FIRST Robotics

[shado_temple]

I was re-watching Extra Credit's episode about Tangential Learning, and afterward tried to think of some example of it that had changed my life. I then remembered FIRST, and the things it taught me without my realizing until the end.

For those who who know what it is, just skip down past the video for what I wanted to discuss; otherwise, read on.

When I was in high school, I participated in an organization called FIRST Robotics [http://www.usfirst.org]. In a nutshell, each participating school had a team whose goal was to build a robot to accomplish a given task. At the end of the build season (~6 weeks), these teams come together to compete in regional, and eventually international championships. Although aided by teachers and outside mentors alike, most of the responsibility for designing and building the robot is placed upon the students themselves, inevitably leading these students into learning about previously unknown subjects; a method of which I believe is a great example of tangential learning. I don't even think most of the kids realized until the end just how much they learned from putting a robot together each year, along with programming, wiring, talking to corporations (regarding sponsorships), etc.

Oh, and for the sake of a shameless plug (and some lovely Morgan Freeman narration):
<youtube=i1QyM9WTF18>

Anyway, if you're in FIRST, what team are you on? How'd you do this year? Enjoying it so far? It was my first year away from it, so I didn't hear much of the goings on this season.

And for those who aren't (though those who are can certainly join in), what sort of things have you done in life that taught you tangentially without you really realizing it?

 

[FalloutJack]

You probably won't find too many that know what you're talking about. Suffice to say, I do, and that was a while ago. Fun, though. Novel idea and certainly a great thing to work on, but uhh...let's see here. Not alot of my opinions on the robot were listened to, and so the robot was kind of mediocre in that it tried to do too much and ended up not doing enough of any of the tasks needed.

Also, I was totally a kick-ass driver for the thing, tested really well. When the thing was built, we had people going at it, of course. On my turn, I was able to make some pretty precise and controlled motions, and swiftly. And on a ramp bridge, I swear I Evel Knievel'd the thing, which was frigging awesome. But...they wouldn't let me be the driver. Damn shame.

 

[shado_temple]

You probably won't find too many that know what you're talking about.

Yeah, I usually figure as much; I post this sort of thing every year or so to see whether or not FIRST has made any ground into becoming something a bit more mainstream. I'm a big fan of the concept, so I keep hoping it will, but as this post proves, it hasn't quite yet. Perhaps someday...

 

[theComposer]

I did FIRST Robotics for 3 years in high school. Our team won the Bayou Regional the first year it was held and the Peachtree Regional the following year. It was a lot of fun and many of my high school friend were met through the team. FIRST is a great program, and even though I was the software guy, I learned more than I could've ever imagined about mechanics and electronics by participating on the robot build.

 

[chromewarriorXIII]

Anyway, if you're in FIRST, what team are you on? How'd you do this year? Enjoying it so far? It was my first year away from it, so I didn't hear much of the goings on this season.

I'm not in it anymore but I was in it my freshman year. Oddly enough, I'm wearing my team shirt right now. I was on Team 1373: Spontaneous Combustion. The year I went to my FIRST competition (pun somewhat intended) was the one where they had the track and you earned points by either driving laps around the track or by lifting giant balls over a gate (2008 I believe). It was pretty good fun especially since I was the driver.

I wasn't very good at any of the mechanical work but I created a 3D model of the robot before hand so we would know what it would look like, and where joints would be. It was a great year, but also really time consuming.

EDIT: The year I was talking about was actually in that video at 2:05 for anyone who wasn't involved in FIRST during that competition

 

[bob1052]

I founded my schools team this year. Team 3541.

We made in to the draft and lost in quarters which we're happy with for our first year. I did programming and controlled the arm.

 

[MustardTiger]

I can offer some incite on this, though probably not exactly what your looking for. When I was a freshman in highschool I joined our school robotics team which was a part of FIRST. When I joined I didn't have any clue as to what to do, but hey, I figured that the teachers and other students would help me out so I could become a valuable member of the team.

They didn't.

Instead, I essentially became the team maid. I showed up to every meeting, handed out fliers, donated shit loads of money and sacrificed a bunch of my time for their cause and not once did any member of the team even try to teach me how to do shit.

I can go on for pages about this because it really pisses me off but thats not what you want to hear, so on to the main question.

We were the Robo Dogs team 2171. Our robot managed to take first in one competition (The name escapes me) and first place in the Michigan regionals. We went to nationals after that down in Atlanta Georgia and managed to get in the finals before getting taken out. This was back in 2008 wich another poster up above already mentioned with getting the ball over the horizontal ladder.

I did genuienly have fun at some parts during my time on the team, I just wished it could have worked out better.

 

[shado_temple]

Instead, I essentially became the team maid. I showed up to every meeting, handed out fliers, donated shit loads of money and sacrificed a bunch of my time for their cause and not once did any member of the team even try to teach me how to do shit.

Yeah, I've heard that happens to the freshman on some of the bigger teams (which I assume you guys are/were, if you finished on top in a Michigan regional). Definitely something that needs to be changed, if anything. Some groups take the competition a little too seriously, and refuse to listen to any outside ideas, but I suppose that's something we'll all encounter in the future.

 

[Singularly Datarific]

Damn that's awesome.
Anyways, I've heard word that a robotics class will be at school next year, so I'll drop the Spanish III and pick up some programming. I think it's a little more useful for my prospective field.
Programming lego robots in C is awesome, BTW.

 

[MustardTiger]

Instead, I essentially became the team maid. I showed up to every meeting, handed out fliers, donated shit loads of money and sacrificed a bunch of my time for their cause and not once did any member of the team even try to teach me how to do shit.

Yeah, I've heard that happens to the freshman on some of the bigger teams (which I assume you guys are/were, if you finished on top in a Michigan regional). Definitely something that needs to be changed, if anything. Some groups take the competition a little too seriously, and refuse to listen to any outside ideas, but I suppose that's something we'll all encounter in the future.

It was actually only our second year. They came in around second place in one of the bigger competitions the first year. The guys who made the robot were cosmic geniuses or something and one of the adults supervising the team was really good at guiding along the students without stepping in and taking over. They listened to outside ideas, were open to improv, and took competitions serious but not into Nazi territory. But their major flaw was that they picked favorites in their members and pretty much ignored the others. Thats what gets me. I don't know what I could've added, if anything, to the robot, but come on! Would it hurt to at least let me try?