The Mukwonago BEARs

Different People, Same Technology

Brian Scharles — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:34:31 +0000

Researchers at National Taiwan University are building their cutting-edge robots with the same control system that we compete with in FIRST.

Wheels. Legs. This robot has both

Weight Watchers

Josh Santarelli — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:35:19 +0000

Because we switched to a new type of frame last year, our 2011 robot was underweight, something we’ve never experienced since 2008. Because of this, the team this year has been a lot less vigilant in our weight watching, with the exception of Steven; he brought the topic up several times, saying he was concerned about it because no one else was. We kind of dismissed it, but he was right.

Tuesday was when we officially found out: WE’RE FAT! We all deserve a few rounds of “I told you so” from Steven. About 20 pounds overweight was our rough estimate, and unfortunately, aerobics classes are out of the question. This is yet another echo from my first year (see my post called Lunacy Echoes if you don’t know what I’m talking about) but this year is different in that we found out 2 weeks before the end instead of 2 days. That year, we missed the Sussex mini-competition (a practice competition that team 537 hosts) and instead spent the time frantically taking off less necessary parts and doing what we call cheesing: drilling so many holes to reduce weight that the robot looks like Swiss cheese. This year, we’ve got a little more time, so we organized a group to figure out how to shave off those extra pounds. We’ll be replacing a lot of our steel parts with aluminum, and redesigning a few minor things to be more efficient. Because we found out so soon, this is a problem instead of a crisis, and although it’ll be close, I think we can pull it off.

Shooter Action

Megan Thurow — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:54:57 +0000

Robot obsessed rookie joins FIRST community

Curt Henrichs — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:20:42 +0000

I have always been drawn towards science and math, and then I started working with computers. One day in seventh grade, after being inspired by a dream, I decided to build a robot. After many trips to the Mukwonago Public Library and the Waukesha Public Library, I had finally gathered the knowledge necessary for creating my first real robot. It was a very crude BEAM robot, and yet that was the turning point for my entire life. As I progressed in my new found hobby, I learned and enhanced skills, such as programming and engineering. Then, first year of high school my opportunity to join the school’s FIRST robotics team came, yet I took a path that led me away from that experience. When sophomore year came around I was determined to join FIRST Robotics Team 930. I was drawn to the programming aspect of the team. This let me learn new ways to control robots, like PID, and lets me play with the cRIO. As this season goes along I am certain that I will gain more knowledge in robotics. As Gordon McComb said, “Robotics is a journey; the destination is what you’ve learned along the way, and how you use that knowledge to better yourself, and the world”.

Photo Gallery: The Chassis and Shooter come together

Megan Thurow — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:39:18 +0000

Safety Tip #4

Christa — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:22:24 +0000

Hello to all teams! I write to you at 8:15 pm after an extremely long day of building, and we’re still going.

As crunch time sets in, it’s normal for many hands to be on the robot. I warn you that while many hands make light work, sometimes many hands can make for less efficiency. Be aware that while you are working on your robot, that you communicate and are aware of what is going on around you. Accidents and errors occur while lots of people are trying to help each other to get things done.

Good luck with the rest of your season and see you next week!

Steady Progress

Megan Thurow — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:46:39 +0000

More Fun Works in Progress

Megan Thurow — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:05:12 +0000

Photo Gallery: Construction Begins!

Megan Thurow — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:09:57 +0000

From behind cameras I lurk

Caidlena Krohn — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:17:25 +0000

I joined FIRST because it was something my best friend was doing and she told me it was oodles and oodles of fun, and it is. I mostly became interested in joining the team because said best friend said that the team was in need of an individual who would be able to make videos and take some pictures and what not. Every video so far this season with the team’s logo in the beginning and in the corner was once in many pieces in my video editing program.

From my perspective, I don’t just get one part of the picture. I see many pieces of the many groups working on manufacturing ideas and parts for what will soon be our team’s robot. As I edit and put the many video fragments together, I get to see much of the progress our team makes day by day, week by week, and so on. I’ve helped the team brainstorm different prototype ideas and filmed them piecing together the robot’s skeletal base, constructing different shooter models, figuring various courses of action to take, and so on. It enables me to get a rough idea of what everyone’s working on.

Joining the team was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made. I’ve gotten to meet so many awesome people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise.