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: Scorpius
This 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
Sponsors
We would like to thank our sponsors who sponsored us during the season for their contribution to the team.
Diamond: 3M | Danfoss | NASA | Workiva
Platinum: Alliant Energy Foundation | Bayer Fund | Cleveland Aircraft Tool | Collins Aerospace | Intuitive Foundation | John Deere
Emerald: CIT Signature Transportation | Iowa 4-H Foundation
Gold: City of Ames Electric | Frontline BioEnergy | Gannett Fleming | Kingland | United Way | Chevron REG
Silver: BASF | The Loft | Zymosense, Inc. | Kemin | Ludicrous Creations
Bronze: Varsity Car Wash | Woodruff Construction
In-Kind: Hickory Construction | Interstate Batteries | Jimmy Johns – Campus | Iowa State University