The Mohawk Minute Issue #1

Pre-Build Season

For our Pre-build Season, each team has been working on some basics and teaching new students how we run things in RoboRiot. Here’s a rundown of what we’ve been up to so far:

Basecamp is a communications platform that RoboRiot uses to coordinate projects among team members and other sub-teams. For newcomers, learning how to use the app could be a bit complicated. Luckily, we’ve got that handled. The Business Team has made a presentation for the students to learn how to download and use Basecamp.

For any parents that aren’t aware, CAD stands for Computer-Aided Design. Our CAD team works on fine-tuning the details for our robot’s design before the fabrication team follows through and creates the robot from that design.

Our CAD teams split into two groups to cover more ground on the plans for this year’s bot: the Triangle Bot. RoboRiot switched to different software, so our first team was working on the basics of the program and figuring out the swerve drive for our bot. CAD Team Two was working on making a prototype for the shooter we want on our triangle bot. They were working on getting positioning for the camera on our shooter as well. Overall, they’ve been hard-at-work getting us ready for Build Season.

RoboRiot’s Fabrication Team was working on repairing the robots from past years. The 2018 and 2019 robots only required minor repairs, but the 2016 bot required more in-depth analysis and maintenance to get it up-and-running again.

As CAD continues to work on designs for this year’s robot, the fabrication team will continue showing new students how we do things and how to operate the machinery. 

Our Programming Team codes our robot so that our Drivers can maneuver the robot during competitions. The Programming Team was working on some coding basics. They went through the basics of Java with some of the newcomers. They also went through and worked on different programming languages, so that the newcomers can carry on when our Senior Captain leaves.

ATTENTION PARENTS: In previous years, MailChimp was the service we used to send emails and notices to parents. Due to changes in their policies and overall format, we will be using a new service. *Sender* will be the new service we will be using. You won’t need to sign up for the service yourself, you will simply need to watch your emails for updates like when we used MailChimp. This is simply an update so that you won’t be surprised by a possible new format.

ALSO: Kickoff for Build Season will be a little different this year. RoboRiot will be having our kickoff at North High School, with Red Raider Robotics. Kickoff starts at 9:00 A.M., so students should meet there at 8:45 A.M. Dropoff should be at the Advanced Technology Center on School Ave., by North High. After Kickoff, students will be transported by bus to Sheboygan Falls High School to commence Build Season work free grammar checker. We will be done here at 4:00 P.M., so students can be picked up at SFHS at that time.

As we head into Winter Break and get ready for Build Season, we wish everyone a Happy Holidays! Or, if you don’t celebrate, have a good break!

-RoboRiot