain, we have provided the younger members with hands-on experience and mentorship. This involvement has significantly enhanced their technical skills and boosted their confidence and enthusiasm for STEM. Engaging the younger members at this level ensures that they are better prepared to tackle more challenging tasks in the future, making our team stronger and more cohesive overall. Through this collaborative effort, we are not only building a more sophisticated robot but also nurturing a new generation of talented coders and engineers who will continue to push the boundaries of what our team can achieve.

Just the Beginning 

October 15, 2024

We have made a lot of progress to this years game over our first few weeks of practice. Coming into this season we knew that outreach and organization had to become a priority of our team, so that has been a focus. With the addition of Mrs Fothergill to the coaching squad we have created this website and a team information booklet. We have began to apply for grants, get sponsors, and reach out to mentors. 

In regards to the game itself we have broken it up into three parts: hang, intake and coding. The "hang" team had the main task of figuring out how we were going to be able to hang off of the submersible during endgame. They threw around a number of ideas from using a linear actuator similar to the one we used last season to using two viper slides. Currently we are working to refine the two slide idea as they weigh less and take up far less space than the actuator. Our "intake" team has been working diligently and we have a nearly working prototype of our design. As a team we decided that the most efficient means of picking up the samples, which we decided to prioritize rather than specimens, would be to use an active intake system rather than a claw. We made a pro-con list to help us decide between the two, the main con we found with the active intake model was that it is less precise and it is harder to control how many we pick up. We are thinking that in order to troubleshoot this problem is to add a sensor on the intake or use two controllers so that one driver can be solely focused on the activation and deactivation of the mechanism. The "intake" team has also been utilizing the skills of our CAD developers which has allowed us to create a custom "scoop" for the mechanism. The "code" team thus far has just been focused on refining the teleop code from last season as well as code the controller for a double slide rather than a single. We are also teaching some of the younger students on our team how to code using JavaScript and to program servos. 

Other things that we have done at practice include building the "Into the Deep" game field, reorganizing the robotics room, and utilizing laser technology to cut out custom parts. Our deadline for robot completion and the first day of driver practice at this moment is November 1st and prior to that we are hoping to have a mock interview to get the ball rolling!