Howdy!
|
Remember us? This is the second newsletter we're sending your way. The goal is to keep you updated on our work this unque season, and to give some interesting insight into the team!
Even though this 2021 season has been unusual, we’ve still been participating in the challenges FIRST presented to us in January.
The Game Design Challenge
This challenge has just wrapped up. We worked really hard to create a FIRST game that we would realistically love to play. This student-led effort involved collaborating subgroups, each with different roles:
If you'd like to hear more about our game, stay turned for next month's newsletter, when we'll be able to release details about our work!
Infinite Recharge At Home
The deadline for this challenge’s submissions is fast approaching. Between designing and assembling prototypes, fine-tuning code, and endless driver practice, our team is shifting into high gear. More information about this can also be found in a future newsletter!
The Game Design Challenge
This challenge has just wrapped up. We worked really hard to create a FIRST game that we would realistically love to play. This student-led effort involved collaborating subgroups, each with different roles:
- Analytics: analyzing past FRC games
- Theme Design: designing the game’s theme and art
- Field Development: creating field structures and CAD modeling
- Gameplay: developing game strategy and rules
If you'd like to hear more about our game, stay turned for next month's newsletter, when we'll be able to release details about our work!
Infinite Recharge At Home
The deadline for this challenge’s submissions is fast approaching. Between designing and assembling prototypes, fine-tuning code, and endless driver practice, our team is shifting into high gear. More information about this can also be found in a future newsletter!
For three years now, Maya Gates, a senior at Forest Hills Eastern, has been the CAD captain; while she had never worked with CAD before being on the team, she quickly found that she was suited to the task.
“I chose CAD as my main focus because when I was first introduced to all the subgroups on the team, CAD is what made the most sense to me. My mind is math-oriented and, though I'm not a complete perfectionist, I like things to be logical and organized, which translates well into CAD.” During her four years on the team, Maya has gotten the chance to CAD a variety of different parts, but her favorite is her first gearbox, “I was new to custom gearboxes and though I received some instruction, most of the process was pretty free-form and I was able to use that opportunity to familiarize myself with the more complex parts of CAD”.
Although there might not be any competitions this year, Maya is still leading the CAD subgroup through their current projects, whether it be enhancements to last year’s robot or something personal.
When Maya isn’t utilizing her CAD expertise, she can often be found on the practice field practicing driving on the robot. Beginning her sophomore year, she took on the role of Secondary Robot Operator, “At first it was incredibly nerve-wracking and, at times, frustrating as we would continuously encounter issues that prevented us from scoring well at competitions and there was nothing that I could do, with my driver ability, to help.” Differing from the primary driver whose job it is to drive the bot, the Secondary Robot Operator’s job is to manipulate the robot's subsystems in order to shoot balls, deposit game pieces and so much more. “I wanted to do more at competitions and not feel as useless as I did before, and the robot operator was more suited to me because the muscle memory and quick action that was required for the role was similar to playing an instrument or video games, both of which I was already considerably familiar with. Plus, secondary seemed more fun”. Unfortunately, due to COVID and the lack of competitions this year, Maya hasn’t been able to fulfill this role as a Senior.
Still, Maya’s goals don’t end as graduation nears. The four years that she has spent on the team have led her to look forward to studying aerospace engineering in college. The skills she has developed on the COMETS will aid her in her secondary education, “In addition to the problem-solving, mechanical, CAD, leadership, and communication skills that I developed throughout my time with FIRST, I am most grateful for the work ethic that this team taught me.... I had to be constantly alert, focused, and pushing ahead in order to understand what was required of me and meet deadlines.” We can’t wait to see all that Maya Gates will accomplish!
“I chose CAD as my main focus because when I was first introduced to all the subgroups on the team, CAD is what made the most sense to me. My mind is math-oriented and, though I'm not a complete perfectionist, I like things to be logical and organized, which translates well into CAD.” During her four years on the team, Maya has gotten the chance to CAD a variety of different parts, but her favorite is her first gearbox, “I was new to custom gearboxes and though I received some instruction, most of the process was pretty free-form and I was able to use that opportunity to familiarize myself with the more complex parts of CAD”.
Although there might not be any competitions this year, Maya is still leading the CAD subgroup through their current projects, whether it be enhancements to last year’s robot or something personal.
When Maya isn’t utilizing her CAD expertise, she can often be found on the practice field practicing driving on the robot. Beginning her sophomore year, she took on the role of Secondary Robot Operator, “At first it was incredibly nerve-wracking and, at times, frustrating as we would continuously encounter issues that prevented us from scoring well at competitions and there was nothing that I could do, with my driver ability, to help.” Differing from the primary driver whose job it is to drive the bot, the Secondary Robot Operator’s job is to manipulate the robot's subsystems in order to shoot balls, deposit game pieces and so much more. “I wanted to do more at competitions and not feel as useless as I did before, and the robot operator was more suited to me because the muscle memory and quick action that was required for the role was similar to playing an instrument or video games, both of which I was already considerably familiar with. Plus, secondary seemed more fun”. Unfortunately, due to COVID and the lack of competitions this year, Maya hasn’t been able to fulfill this role as a Senior.
Still, Maya’s goals don’t end as graduation nears. The four years that she has spent on the team have led her to look forward to studying aerospace engineering in college. The skills she has developed on the COMETS will aid her in her secondary education, “In addition to the problem-solving, mechanical, CAD, leadership, and communication skills that I developed throughout my time with FIRST, I am most grateful for the work ethic that this team taught me.... I had to be constantly alert, focused, and pushing ahead in order to understand what was required of me and meet deadlines.” We can’t wait to see all that Maya Gates will accomplish!
Welcome to the COMETS build space! In this article, we’ll take you inside the building where all the magic happens.
The first corner most of us go to at the beginning of a meeting is the CAD and SCRUM area. This is where full team briefings take place first thing each meeting, and also where the CAD subgroup primarily operates.
Most of this main room is dominated by the assembly workspace. Tools, parts, assemblies, drivebases, and much more, are stored and built here. Keeping our areas clean and organized is first and foremost.
Next is the machine-shop. Most of our parts are fabricated right here in our own build space.
Once our robots have been designed by the CAD subgroup, fabricated and assembled in the machine shop and general workspace, the electrical subgroup can get to work. This area is where our electrical components are stored, worked on, and installed onto a bot.
And finally, the field is where all robot testing and programming takes place. Each season, the wooden field structures are modified and/or constructed by our mentors and students to allow programmers and drivers to practice on a full size FRC field. The team’s Blue-Banners line the back wall.
That’s your peak into our build space! We’re incredibly grateful for Amway’s continuing generosity.
From all of COMETS, a hearty thank you for everything that you make possible as a sponsor, mentor, parent, student, or alumni of our team! We look forward to keeping you updated on the happenings of our team.