This year, the Fremont Robotics team comprised of six members: two freshmen, Arianna Baum and Jordan Gibson; three juniors, Brayton Moss, Michael Fisher, and Thor Schemahorn; and one senior, Tressa Howey.
These members are responsible for engineering and coding a robot. They compete under Vex Robotics. This year, the game consists of putting rings on a stand called a mobile goal, much like the kids' toy.
In a match, two teams are paired in an alliance against another alliance: one red, and one blue. Teams can gain extra points in the first fifteen seconds of each match. During this period, teams must score a minimum of three rings on a minimum of two mobile goals; they must have this preprogramed and cannot have any user input. To get the extra point, however, one robot has to be touching the center ladder. To be successful during the ninety-second match, robots must be able to grab the mobile goal and load rings on it. Teams have the option to load the goal with their color of rings and put it in a positive corner, their score for that goal is dubbed. If a team places a mobile goal in a negative corner, its points will be negative. Toward the end of the match, teams can hang on the center ladder worth three to twelve points depending on which level of the ladder a robot is hanging from. During their matches team members have noticed it is best for one robot in the alliance to protect a positive corner while the other robot scores rings to place in that corner.
When not competing in matches, teams can improve their rank by competing in ‘skills.’ There are two types of skills: driver, and autonomous. In the sixty seconds for both types, there is only one robot in the field scoring points, the only goal is to score as many points as possible. The only difference between the two types is that during driver skills the robot is controlled through a remote and during autonomous the robot is preprogrammed by the team and has no user input.
Each member is crucial for the success of the team. Arianna is in charge of researching how other teams handle challenges. Michael Fisher designed the drive train, which allows the team to move about the field. Scoring starts with the possession of rings which Brayton Moss designed an intake wheel to do just that. Then the ring must travel to the mobile goal and to handle this challenge, Jordan designed a conveyor belt. For the best and most consistent results a robot must be able to hold the mobile goal in place, Thor created a back grab which accomplishes that. Senior Tressa, who serves as team captain, codes the robot and its autonomous periods, while also doing her best to keep the team organized. Thor, Arianna, and Brayton serve as drivers, controlling the robot.
The team competes next on February 15 at Purdue Polytechnic in Anderson. They have also received an invitation to go to state and will do so March 22 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and Events Center in Indianapolis! This is a major accomplishment as only approximately one in five teams get to participate.
Article written by Tressa Howey, FHS Journalism and Marketing Club