2023: Charged Up

Game Overview

Charged Up is the 2023 FIRST Robotics Competition game. Charged Up is played by two alliances of three teams each, with each team controlling a robot and completing specific actions in order to score points. The game revolves around both alliances placing safety cones and inflatable “cubes” on 3 power grids. Then in the last 30 seconds, each team rushes to balance on and engage their charging station. The overall objective of each match is to score more points than the opposing alliance before the match ends. More information can be found on Wikipedia or watch the game animation.


Our Robot

RobotThis year, our robot was named Scorpius due to the scorpion-like appearance of it’s extending arm. Our robot used a 6-wheel drop center tank drive. Scorpius was designed to score all 3 heights on the grid, with an on-the-ground cube intake and a telescoping scoring arm. During the autonomous period, the robot can either score two game pieces or score one and balance on the charge station. The intake uses wheels and a beam break to collect and index cubes. We created an auto-grab command which allows the intake to smoothly transfer a cube to the arm. The arm also uses a beam break sensor, and is powered by pneumatics. In addition to scoring cubes, the arm can collect cones from the double substation and score them.


Competitions

This year we attended the Minnesota Northern Lights Regional where we won the Excellence in Engineering award, Iowa Regional where we won the prestigious Engineering Inspiration award and Dean’s List Finalist, and the World Championship in Houston after being pre-qualified from our Engineering Inspiration win last year.


Chairman’s

Read our complete chairman’s submission.


The Team

Students

Chetas A, Grace C, Morgan D, Jackson D, David D, Lyra H, Meabh H, Henry K, Leslie K, Maighdlin L, Mikayla L, Anton L, Anirudh M, Owen M, Logan M, Becky M, Nathan P, Swaran P, Matthias R, Vienna R, Elijah S, Fyona S, Aneesh S, Jonah S, Shreya S, Micah S, Sherry W, Cale W, Sarah Y, Adam Z

Associate Students

Ellen B, Laura C, Sophie C, Lindy C, Silas E, Rayn K, Zachary L, Minnah M, Daniel M, Evan N, Subaita N, Anika S, Liyuan W, Claire W, Noah W, Joshua W, Mick W

Mentors

Andrew G, John H, Michael H, Nate K, Mike L, Andrew M, Matthew N, Dagney P, Jamie P, Supraja P, Lovedeep R, David R, Brian S, Stacia S, Timothy S, Trace T, Jim W, Moriah Z, Erin M