Team RUSH kicks off this year’s FIRST Robotic challenge, ‘Breakaway.?
‘It’s a robotic soccer game,? said Patrick Riggs, team member.
The game is played on a 27-by-54-foot rectangular field. The field split evenly into three sections, divided by two bumps extending the width of field and two tunnels dissecting the field length wise.
Riggs noted they designed their robot to be able to roll over the bumps as well as fit through the tunnels.
Each team will have three robots, one in each section of the field. The object is to score goals using the robots by either kicking or rolling the ball into the goal. After a goal is scored, human players will place the balls on a track hanging above the field and the balls will drop near the tunnel.
Riggs said they did a simulation using people as robots at the beginning of the season to figure out what strategies would be best and how to play the game.
‘We noticed a lot of the soccer balls got stuck in the middle section,? he said. ‘We actually built the robot with that in mind so it can shoot over the bumps into the goal.?
The first 15 seconds of the match is known as the ‘autonomous period,? in which the robot must control itself and try and shoot balls into their goals. Jan Helgeson whose part of the programming team said they mapped out the field in an XY grid.
‘It (the robot) takes the two points and then calculates the distance then calculates how fast it should go, and then it drives there,? he said.
Helgeson said last year’s game ‘lunacy? was complicated.
‘This year what they tried to do almost in a sense dumb it down,? he said. ‘You can walk up to the game and look over the field and know what’s going on and understand how the game is played.?
Helgeson said he thinks it will make for a more ‘exciting game? and the matches will be closer.
‘Since they’ve limited the way you can design your robot and how you’re able to manipulate the ball, I think the game is going to depend a lot more on strategy,? he said. ‘It’s really going to be the strategy that separates the different teams.?
As far as the non-robotic aspects of the game, the team focuses on ‘maintaining sustainability.?
‘Meaning it has constant flow of money and people,? Riggs said. ‘We have a lot of our alumni come back as mentors. Actually 50 percent of our mentors are alumni.?
With over 40 sponsors, he said if for some reason one sponsor can’t make it they have more to ‘fill the gap.?
‘Especially in the recession we’ve seen teams whose main sponsor is Chrysler, there is really tough straits because Chrysler can’t really support them anymore and they’re not sure what to do because Chrysler is their only sponsor.?
There other goal as being a part of FIRST is to ‘change culture to value math, science and technology.?
‘You can ask anyone on this team they’ll say ‘it’s been a great experience? and they think every person should be able to have this experience,? he said.
Besides just building robots, Riggs said they get to integrate science and technology through other means such by using such programs as ‘Fathom, Illustrator, Photoshop, Digital story booking, and Inventor.?
‘It’s not just answer these 100 multiple choice questions, it’s go out, research what is new in technology, what is up and coming, what you’re going to be working on when you get a job,? he said. ‘It’s really great to learn it this way. It really helps out, not only just understanding it, but finding the validity behind it.?
CSM Tech teacher and mentor Kyle Hughes, said ‘this year we have the greatest group of kids who have worked together as a team.?
‘We have tremendous leadership with our captains, the students all believe in the team and believe they’re part of a team,? she said. ‘With that momentum and synergy going we have a tremendous outlook for this year.?
The team will travel to Kettering University in Flint for their first competition on March 5-6. Hughes said she would love to see ‘the community gather around and support team Rush.?
‘Someday I would like to fill the stands with Clarkston people,? she said.
For more information, visit www.teamrush27.net or e-mail Kyle Hughes at hugheskh1@clarkston.k12.mi.us.