the spacecookies robotics team blog: Season 2007-2008

Thinking ahead, Next steps and Meeting...

I want to echo my thanks to everyone who

• built the robot,
• helped find money to travel and to build said robot,
• worked on web site (see current blog put together by Meghna's dad from girl-provided materials www.spacecookies.org and soon see complete web site designed by Stephanie and others),
• created "bill of materials" in the middle of the night before competition,
• participated in competition through driving, scouting, re-building, etc.,
• and to those parents who came to cheer us on.

You all should be very proud.  Our claw broke a few times, but you persevered and we ended up with a robot that can do everything Paly's does (they were part of the alliance that very nearly took first place at SVR).  We have ideas for a new, improved claw, but even if we remove claw entirely we can score in autonomous mode, get balls off the rack when needed, and drive fast.  Wow!!!

We will meet at 6 PM Wednesday.  My goals are to:

    * celebrate what we have accomplished already
    * chart road to Championships including setting schedule
    * start to generate ideas for even more successful 2009 season while this build season is still vividly in our minds

If you can come at 4:30, please let me know and we will unpack our stuff from SVR and clean up the lab a bit.

We have major paperwork coming for trip to Atlanta (I believe that damage to Omni Hotel and Georgia Dome was largely superficial and I expect games to go on as scheduled).

We need to:

• decide if we want to have booth at Sally Ride festival at Santa Clara U 3/39 http://www.sallyridescience.com/festivals/08scu0329
• schedule team recruitment event (May 17th or 18th or another day besides Mothers' Day or Memorial Day weekend)
• schedule post season party (parties?) for ourselves, our families, our sponsors
• plan a mini-camp for current and new team at SCU in July?

Once again, you have made all the hard work worthwhile.  You are a remarkable group of young women with awesome parents.  Krystine did an awesome job of pulling it all together.  Thanks everyone.

Diane

FIRST Scholarships March 2008 Update

From: FRC Teams
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 6:39 AM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: **FIRST EMAIL**/FIRST Scholarship Early March Update

Greetings Teams,

Good Luck to all of you in your regional competitions.  Be sure to take the opportunity during your regional event to visit the FIRST Scholarship Program table.  Here you can get information about the $9.6 million in college scholarships available to FIRST high school students.  Your regional may also be hosting a Scholarship Row or College Fair where representatives from colleges are available to talk to you about their campus, programs, and scholarships.  Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity.  And please take the time to thank these schools for offering FIRST Scholarships!

The following scholarship have been added or updated recently on the FIRST Scholarship webpage (www.usfirst.org/scholarships) :

• Tulane University  (deadline 1/15)  
• University of Maryland/BAE Systems (deadline 3/1)  
• Vermont Technical College – for out-of-state students (deadline 4/1)  
• University of Arizona/BAE Systems (deadline 4/30)  
• Georgia Tech (deadline 3/17)  
• RPI / BAE Systems – you must apply as a JUNIOR for this scholarship   (deadline 5/15)  
• CalPoly San Luis Obispo/BAE Systems (deadline 4/11)  
• New Jersey Institute of Technology/Mercedes-Benz  (deadline 5/1)  
• Penn State/BAE Systems (deadline 4/1)

Go Teams!

-- 
FIRST Robotics Competition

Prior participation in First Lego League - Message from FIRST

This message is for anyone who participated in First Lego robotics before joining our team.  If this includes you, please respond to frcteams@usfirst.org
Thanks!
Diane

-----Original Message-----
From: FRC Teams
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 10:52 AM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: **FIRST EMAIL**/FLL to FRC Participants!

Greetings FRC Teams!

Did you "graduate" from the FIRST LEGO League to your FRC team? Would you say that FLL influenced your decision to join FRC? If so, we want to hear from you!

Many of you may remember last year we began collecting stories of team members who started in FLL and then moved on to FRC. This time, we want to hear specifically how FLL has impacted the decisions you have made - from joining FRC to what you plan to do after high school to your career goals. We want to know more of those amazing stories of how FLL has changed your life!

If you meet the following criteria, please let us know!
1) You participated in FLL.
2) You would say your involvement in FRC is a direct result of your participation in FLL.
3) You would say your future education and career goals changed as a direct result of your participation in FLL.

If you meet that criteria, e-mail FLLteams@usfirst.org with your name, your FRC team number, what regional you are attending, and a brief summary of how FLL has impacted you. With the information sent in, we want to use it to highlight you!  This may be as a spotlight on you in the FIRST newsletter or we may send a camera to your regional and tape an interview with you!  We know there are many amazing stories out there and we think the public should know.

If you know of previous FRC team members or perhaps your mentors who participated in FLL and have since graduated from high school and are in college or in their career, please pass this along to them as well.

We hope to hear from you. Please send in all responses as soon as possible, but no later than March 7, 2008.

Go Teams!

What are the FIRST Regionals?

Regionals are the events that take place all over.  The first ones were this past weekend.  If you go to www.usfirst.org and click on "events" you will get a list of the events.  The ones that have already taken place will have "results" and some will have video available.   If you watch some of the video you will understand how the game is played a whole lot more.  You will also gain insight into what kind of strategies work for this year's game.  Each week the robots get more sophisticated as teams learn from the previous events.

We will go to Silicon Valley Regional at Event Center at San Jose State March 13-15.   This is considered to be one of the most competitive regionals and some of the top teams in the nation will be there.  Some teams come specifically to try to beat Team 254 (the boys who meet at NASA too).  They have won SVR every year they have competed except one.  See their impressive collection of blue banners about the lab.

Thursday is set aside for making improvements on the robot we shipped (putting cables on  the  elevator, swapping  the  claw, completing wiring,  programming,  etc.)  There are also practice rounds so we can put our robot to the test.  All day Friday and Saturday morning are the seeding rounds.  Saturday afternoon the best 24 robots (out of about 48) will go head to head to choose the best alliance of 3  teams .   The top seeded 8 teams each choose 2 other teams to be part of their alliance to win the championship of the day.  It is a very complicated process and often the top 12 teams become choosers.  Our first year we were seeded 5th which is unheard of for a rookie team!  Last year we were 47th out of 48, so we expect to be on our way back up.

During the seeding matches  there will be 4 girls (including Krystine) serving as the drive team running the robot.  Several more will be madly working in the pit between matches as the robot will undoubtedly need repairs, tuning up, replacing the battery, etc.

The rest of the team will be scouting the other teams.  Sila is our head scout, and she will work with the drive team to determine the information that will be helpful to know about each team.  Pre-match scouting is gleaning whatever information you can from the internet or by talking to others.  Pit scouting is what you can learn by walking around the pits and looking at other teams' robots and talking to other teams about their strengths and weaknesses.  Match scouting is what you can learn from watching the matches.  Hopefully this year we will be able to compile the information in a way that it is more useful to the drive team during the matches.  Scouting information becomes vital if you are seeded in the top 12 or so as you may have to choose alliances that will complement your strengths; if you are chosen, your information will help your alliance to plat strategy against the opposing alliances.  Scouting goes both ways; the image our team projects to other teams may well affect how we are perceived and could determine if we are selected for an alliance.  We want to be seen as competent (don't dwell on the negatives), cooperative, honest, and fun to be with -- do not exhibit obnoxious or overbearing attitudes.

There are other awards in addition to the ones for the winningest teams.  Perhaps the 2 most important awards are the judges' award and the chairman's award.  Our rookie year we did not win a single match at the championships, yet the girls were still incredibly upbeat and eager to help each other and other teams.  The judges noticed this and also the fact that all of the girls could answer their questions confidently and correctly.  They also realized that we were truly a girl-driven team.  We won the judges award at the championship!  The chairman's award recognizes extra effort beyond FIRST -- if we enlarge our commitment to the Lego robotics team(s) from EPACS, combined with our work with NASA and Girl Scout events, we will have a chance to win a future Chairman's Award!

The motto of FIRST is "gracious professionalism".  You will quickly discover that the games are highly competitive, yet teams are very willing to share parts and expertise with any team that asks.

There are also many aspects of a sporting match including team mascots dancing together or leading cheers for their own team.  We are inviting area Girl Scouts to join us.  Talk to Lilian about the fun of wearing the Cookie costume and leading cheers.

The Championships are similar, except the best teams from the world are there and teams are divided into 4 divisions.  Each division chooses a champion alliance and then those alliances go head to head for an overall championship.

Diane

Leadership for 2008/9

I forgot one more thing, and I figured this was important enough to start thinking about. If you are interested in a leadership role for the team next year (co-captain, electronics lead, mechanical lead, marketing, etc) and want to know more, please contact myself (k.j.fang@gmail.com), Lilian (laven.derGreen+robotics@gmail.com), and/or Gaby (gopv1990@gmail.com). This does not mean you will automatically be given a position; there may be a longer process involved. Talking to us is mostly to give you a more in depth view of what it has been like to lead the team.

A few things to consider: if you want to lead, you have to make robotics a first priority extracurricular, and you will probably find yourself doing robotics-related work outside the lab as well. You do not need to be an expert in X right now, but you have to make an effort to snuggle up to whoever is doing X even if it is just watching (definitely a valuable pastime). At the beginning of the 2007, I was definitely quiet and did not know that much about robotics. I probably learned the majority of what I know about electronics just by watching Skye. I'm still learning new things these year. It is not a matter of knowing right off the bat what the right answer is, but knowing how to use your resources. Plus, Gaby, Lilian, and I are not just going to leave you once we come back from Atlanta. We will continue to hold those "pre-season" workshops. You will probably get more out of it this time now that you know what you will use all that knowledge to do.

Leadership is definitely a rewarding experience, so think about it. It has added a whole new dimension to robotics for me. You do not have to reply right away, but keep in the back of your mind.

-- Katherine, Gaby, Lilian

FIRST Scholarships Feb2008 Update

We know you are all hard at work putting the finishing touches on your robots. But be sure to keep your eyes on the FIRST Scholarship application deadline dates so that you don’t miss an opportunity to help pay for college.  See the searchable list of FIRST Scholarships at http://www.usfirst.org/scholarships.  Note that you can sort the list by application deadline by clicking on the Deadline column header.

The following scholarships have been added or updated recently:

• ITT Technical Institute  – (now has 24 participating campuses in 13   states: AZ, CA, IN, MI, MO, NY, OR, TX, VA, WI, WA, SC, PA, and OK)    (Deadline of 4/4/08)  
• Oregon Institute of Technology  (3/1/08)  
• Purdue University  (3/1/08)  
• Raytheon  Company (4/30/08)  
• Society of Women Engineers – Space Coast Section (woman, Florida resident)   (3/15/08)  
• Southern California Regional Robotics Forum (SCRRF)  
• University of Missouri at Columbia (3/1/08)  
• University of South Florida (3/1/08)  
• Wayne State University (4/6/08)  
• Embry Riddle Aeronautical University – The Prescott AZ campus has offered   an additional $25,000 (four year total of $100,000) for scholarships in   various amounts for students who missed their February 1st deadline.    Call them for more info.

If you are planning on attending a college or university that does NOT currently offer a FIRST Scholarship, be sure to look at the following FIRST Scholarships that can be used at the college of your choice:

•   ASME  (Deadline 3/15/08)  
•   Fabricator & Manufacturers Association Foundation    (4/4/08)  
•   Phil Clancy Scholarship (for students from Michigan)    (3/7/08)  
•   Raytheon Company  (4/30/08)  
•   Society of Women Engineers – Houston Area (woman, Texas resident)   (3/7/08)  
•   Society of Women Engineers – Space Coast Section (woman, Florida   resident) (3/15/08)  
•   Southern California Regional Robotics Forum (for students from   Southern California) (4/1/08)

Earning your expenses

Please note that the Girl Scouts require travel troops (like us) to earn part of the expenses themselves, and not rely entirely on sponsorships.  Opportunities include fall product sale, cookie sale, and things like Stanford concessions or car washes.  Fall sale is over and Stanford concessions fell through this year.  Christine's mom Paula will bring car wash ideas to you on Wednesday.  Now is the time to sell more cookies and turn in your order form to Anna Marie.

Everyone who sells at least 10 boxes of cookies will be eligible for a free lunch at Silicon Valley Regional next month!  Please try to at least meet this very minimal requirement.  By the way, if you are in two troops you should split your orders between the troops as both troops will be incurring expenditures on your behalf.

Diane

Calendar of Events

It is great to see so many girls in the lab!

Here are the competitions that we are signed up for.  Please check your calendars and let me know tentatively which events you plan to attend.  Be sure to check when your school's prom (and other big events) takes place and consider if you are willing to miss it if there is a conflict.

March 13-15 (Thursday - Saturday).  Silicon Valley Regional (SVR) at San Jose State.  Everyone should plan to attend if at all possible.

March 20-22 (Thursday - Saturday).  Davis Regional at UC Davis.  We are signed up, but have not paid our entrance fee.  Fee is due next week so we need to decide right away if we want to participate.  Advantages include the fact that the competition won't be quite as intense as SVR so we have more chance of winning and it is nearby and we can go without spending a lot of money and without endless Girl Scout paperwork.  Team could decide to make this sort of a JV event and encourage younger team members plus any who can't attend Championships in April to take the lead.

April 17-19  (We would fly on 16th and 20th, so realistically Wednesday - Sunday).  We are signed up and our entrance fee is paid!  Hotel rooms are reserved.  We need a parent to arrange group flights -- please ask yours if they would be willing to do this.  Last month, Delta had cheap non-stop flights on Wednesday and on Sunday morning but we certainly were not in a position to purchase non-refundable tickets.  The Championship is an amazing experience and a chance to see lots of cool robots and thousands of kids having fun making them work -- it is well worth making the effort to get there.

Please look at your calendars and get back to me right away!

Thanks.

Diane

Santa Clara University Engineering Education Days & Summer Program

Hello
Girls,  apply if you are interested and forward this to others who may be interested.
Shoba

In this email you will find information about two programs for Bay Area High School Students who would like to learn about engineering. Please feel free to share this information with family and friends.

The School of Engineering at Santa Clara University has the honor of announcing two exciting programs designed for high school students who are considering engineering as a possible major in college: the Spring Engineering Education Days and the Summer Engineering Seminar. Both programs are designed to encourage women and underrepresented minorities to the study of engineering, but all eligible students are welcome to apply. Additionally, they are offered at no cost to participants, with the exception of transportation to and from the university.

Spring Engineering Education Days (SEEDs)
http://scu.edu/engineering/undergraduate/seeds.cfm

During the four Saturdays in April, students from around the San Francisco Bay Area come to Santa Clara University and take both lecture and hands-on courses taught by engineering faculty members. Class sessions provide participants with the opportunity to explore engineering topics not normally available to high school students and focus on the actual use of engineering tools.  Application deadline is February 8th.

Summer Engineering Seminar (SES)
http://scu.edu/engineering/undergraduate/ses.cfm

The SES program is a special summer experience in which students take specially designed classes taught by engineering faculty.  Courses span the range of the field of engineering and provide students with the opportunity to work together creatively to solve problems. Participants also get a taste of university life by staying in residence halls, eating meals at campus and neighboring dining facilities, and taking part in fun afternoon and evening activities. Application deadline is April 2nd.

 

Kickoff 2008 Season Tomorrow

Space Cookies:

 

Tomorrow is the real start of the FRC Robotics season.  The worldwide kickoff is at 7 AM our time and can be seen live on NASA TV.  Try the link below.  You may have to futz around a bit to get it to work on your computer.  There will be lots of speeches as well as the unveiling of the game for this year.  Our 3 leaders will be at San Jose State watching it live and they will pick up the kit of parts.  If you see yourself as a future team leader, you might consider watching it on NASA TV at 7.

 

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Breaking.html

 

We will have our own team kickoff starting at 10 AM in the conference room.  We will watch the video (skipping most of the speeches), brainstorm, and eat.  After lunch, we will probably move over to the lab and continue brainstorming.  Katherine, Lilian, and Gabriela will send more details about the schedule for the weekend as well as for the build season. 

 

Shoba is checking the paperwork so we can be sure everyone is legal -- starting Monday, you will be sent home if you do not have all of your paperwork in.  Please have your parents stop by when they drop you off tomorrow to see if there is anything they need to fill in and/or sign.

 

The photographer from the documentary company will be with us all day tomorrow.

 

We need a team picture for marketing.  Please wear your team shirt if you have one.  If you have any extras (from 2007 or 2008), put your name in the collar and bring so others can wear them.  I recommend a long sleeve shirt under your team shirt, rather than a sweatshirt over it -- then you will look like part of the team, but be dressed appropriately for winter.  Obviously, wear a sweatshirt and/or a jacket while outside.

 

If you have a laptop computer, consider bringing it to the lab this weekend.  We will want to do lots of internet research to determine the feasibility of your wonderful ideas.

 

The manual for the 2008 season is available to download now.  (See forwarded message below.)  Parts of it are encrypted and they will tell us the password at the end of the official kickoff.  The details are below.  You can also wait a few days and download it unencrypted -- this is just so not everyone in the world is trying to get to the same site at the same time tomorrow.  We will print one copy of key parts of the manual and it will be in a notebook at the lab for reference.  If you want your own copy, you will have to download it and print it, we cannot provide hard copies to everyone.

 

See you tomorrow!  If you can't come tomorrow, be sure to watch the kickoff (live on NASA TV at 7 AM or search www.usfirst.org later) and then try to come on Sunday.  This weekend is key to our success as a team.  Many of you have finals the week after next, so we need to accomplish a great deal in the first week.

 

If your driver does not have a badge, remember to contact Krystine and get your name on the "after hours list" at the gate so you will be able to get in.

 

Diane

 

-----Original Message-----
From: FRC Teams
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 2:28 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: **FIRST EMAIL**/FRC Competition Manual Encrypted Sections Now Available for Download!

Greetings Teams:

The 2008 Kickoff has finally arrived! FRC has been extremely busy preparing for this event and the entire 2008 season. We are very excited to welcome you to the season and introduce the 2008 game.

In order to prepare teams we want to inform you of a few items:

Encrypted Sections of Manual Now Available
The encrypted sections of the 2008 FRC Competition Manual (sections 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10) are now available for download at http://www.usfirst.org/frc/2008/manual
To download, right-click on the pdf file and select "Save Link/Target As...".
The password for accessing these documents will be available at the end of the Kickoff broadcast on Saturday, January 5th, 2008.

Prior to Saturday please make sure your computer has the proper software by following the instructions for the 2008 Decryption Test found here, http://www.usfirst.org/frc_documents

Consent and Release Forms
If you are attending the Manchester or a Local Kickoff please note that all team members (students and adult contacts) are required to have a signed Consent and Release form. These forms will be collected at the registration area prior to the Kickoff broadcast. You can download and print copies from http://www.usfirst.org/community/frc/content.aspx?id=960

KOP Dimensions
Please make sure you have enough space available in your vehicle to accommodate the Kit of Parts. Dimensions and weight are listed below:

2 plastic totes (grey and black)
27" x 17" x 12" each
About 65 - 70lbs each

2 cardboard boxes
36" x 4" x 9"
12" x 16"

Have an exciting and inspirational season!

Go Teams!

-- 
FIRST Robotics Competition

(p) 1-800-871-8326 x 0
(f) 603-666-3907