Team iBots 2370

Inspiration

In 2008 having a FIRST Robotics Team in Rutland County started out as an idea, and with a number of people working hard to breathe life into this idea, it became a reality. As a result, team iBots 2370 was born. Over the past few years we have gained many new members, each possessing certain qualities that help keep our inspiration, (the spark that makes us who we are), alive and well. And although each year we lose experienced members as they go to follow their own dreams, the newer members always share their own traits of determination, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn that make our team a success. On a broader note, the team as a whole is an inspiration for students to take on challenges, not just on the team, but in life too. Whether it be the decision take harder courses in school or to gain confidence to go on to college and achieve their dreams, everyone embellishes the fact that having a passion for knowledge is a great thing. The students also get the opportunity to work on a team and gain the skills that they'll need to succeed not only in the present but in the future as well. Being on the team can also help many young adults to determine their career path. Even if students join the team in ninth grade, it can help them determine whether their interested in an engineering field or in the sciences.

Recruitment

The iBots are always on the lookout for new team members. New tactics for promotion included showing off our own robot at the annual Rutland County Halloween Parade (one of the largest Halloween parades in the continental U.S.). We decorated the robot in green Christmas lights and used speakers to play loud techno music. Members of the team also handed out candy and buttons. However most of the k...

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...t the large foam wheels we had for wheels we could change the pressure of. This way, to get over the bump we could simply decrease the pressure in the wheels a bit. We also decided to use a chain drive to work the wheels, a risky decision but one that had to be made to get our robot to work (since we're still building, we might change the chain drive to a belt drive if we have time). The kicker was then interestingly made. So far we're sticking with our plan to use surgical tubing and a motor on a pivot to get it to operate correctly. The team has done an excellent job on recovery, but there is still much work to be done, so we wish all of the other teams good luck and we'll see you at the competition!

*I would like to give a special thanks to Paul Cipriani, Jeff Stewart, and all of the other mentors and parents, without whom none of this would have been possible.