It's the beginning of the sixth week in build season now, and we are getting close to the end date!
This week has been very hectic! We have all been working so hard to make sure that everything gets finished before we have to "bag and tag" the robot on the last day of build season. "Bag and Tag" is when we have to put the entire robot into a big plastic bag, put a tag on it that has our team information on it, and then take a picture of it with a clock to show that we stopped working on it on our final day of build season.
Every group has been working diligently this week! Some nights we have been here working until close to 11:00 at night!
The mechanical department has been rushing to get the robot finished, so that they could let the programming department have the robot to work out any problems they may have. They have finalized the chassis, worked out the shooting mechanism, put on anything else that is required for this year's game, and have made it so that the programmers have a robot they can move.
The programmers have been working just as hard to make sure that their programming code will work. In the middle of the week we tried to get the robot so that we could move it, but there was some problems between the communications. They had to figure out the problem, so that we could get it to move. We were all very happy to have a robot that we could move and that was basically done.
The electrical department has had to work over time this week to get everything wired and they had to help the programmers figure out what was wrong with the communications between the robot and the computer. We got all of that figured out by the end of the week which was very exciting.
The marketing department has been working hard this week to get everything done before it was due on Wednesday. We met everyday up until the due date to make sure that everything was read over multiple times and to make sure everything was how we wanted it. After we submitted all of the awards on Wednesday our jobs didn't stop; we continued on like normal. We have a lot more that needs to get done, but we are progressing!
We are excited that all of the hours and work we have put into getting the robot finished and awards submitted has paid off significantly. We still have a ways to go, but we are progressing steadily.
Here we come end date!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
How FIRST has impacted my life!
FIRST is a huge part of my life. When I was 10, my piano teacher gave me an advertisement in the newspaper for a robotics camp at the Natural Science Center in Greensboro N.C. At the camp, I met Marie Hopper, who said she was pleased with my performance and that I should join one of her FIRST Lego League (FLL) teams. So now, four years later, I am 14 years and have just finished my senior year of FLL. Ever since I started, a good 50% of my life is Science and Technology. It really has me interested in becoming a Microsoft certified C++ programmer when I'm older. Now I'm enjoying my rookie year of FRC, and looking forward to the rest of my time on Team 2655.
--Josh
--Josh
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Build Season: Week 5
Well, it's week five of the 2012 FRC Build Season. We only have ONE week left!
The robot is coming together and looking good. The mechanical department has been busy, finishing the robot's main structure, installing motors, and beginning work on the turret. This week we are hoping to completely finish the entire robot and are focusing in on the turret system. Mechanical is hoping to have the robot finished soon so that the programming department can test their code.
The Programming department is currently building the software for the Kinect Xbox 360 given to us from Microsoft and is finishing up constructing the smaller components of code. The system collecting and feeding the balls gave us some trouble but we've figured out a system for it. This next week we hope to finish building the code for autonomous mode.
The Marketing Department is currently working on the Chairman's Award submission and the Woodie Flowers Award, which will be submitted this Wednesday. Marketing is also working on setting up a few demonstrations for the upcoming weeks.
The Electrical Department is in the process of building and finishing the electrical board and mounting it on the robot. This week they will be working with Mechanical to get the robot test-ready.
The website currently under construction and will be up shortly!
Now we have to stop chatting and get back to work!
The robot is coming together and looking good. The mechanical department has been busy, finishing the robot's main structure, installing motors, and beginning work on the turret. This week we are hoping to completely finish the entire robot and are focusing in on the turret system. Mechanical is hoping to have the robot finished soon so that the programming department can test their code.
The Programming department is currently building the software for the Kinect Xbox 360 given to us from Microsoft and is finishing up constructing the smaller components of code. The system collecting and feeding the balls gave us some trouble but we've figured out a system for it. This next week we hope to finish building the code for autonomous mode.
The Marketing Department is currently working on the Chairman's Award submission and the Woodie Flowers Award, which will be submitted this Wednesday. Marketing is also working on setting up a few demonstrations for the upcoming weeks.
The Electrical Department is in the process of building and finishing the electrical board and mounting it on the robot. This week they will be working with Mechanical to get the robot test-ready.
The website currently under construction and will be up shortly!
Now we have to stop chatting and get back to work!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Build Season: Week 4
So we are starting into the fourth week of build season and we only have two more weeks to go! Each department is making really great progress. It is so exciting, but at the same time kind of nerve wracking because we ONLY have two more weeks to go!
The mechanical department is working on putting the finishing touches on the chassis and working on the shooting mechanism. They have been working diligently for four weeks and are progressing smoothly. We are sticking with the plan we created at the beginning of build season, it really paid off to take the time to finalize all designs before we started building.
Programming has been busy training its new members, and they've made a lot of progress. The department has begun to actually program certain parts of the robot now! They have been meeting separately from the mechanical group because they have grown quite tremendously this year. They got a motor to move the other day and we thrilled about it! It is amazing how the little things can make us happy!
The marketing group has been working hard to get all of the awards that are going to be submitted, on the 16th of February. The Chairman’s award is coming along smoothly; making an outline of the essay at the beginning of the season has helped the writing team stay on track. The Woodie Flowers award is in the process of being cut down so that we don’t go over the maximum number of characters allowed.
We are also continuing our outreach events. We did a demonstration last week at Burlington Christian Academy in Burlington, North Carolina. We also have a demonstration scheduled for March 3rd for the Girl Scout 100th Anniversary Exhibition at the Dixie Classic Fair Grounds. We are going to be demonstrating the robot and talking about FIRST in general. We are going to have two tables one that will represent an all-girl FLL team that we started this year, The Flying Robo Puggles. The other table will represent our team. Both tables will have visuals, so that anyone who comes by can see what we have done and what the purpose of both of these programs are.
This season has been hectic so far, but everyone is working diligently. We have nineteen dedicated members and ten dedicated mentors who are here every night to help us! We are happy that our team has grown and are thrilled for the new additions to the mentoring team.
Now back to work to get the robot done!
The mechanical department is working on putting the finishing touches on the chassis and working on the shooting mechanism. They have been working diligently for four weeks and are progressing smoothly. We are sticking with the plan we created at the beginning of build season, it really paid off to take the time to finalize all designs before we started building.
Programming has been busy training its new members, and they've made a lot of progress. The department has begun to actually program certain parts of the robot now! They have been meeting separately from the mechanical group because they have grown quite tremendously this year. They got a motor to move the other day and we thrilled about it! It is amazing how the little things can make us happy!
The marketing group has been working hard to get all of the awards that are going to be submitted, on the 16th of February. The Chairman’s award is coming along smoothly; making an outline of the essay at the beginning of the season has helped the writing team stay on track. The Woodie Flowers award is in the process of being cut down so that we don’t go over the maximum number of characters allowed.
We are also continuing our outreach events. We did a demonstration last week at Burlington Christian Academy in Burlington, North Carolina. We also have a demonstration scheduled for March 3rd for the Girl Scout 100th Anniversary Exhibition at the Dixie Classic Fair Grounds. We are going to be demonstrating the robot and talking about FIRST in general. We are going to have two tables one that will represent an all-girl FLL team that we started this year, The Flying Robo Puggles. The other table will represent our team. Both tables will have visuals, so that anyone who comes by can see what we have done and what the purpose of both of these programs are.
This season has been hectic so far, but everyone is working diligently. We have nineteen dedicated members and ten dedicated mentors who are here every night to help us! We are happy that our team has grown and are thrilled for the new additions to the mentoring team.
Now back to work to get the robot done!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
2012 Build Season So Far
So we're heading into the third week of build season and how are things going so far? Here's a (very brief) summary of what each department has been up to:
Mechanical: The Mechanical Department has been working hard breaking down the specifics of the game and coming up with creative solutions to the problem presented. A mock-up of this years shooting mechanism has been made out of wood and with a little tweaking, everything seems to be working properly. Also, the fabrication of our base has started this weekend and should be finished within the next couple of days.
Programming: Because of how many new members we have in programming this year (6+!), the Programming Department has been taking time to teach new members. This is a really fun process to watch, as it solidifies what veteran members learned last years and gives them the opportunity to teach.
Marketing/Awards: Essays, essays, essays! The Marketing and Awards Departments have been working together to write essays for the Chairmans, Woodie Flowers, and Dean's List awards. While it's a lot of work, it's definitely a worthwhile process.
Now, back to work!!!
Mechanical: The Mechanical Department has been working hard breaking down the specifics of the game and coming up with creative solutions to the problem presented. A mock-up of this years shooting mechanism has been made out of wood and with a little tweaking, everything seems to be working properly. Also, the fabrication of our base has started this weekend and should be finished within the next couple of days.
Programming: Because of how many new members we have in programming this year (6+!), the Programming Department has been taking time to teach new members. This is a really fun process to watch, as it solidifies what veteran members learned last years and gives them the opportunity to teach.
Marketing/Awards: Essays, essays, essays! The Marketing and Awards Departments have been working together to write essays for the Chairmans, Woodie Flowers, and Dean's List awards. While it's a lot of work, it's definitely a worthwhile process.
Now, back to work!!!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Alumni Interviews: Erin
During the 2010-2011 season, the Flying Platypi had a grand total of five seniors who later graduated in the spring of 2011. Before some of them left for school, I wanted to ask them about their experience in the FIRST program as well as on The Flying Platypi.
The first interviewee is Erin, the 2010-2011 president of The Flying Platypi. Here's what she said about her FIRST experience:
Could you give me a summary of your time on The Flying Platypi?
I joined Team #2655 in 2009 after participating in FIRST LEGO League for 3 years. On The Flying Platypi, I was the main web designer and was in charge of social networking. Additionally, I participated in team leadership and was a part of the Chairman's Award presentation crew in 2009 and 2010.
What are your plans for the future?
I am currently attending the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) in order to study Industrial Design.
What was your favorite memory/experience from you time on Team 2655?
I really enjoyed seeing the team come together and individual members grow throughout the years. (Winning the 2011 Website Award at the Peachtree Regional was pretty good too.)
What do you think was the hardest thing about participating in the FIRST program?
Teamwork and time management.
What was your favorite thing about FIRST?
The favorite thing about participating in FIRST was the fact that it gave me so many different opportunities. I was allowed to explore web design, learn about leadership, and go places such as the North Carolina State Legislature or behind the scenes at Analog Devices.
What will you miss about FIRST and do you plan on staying involved with the program?
I will really miss the competitions. Meeting so many different people from other teams was great! Optimistically, I would like to continue with FIRST as a volunteer or Website Award judge.
Any additional comments or something you'd like the share?
I'd like to thank all the mentors and parents that selflessly dedicate their time to The Flying Platypi. They're help and support really does make a difference to everyone on the team.
The first interviewee is Erin, the 2010-2011 president of The Flying Platypi. Here's what she said about her FIRST experience:
Could you give me a summary of your time on The Flying Platypi?
I joined Team #2655 in 2009 after participating in FIRST LEGO League for 3 years. On The Flying Platypi, I was the main web designer and was in charge of social networking. Additionally, I participated in team leadership and was a part of the Chairman's Award presentation crew in 2009 and 2010.
What are your plans for the future?
I am currently attending the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) in order to study Industrial Design.
What was your favorite memory/experience from you time on Team 2655?
I really enjoyed seeing the team come together and individual members grow throughout the years. (Winning the 2011 Website Award at the Peachtree Regional was pretty good too.)
What do you think was the hardest thing about participating in the FIRST program?
Teamwork and time management.
What was your favorite thing about FIRST?
The favorite thing about participating in FIRST was the fact that it gave me so many different opportunities. I was allowed to explore web design, learn about leadership, and go places such as the North Carolina State Legislature or behind the scenes at Analog Devices.
What will you miss about FIRST and do you plan on staying involved with the program?
I will really miss the competitions. Meeting so many different people from other teams was great! Optimistically, I would like to continue with FIRST as a volunteer or Website Award judge.
Any additional comments or something you'd like the share?
I'd like to thank all the mentors and parents that selflessly dedicate their time to The Flying Platypi. They're help and support really does make a difference to everyone on the team.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Regional....er Championships....Recap: St. Louis
Wednesday:
There were two things running through everyone's head: "It's too early" and "This is kind of exciting". It was just before 4AM on Wednesday, April 27th and all the members of Team 2655, The Flying Platypi were getting on a bus bound for St. Louis, MO for the FRC Championship event. After everyone boarded the bus, we started our very, very, very long bus ride to Missouri. Fifteen hours, at least five movies and seven hundred miles later, we arrived at our final destination. After an afternoon of hanging out in the hotel (the pool was excellent) and making buttons, the team had a quick meeting and went to bed to be ready for all the excitement Thursday would hold.
Thursday:
Early Thursday morning the team rode the bus over to the Edward Jones Dome for the first day of competition. It was really incredible to walk into the pit for the first time and see all the FLL, FTC and FRC teams all in one place ready to compete in their respective fields.
After putting the finishing touches on the pit and setting up Archimedes in the stands, it was time to get in line for robot inspection. We passed Godzilla (our robot) and the minibot without too much trouble but we unfortunately were unable to make to any of our practice matches on Thursday morning.
Unlike FRC regionals, at the Championship Event seeding matches begin on Thursday afternoon, instead of Friday morning, so there will be time for ten matches for every team. So, after a quick lunch, the team went back to the Newton pits/stands to que up for/watch our first match. Although we had connection problems and were unable to move for much of the match, we had some incredible alliance partners who helped win our first match of Championships. The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to trying to fix any problems with the robot and do as much "networking" with other teams as we could. It was really a lot of fun walking around and meeting new teams from all over the United States and the world that were represented in our division as well as others. However, the most exciting part of Thursday came in the evening; RoboProm! The team is proud to announce that with just a little convincing, every single member of The Flying Platypi attended RoboProm 2011 hosted by team 399, Eagle Robotics. All of had a fantastic time at prom, everyone talked and danced and a couple team members even had the opportunity to crowd surf! By the time prom ended and we went back to the hotel, everyone was incredibly happy but really tired and ready to go to bed.
Friday:
It was Friday morning, and the Rebecca Black references were running rampant. All the "early bird" team members headed to the Edward Jones Dome at 6:45, so we could be there as soon as the doors opened.
Because it was the second day of the event, all our matches were held in the actual Dome instead of in the pit area. It was really an awesome feeling walking into the Dome with our robot for our first match on Friday. Everything was incredible: the lights, the field, the crowds of teams in the stands...all of it was amazing and it was really exciting to be apart of it.
We had a mix of good and bad matches on Friday; we just couldn't seem to get rid of our field connection difficulties, no matter how many field techs tried to help us. Still, regardless of our robot problems, everyone on the team was having a really great time at Championships.
The best part of Friday was by far the "staged event" featuring the Black Eyed Peas that had been hinted about by FIRST for so long. Because Team 2655 qualified for Chamionships through winning the Regional Chairman's Award, we were given floor seats to the concert, allowing us to be right next to the stage the entire time. It was a great concert and I think I can safely say that every single FIRST team there would like to thank the Black Eyed Peas for coming, we all had a great time.
Saturday:
Early Saturday morning everyone packed all their luggage and rode the bus to the Edward Jones Dome for the last time. We had two seeding matches left but really the whole team was just trying to enjoy the rest of the event. All of walked around and talked with other teams, collected more buttons and had a fantastic last day. After alliance selections for our division were over, all of us went out to lunch and took another trip to the arch. The Flying Platypi had a really great last day and it was nice to enjoy St. Louis. Later, we walked back to the dome to watch the award ceremony and the final Championship matches. After all the awards had been given out and the last of the confetti had fallen, the team had a quick dinner before getting back on the bus for the last time and starting our ride back home.
Going to the Chamionship event was a really incredible experience for everyone on The Flying Platypi. We had the opportunity to see how for we've come in a season and at the same time get ideas on how to improve ourselves in seasons to come. The Flying Platypi would like to once again thank all of our dedicated coaches, mentors, parents and sponsors for their support, there is no question we couldn't have done it without them.
Now, onto the 2011 off-season!
There were two things running through everyone's head: "It's too early" and "This is kind of exciting". It was just before 4AM on Wednesday, April 27th and all the members of Team 2655, The Flying Platypi were getting on a bus bound for St. Louis, MO for the FRC Championship event. After everyone boarded the bus, we started our very, very, very long bus ride to Missouri. Fifteen hours, at least five movies and seven hundred miles later, we arrived at our final destination. After an afternoon of hanging out in the hotel (the pool was excellent) and making buttons, the team had a quick meeting and went to bed to be ready for all the excitement Thursday would hold.
Thursday:
Early Thursday morning the team rode the bus over to the Edward Jones Dome for the first day of competition. It was really incredible to walk into the pit for the first time and see all the FLL, FTC and FRC teams all in one place ready to compete in their respective fields.
After putting the finishing touches on the pit and setting up Archimedes in the stands, it was time to get in line for robot inspection. We passed Godzilla (our robot) and the minibot without too much trouble but we unfortunately were unable to make to any of our practice matches on Thursday morning.
Unlike FRC regionals, at the Championship Event seeding matches begin on Thursday afternoon, instead of Friday morning, so there will be time for ten matches for every team. So, after a quick lunch, the team went back to the Newton pits/stands to que up for/watch our first match. Although we had connection problems and were unable to move for much of the match, we had some incredible alliance partners who helped win our first match of Championships. The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to trying to fix any problems with the robot and do as much "networking" with other teams as we could. It was really a lot of fun walking around and meeting new teams from all over the United States and the world that were represented in our division as well as others. However, the most exciting part of Thursday came in the evening; RoboProm! The team is proud to announce that with just a little convincing, every single member of The Flying Platypi attended RoboProm 2011 hosted by team 399, Eagle Robotics. All of had a fantastic time at prom, everyone talked and danced and a couple team members even had the opportunity to crowd surf! By the time prom ended and we went back to the hotel, everyone was incredibly happy but really tired and ready to go to bed.
Friday:
It was Friday morning, and the Rebecca Black references were running rampant. All the "early bird" team members headed to the Edward Jones Dome at 6:45, so we could be there as soon as the doors opened.
Because it was the second day of the event, all our matches were held in the actual Dome instead of in the pit area. It was really an awesome feeling walking into the Dome with our robot for our first match on Friday. Everything was incredible: the lights, the field, the crowds of teams in the stands...all of it was amazing and it was really exciting to be apart of it.
We had a mix of good and bad matches on Friday; we just couldn't seem to get rid of our field connection difficulties, no matter how many field techs tried to help us. Still, regardless of our robot problems, everyone on the team was having a really great time at Championships.
The best part of Friday was by far the "staged event" featuring the Black Eyed Peas that had been hinted about by FIRST for so long. Because Team 2655 qualified for Chamionships through winning the Regional Chairman's Award, we were given floor seats to the concert, allowing us to be right next to the stage the entire time. It was a great concert and I think I can safely say that every single FIRST team there would like to thank the Black Eyed Peas for coming, we all had a great time.
Saturday:
Early Saturday morning everyone packed all their luggage and rode the bus to the Edward Jones Dome for the last time. We had two seeding matches left but really the whole team was just trying to enjoy the rest of the event. All of walked around and talked with other teams, collected more buttons and had a fantastic last day. After alliance selections for our division were over, all of us went out to lunch and took another trip to the arch. The Flying Platypi had a really great last day and it was nice to enjoy St. Louis. Later, we walked back to the dome to watch the award ceremony and the final Championship matches. After all the awards had been given out and the last of the confetti had fallen, the team had a quick dinner before getting back on the bus for the last time and starting our ride back home.
Going to the Chamionship event was a really incredible experience for everyone on The Flying Platypi. We had the opportunity to see how for we've come in a season and at the same time get ideas on how to improve ourselves in seasons to come. The Flying Platypi would like to once again thank all of our dedicated coaches, mentors, parents and sponsors for their support, there is no question we couldn't have done it without them.
Now, onto the 2011 off-season!
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