Robotics
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Robotics *
I have been part of the FIRST community since third grade, starting with a small team of 3rd and 4th graders eager to explore the world of FIRST LEGO League (FLL). Every season, we would dive into all three aspects—robot design, project development, and core values—fostering a love for learning and collaboration. Driving our robot to complete missions as a technician and driver on this team brought me a thrill never experienced before. I started on the build team, attracted to the hands-on nature of engineering, but I very soon discovered my penchant for outreach and teaching others. I brought the concept of "Discover and Share" into our meetings to encourage our team to learn from others and give back to the community. Over time, I took on more leadership responsibilities, applying principles like Agile, Scrum, and Kanban to manage tasks efficiently, till finally becoming a Team Captain. Robotics not only gave me technical skills but also the opportunity to develop team, communication, and leadership skills—that will continue to shape how I approach challenges in life.
Withe Mecanum wheels , I start with sketching my robot on CAD. As soon as the season challenge is released I strategize the Robot Game for the team and we break down the missions and design the extensions and mechanisms that the robot would need. We 3D Print /CNC certain specific parts that would be needed to get accuracy and efficiency in executing the missions.
The Robot
Seeing the build and program come together is amazing! Of course there might be challenges in getting everything to work consistently, but we always work through it!
We consistently logged our progress in the Engineering Design Notebook to be able to record our growth. I managed the notebook, keeping everyone up to date on their entries and creating the portfolio that sums up all aspects of our robot!
Driving the robot
Our robots have featured a range of complex mechanisms that we worked on. We built mechanisms such as omni-directional drives with mecanum wheels, giving us smooth lateral movement for more precision navigation. Our intake systems used motorized rollers and belts to quickly gather game elements, while the lift mechanisms—using pulley systems along with sliding cascades—helped us elevate objects to different heights. We also incorporated claws, grippers, and pivoting arms, giving the robot range of motion when performing tasks like stacking blocks or placing rings.
