THE ROBOTS
2024 CRESCENDO
Combining music and math, Crescendo uses Notes Speakers and Amplifiers to spice up STEM. Robots can Amplify their Speaker, get on Stage, Harmonize, and take the Spotlight before time runs out. During the first 15 seconds of the match, robots are autonomous and can be programmed to leave their starting zone, play pre-loaded Notes in their Speaker or Amp, and collect and play additional Notes.
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Der Klingelton is our 2024 crescendo robot. Der Klingelton picks up notes using a system of wheels and motors. Der Klingelton scores notes by launching them into the speaker on the field. Der Klingelton placed 51st in the Wisconsin Regional.
2023 CHARGED UP
Power needs to be restored to the community! Robots quickly collect cubes and cones and place them on nodes to charge up their power grid. They complete links and dock or engage with their charge station to deliver power to their community.
Zap is our 2023 charged up robot. Zap grabs both cubes and cones with a pneumatic claw, and extends Zap arm with large springs. Zap quickly scores both on the grid and balances on the charge station using fully functioning swerve drive. Zap placed 40th out of 47 teams in the Wisconsin Regional.
2022 RAPID REACT
After leaving the tarmac, robots race to collect cargo from the playing field or from terminals to score in a lower hub or an upper hub. Robots rush to traverse the rungs of their hangers before time runs out.
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Blitz is our ​2022 aircraft. Blitz collects cargo from the field and shoots it into the lower hub with two large pneumatic wheels. Blitz also climbs to the second hanger within seconds and easily moves into place with Mecanum wheels. Blitz placed 27th out of 42 teams in the Wisconsin Regional.
2020 INFINITE RECHARGE
Asteroids are quickly approaching the FIRST City. Alliances need to energize the Shield Generator by collecting and throwing Power Cells. Droids must manipulate the Control Panels and quickly return to the Rendezvous Point to insure their Shield Generator is fully operational.
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Gilly, our droid, can collect the Power Cells and deposit them in the lowest goal as well as hang from the bar. Her main function is operating the Control Panel to unlock higher levels of the challenge. Unfortunately, right before Gilly could appear in competition to show off her abilities, this year's competition was canceled due to the rapid spread of Covid-19.
2019 DESTINATION: DEEP SPACE
Play in the final frontier, as teams face an oncoming storm. Place hatches on cargo ships and rockets, and fill them to the brim with cargo! Then attempt to reach the habitat and scale it in an attempt to escape!
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Intergalactic is our ​2019 challenger. Able to climb to the highest zone on the habitat, control the offensive game, and defend from all of those who may oppose. In technical terms, for the first time in our team's history, runs on swerve drive.
2018 POWER UP
Teams are trapped in an 8-bit video game, and must use power cubes to own switches and scales, so they can climb the scale tower to face the boss. And if they need a hand, teams can use power ups mid play!
OTIS is our 2018 competition robot. In technical terms, he features a pivoting gripping arm with a linear actuator, a 24-mode autonomous with gyro and accelerometer navigation, and a 2 additional robot holding capacity. In simpler terms, he can pick up and put down cubes up to 76" high, and he can climb the tower at the end. He also has rungs for the other robots to climb up.
2017 STEAMWORKS
Unite Your Crew. Ready Your Contraption. Prepare to take flight! STEAMWORKS is a Victorian-era themed challenge where teams must prepare their airships for flight by collecting and delivering fuel balls and gears, then must climb abord the ship before liftoff.
BARF is our 2017 competition robot. Although he was originally designed to intake fuel balls from the floor and shoot them into the low goal, he now delivers gears and climbs the rope to board the airship - and can climb in under 10 seconds! He runs on C++ and uses gyroscopes, accelerometers, and other sensors to improve driving and autonomous modes.
2016 STRONGHOLD
STRONGHOLD is a medieval game where Alliances compete to breach their opponent’s defenses (outer works) and capture their tower. They score points by crossing elements of their opponents’ outer works, scoring boulders in their opponents’ tower goals, and surrounding and scaling their opponents’ tower.
PANZER is our 2016 competition robot. He is named after German tanks, since his tank drive system let us effortlessly defeat half of the defenses (All category B and D defenses). Panzer also features a powerful pneumatic arm, harnessing many pounds of force in order to scale the tower. New this year, Panzer's instructions are written in C++, and he has an impressive autonomous mode.
2015 RECYCLE RUSH
RECYCLE RUSH is a recycling-themed game played by two Alliances of three robots each. Robots score points by stacking totes on scoring platforms, capping those stacks with recycling containers, and properly disposing of pool noodles, representing litter.
PHIL is our 2015 competition robot. He features a pneumatic “jaw”, electric “elevator/arms”, and mecanum drive chassis. After putting the finishing touches on our LabVIEW autonomous program at the Wisconsin Regional in Milwaukee, he performed well in most of his matches. Phil got 31st out of 60 teams, bringing home no awards but plenty of buttons!
2014 AERIAL ASSIST
AERIAL ASSIST is played by two competing Alliances of three robots each on a flat 25’ x 54’ foot field, straddled by a truss suspended just over five feet above the floor. The objective is to score as many balls in goals as possible during a two (2)-minute and 30-second match. The more Alliances score their ball in their goals, and the more they work together to do it, the more points their Alliance receives.
FELICIA is our 2014 competition robot. She has two “whirlygigs” on the front that collect the ball, and a pneumatic launcher that sends it flying into goals. Felicia was our first robot, but she got 29th out of 60 teams at the Wisconsin Regional in Milwaukee, plus the “Highest Rookie Seed” and “Rookie Inspiration” awards.
