Mr. Roboto
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By BETH YOUNG
Standard-Examiner staff
Robotics clubs ready to shine
WOODS CROSS --Two boxes containing more than 400 parts delivered to the Woods Cross High School's Robotics club just six weeks ago will be shipped to Las Vegas today as a fully functioning robot named Nitro.
"We just started out with this kit of parts," said junior MaryAnn Hammon, a member of the club, called Team Implosion.
"I just couldn't see how it could turn into what it is now. Watching it come together was just amazing."
The robot was built for participation in the FIRST Robotics Regional Competition, set for March 27-28 in Las Vegas.
This is the first year the Woods Cross High team has participated.
With only six weeks to build, the 15-member team has spent hundreds of hours designing, programming and building its robot.
"It's a big commitment," said junior Steve Hammon, team captain and MaryAnn's brother. "They have to come every day -- except Sunday -- three hours a night."
In the competition, robots accrue points for completing various maneuvers, including racing around a track while moving a 6-pound, 40-inch ball.
The robot is controlled through remote joysticks, but also must be programmed to work on its own for the autonomous part of the competition.
The Woods Cross robot is about 2 feet wide, 3 feet long and weighs 116 pounds, just a few pounds shy of the 120-pound limit. It's about 4 feet tall, until the pneumatic arms that the team designed to carry the ball are extended to their full height of about 6 feet.
"When we first started this, our goal was just to push the ball around," Steve Hammon said. "Wehave been able to lift the ball up, move it around, carry it, drop it, everything. We overshot all of our goals."
To get the robot to carry out their bidding, team members had to write hundreds of lines of software coding for the onboard computer.
"You can't just say, 'Turn.' You have to tell it how to turn, which means controlling how the wheels turn and the speed it goes so it turns at the right angle," said senior Michael Bradshaw. "You have to control it at every degree."
With so many elements required to complete a robot, group members had to work as a team to make their vision a reality.
"I don't think one single person knows how the whole thing works," said sophomore Tayson Holzer. "Probably the most anybody knows is one-fourth of it."
There are two other high school robotics clubs in Utah -- at Weber High and in San Juan School District in Southern Utah.
This is Weber High's third year to compete, and team members helped Team Implosion get its start in robotics.
"I went up there and really liked what I saw," said Steve Hammon. "I helped them build a robot last school year."
Because of his involvement with the Weber High team, Steve Hammon decided to start a club at his school.
"I think it's cool," said Jacquelyn Jones, Weber team captain. "I think we need more (teams in Utah). I am really excited for them. I know our first year was really exciting. You learn a lot."
The two Top of Utah teams spent Monday putting the finishing touches on their robots and practicing maneuvers. Now that they are finished, team members are finally absorbing what they have accomplished.
"It's one of those things you never think you will have the chance to do, and when you do, it's totally amazing," Bradshaw said. "This is something that college grads do, and this what we are doing in high school."
It has taken many people to get Nitro on its way to Las Vegas. The Woods Cross metal shop helped with the frame, and the wood shop built the shipping crate.
Competition registration costs $6,000, which includes the robot's parts. Because it is Team Implosion's first year, NASA and FIRST provided a $5,000 grant.
Team members also must raise money to travel to Las Vegas. Local businesses have helped sponsor the team and loaned work space.
Besides a lot of parental involvement, the team also had two University of Utah student mentors.
"We couldn't do it without the mentors and parents," Steve Hammon said.
The 17th season of the FIRST Robotics Competition includes more than 1,500 teams from around the world. The Las Vegas event is one of 41 regional competitions that will culminate in a championship with 340 teams in April at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
For more information about the FIRST Robotics Competition, visit www.usfirst.org. For more information about the local high school teams, visit www.teamimplosion.com or www.weberfever.org.
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