We’re a robotics team, which means we get to compete in competitions. The game usually has two rounds – an autonomous round, where we’re hands off and the computers need to figure it out, and the operator round – where we get to control the robot.
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2024 FIRST® in SHOW℠ – CRESCENDO℠
In this competition, we’re working with music notes, a stage, a frisbee, and some speakers. And we get three robots to help us figure this out. As the writer of this page who’s also a musician, this might be fun. Let’s talk about that.
The Board
The board has four main elements. Let’s go through them.
The source is where we dispense our notes to our robots. They can either pick them up off the ground, or we can dispense them directly into an opening inside the robot.
The speaker is where we’re scoring the majority of our points during the round. It’s an angled chute, which means the closer we are, the easier the shot is.
The amp allows us to score some side points and amplify our speaker, or cooperate with the other team to score some points.
The stage is the centerpiece of the competition, and features three chains, three hooks, and some chutes to dispense our final notes into. The robots will hook onto the chains, potentially dispense notes into the chutes, and the ultimate human aspect comes in – how well we can throw a note. We score extra points if we somehow manage to throw a note onto the hooks at the top of the stage.
Additionally, there’s something called AprilTags. They help us align our robots to make sure we’re not wildly off with our aim or positioning.
Overall, simple stage. Not a simple plan of attack.
Scoring
As soon as we leave the beginning zone, we get two points. This should be the easiest points we’re scoring.
We initially score points by getting our notes from the source into the speaker by launching them. While the first 15 seconds are autonomous (meaning we don’t control the robots), we’re able to control them for the remaining 2 minutes and 15 seconds.
While the speaker isn’t amplified, we earn 2 points. Once we amplify it for a short period of time, we get 5 points per note.
During the final seconds of the competition, our robots need to get onto the stage. The more robots on one chain of the stage, the more points we score! We can also score a note on the stage by throwing it in the vicinity of the poles and hoping it lands. (This will be a challenge. Perhaps our biggest challenge.)
Oh, and we can score some points by dispensing our final notes into a chute inside the stage.
In the spirit of cooperation, we can cooperate on amplifying our speakers and getting a coopertition bonus. We can also get a bonus for making a melody (18 notes scored normally, 15 notes scored with a coopertition bonus) and making an ensemble (having two on-stage robots & 10 stage points from scoring our notes).
2023 FIRST® ENERGIZE – CHARGED UP℠
As with most games, there’s an autonomous section during the beginning, followed by an operator round.
Each alliance can score points by grabbing cones or cubes, scattered across the field, and getting them into one of three grids. There’s various nodes where pieces can be placed – cone nodes, cube nodes, and hybrid nodes (where any piece can be played). A set of three game pieces in a row scores a link, contributing to the sustainability bonus. The middle three are known as the cooperation grid, which lowers the threshold of the sustainability bonus if an alliance scores a link with it.
Additionally, there are two raised platforms known as charging stations, which tilt when unbalanced. The goal of alliances is to keep these platforms balanced for a higher score; additional points are determined by the number of robots on the charging station and an internal system with an indicator light that determines whether the platform is level.
Two substations away from the grid allow players on the opposite side of the field to pick up deposited cones or cubes. Depending on the amount of game pieces it can output, it’s either a single or double substation.
During the autonomous phase, certain actions score more points – like charging station and game piece points. Alliances can earn ranking points by scoring five links (or four on the cooperation grid), 26 charging station points during autonomous or endgame phases, or by tying the game. A win awards 2 ranking points.
2022 FIRST® GAME CHANGERS℠ – RAPID REACT℠
In 2022’s game, RAPID REACT, each alliance of teams must gather and deposit cargo into the hub, located in the center of the arena. The hub contains two sections, a lower section and higher section. Cargo scored in the lower hub awards 2 points during the autonomous period, and 1 point during the remote control period. Cargo scored in the higher hub awards 4 points during the autonomous period, and 2 points during the remote control period. Each team’s players may assist their robots by depositing cargo into their robots at the terminal. The goal of the game is to score as much cargo as possible for our team before the time runs out. As the time runs out, each team attempts to secure their robot onto a hangar, constructed of four rungs of various heights, ranging from 4.75 feet to 7.58 feet. The rungs, in order from lowest to highest, score four, six, ten, and fifteen points respectively. Each team can earn ranking points for a variety of actions. Scoring more points than the other alliance by the end of the time awards that alliance’s teams two ranking points each. Ending the game with the same amount of points as the other alliance awards all teams one ranking point. If an alliance scores twenty cargo, or eighteen if five of that amount are scored during the autonomous period, that alliance’s teams are awarded one ranking point.
2020/2021 FIRST® RISE℠ – INFINITE RECHARGE℠
2020’s game, INFINITE RECHARGE, requires the robots to protect a FIRST city from approaching asteroids using a shield generator. The first 15 seconds of autonomous time requires the robots to acquire small power cells and deliver them to a generator port, where they will deposit them to score points and activate generator stages. Different amounts of points are scored depending on the location the power cell is deposited in. After a certain amount of points has been gained, the robots must maneuver a control panel in order to activate one of two generator stages, depending on the amount power cells deposited. The robot must either spin a disc a certain amount of times, or maneuver the disc to a specific color. After all stages have been activated, and the generator is charged, the generator will be energized. In the last 30 seconds, it must then be activated by having the robots hang on and pull switches so that the switch will be level. At the end of the match, each side’s points are counted up, and whichever team holds the most points wins.
2019 FIRST® POWER UP℠ – DESTINATION: DEEP SPACE℠
2019’s game, Destination Deep Space, requires robots to be able to repair and load a cargo ship and rockets as well as climb and leave the habitat. For the first fifteen seconds of the match, there is a “sandstorm” on the field when a canvas is dropped over the player’s station blocking the field from their view. In this time robots may act autonomously or be driven by the drive team who are using cameras attached to their robot to guide it across the field. The robots start on a small ramp that is part of the habitat. This habitat consists of three layers, the small ramp that robots start on, a step in the center of the ramp thirteen inches tall, and on either side of the middle step are two smaller steps that reach only six inches tall. At the end of the game, teams score points based on what levels of the habitat they can climb to. During most of the game, teams can earn points by attaching hatches to the cargo ship and rockets. These hatches cover up holes. This is important because the other way to earn points is by loading the structures with cargo. The cargo will fall out of the holes if a hatch isn’t in place.
2018 – FIRST® POWER UP℠
In our third year, we attended the Granite State and UNH competitions. Our robot RIBBIT competed fiercely while trying not to tip over. He taught us a lot about how we should (and shouldn’t) build our bot in the next few years. Our business team continued to expand our community outreach and won our team the Team Spirit award for the second year in a row.
2017 – FIRST® STEAMWORKS℠
In our second year, we attended the Granite State and Southern NH competitions. Our robot BEOM competed in all of his wooden glory. Although we were not the best team out there, we learned a lot this year. Our first couple of matches were a little rocky but after some slight alterations to our robot, we improved greatly. We also expanded our community outreach, participating in many new events and winning the Team Spirit award.
2016 – FIRST STRONGHOLD℠
During our rookie year, we attended the UNH and Pine Tree District competitions. Our robot’s name was E.W.T. which stood for Eh, We Tried, a phrase we felt accurately described our build season and rookie year. During our first competition, our radio continuously shut down during matches whenever it was hit. After we replaced the radio for our Pine Tree event, our robot and team were more successful.