Robotics team gearing up for tough game
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January 24, 2014 |
By Derek Reynolds
On Saturday, January 4, 2014, FIRST Team 2130
met in Mr. Katz’s room at Bonners Ferry High
School. Approximately 28 students, 10 mentors
and several alumni joined us to learn about the
FIRST competition this year, Aerial Assist.
This game consists of two alliances, made up of
three robots on each alliance. The field is
24’x54’ and is separated into threee different
zones; red, white, and blue; with a truss in the
middle of the field suspended five feet in the
air. There are two high goals and two low goals
at both ends of the field. The two high goals
are 6’ 10.75” above the carpet and are 11’ 6”
wide x 3’ 1” tall.
The two low goals are on the floor with the
bottom located seven inches above the floor and
the side openings are 2’ 5” wide by 2’ 4” tall,
and the top opening is 2’ 8.5”x2’ 8.5."
The game is played with each alliance possessing
a 24-inch diameter ball that they need to shoot
at either the high goal, or push or shoot in the
low goal.
Before the drivers take control of their robot,
there is a ten second autonomous period, which
means that all the actions the robot performs
are not controlled by the drivers.
Instead the robot operates on pre-programmed
instructions.
The robot can be pre-loaded for this part of the
game as long as the robot does not extend past
its footprint. The high goal during this period
is worth 10 points and the low is worth one
point. Also, there is a bonus of five points for
scoring a “hot” goal. Hot goals are recognized
by the light strips that line the top goals and
they will light up to designate which goal to
shoot at.
Also, the alliance gets another extra five
points for each robot that drives from the white
starting zone into the zone that they’re
supposed to be shooting toward.
After the autonomous period all balls have to be
cleared off the field and then the driver
operated period starts.
In this large portion of the game high goals are
worth 10 points while low goals are worth one
point. There is only one ball for each alliance
during this period.
The alliances gain large amounts of bonus points
for passing the alliance's ball off between
robots in a different zone, hence the name of
the game, Aerial Assist.
There is also a truss set over the midline of
the arena, robots can pass the ball over the
truss for 10 additional points. What’s more, if
an allied robot catches the pass over the bar,
the alliance gains 10 more points.
In order to gain assist points from passing the
ball to alliance teammates, it is essential that
they possess the ball in a zone different from
the passing robot, otherwise it does not count
as an assist and the alliance will not gain the
bonus points. There is a maximum of three
assists per each cycle, each time the ball is
put on the field. To gain the assist points at
the end of each cycle one of the robots must
shoot or push the balls into one of the goals.
Unfortunately, it’s not exactly that simple.
The alliance with the most points at the end of
the two minute and thirty second match wins.
If you have any questions or would like to make
a donation, call Edward Katz at (208) 267-3149. |
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