2021 Season
Game design challenge
For the Game Design Challenge, we were given the opportunity to design a FIRST Robotics Competition game and compete with other teams for a chance to pitch our game to the FIRST Robotics Competition Game Design Team.
Our team started off by looking at different ways to use the Game Design Challenge Element, a chain, in our game. We then began creating different game design concepts to review and ended up choosing the System Overboard concept, officially called Storm Surge. Afterwards, we went through different scenarios to figure out point systems, rules, and fouls for Storm Surge. Our team spent many hours working on the Written Submission, Supplementary Information, and the Game Animation as well.
Game design challenge Documents
Game Design Supplemental Documentation:
Game Design Submission:
game_design_supplemental_info.pdf
game_design_submission.pdf
innovation challenge
The Innovation Challenge had us identify a problem and design a solution to help a community of people keep optimal physical and/or mental health through active play or movement.
First, we brainstormed ideas with the entire team at kickoff about possible problems and solutions that addressed the challenge. Our Innovation team then sorted all of our ideas and continued to brainstorm off of what we had. After further review, we decided to help kids with autism feel safer and more comfortable in various sports environments by designing an ear piece called LimeAid.
We had several discussions about the different features that should be included in LimeAid. To help with our research, we contacted various experts at UC Davis, the Special Olympics, as well as people on our team and in our community with autism. Afterwards, we made different CAD models and 3D printed prototypes of our earpiece and designed an optional wristband if the earpieces weren’t preferred. Both the earpieces and the wristband have buttons which notify coaches on the LimeAid app if athletes need immediate help. The LimeAid App is designed to allow coaches to communicate directly to the athlete and includes adjustable settings for tactile feedback, volume, and noise cancellation.
innovation challenge Documents
Game Design Supplemental Documentation:
LimeAid Written Submission:
innovation_challenge_presentation_slides.pdf
limeaid_written_submission.pdf
skills challenges
The FIRST At Home Skills Challenges were unique to the 2021 season and replicated the competitive elements of a FIRST game in a typical year, while still allowing teams to compete virtually. A total of five challenges were available for teams to participate in, but only the top three scores from challenges would be used. Keeping this in mind, our team decided to focus on the Galactic Search, AutoNav, and Hyperdrive challenges.
Right to left, "Clemen-teeny" and "Clemen-tiny."
We discovered that all three challenges required a lightweight, speed-optimized robot to get the best times possible. Thus we designed a tank robot, “Clemen-teeny,” and a swerve robot, “Clemen-tiny.” “Clemen-teeny” is a modified AndyMark treadrunner with nitrile tread and eight falcons in drive. The goal with this robot was to maximize contact with the carpet, yet minimize the size of the robot. “Clemen-tiny” is a modified SDS MK3 swerve drive with 12 falcons in the drive. Swerve, however, is new to our team so we stuck with our reliable tank bot while completing the autonomous challenges.