iRaiders Qualify for New England Championships!

The arena is filled with a cheering crowd. Everyone is adorned in their team’s color. All are waiting for the six teams to compete in their final match. The red alliance versus the blue alliance: who will win? Robots rush across the field shooting as many goals as possible. As some start their climbs, the sound of the horn marks the end of the match. The First Robotics Competition program emphasizes it as the “sport for the mind,” a space for students who are interested in STEM to compete in a fun environment. Dozens of teams across New England meet to show off their robots and compete. Teams form alliances and collaborate together.

Over the weekend of March 31st – April 2nd, the iRaiders participated in their second competition of the season. Out of the total 185 teams in New England, the iRaiders were among the top 80 teams that qualified for District Championships. This is a huge accomplishment, marking the iRaiders’ return to the New England Championships in over 10 years. Having qualified for such an event, the iRaiders are among the top 56% of teams in the Northeast! 

“I just think it’s really cool that [we qualified] when I was a freshman, and I am just really glad that, in this huge rebuilding year for us, this could happen,” Kate Urchuk said. Urchuk, a new member this year, is part of the drive team and helps control the robot during competition. 

Having participated in two previous competitions and now qualified for the third, the iRaiders have been modifying their robot after each competition. For example, in all competitions, robots are expected to shoot balls into one of two goals. In the beginning of the season, the iRaiders set a modest target by aiming for the low-goal, which is 3 feet off the ground and worth only 1 point. Recently, with a lot of hard work, the team has been able to execute high-goal shoots! These shots are 3 times higher than previously and worth twice as much. Along with this modification, the students have added a trajectory sensor. The robot can now determine its distance away from the goal and how far away the ball should be shot. These improvements to the robot design will make the iRaiders even stronger competitors at the New England Championships.

Not only do students get the opportunity to attend fun and engaging competitions, but they also learn how to problem solve and develop new ideas. Using 3D design software, such as CAD, students can take their robot design from a concept to a polished product. With help from experienced mentors, students apply what they learn to keep improving the robot design. 

“We go through this cycle when we’re trying to make something improved, let’s say for the high-goal, for example,” said Peter Story, a junior on the team. “We usually CAD [something new], and then we start building with mechanical, and if electrical needs to wire they’d also do that, and in software we’ll test. That’s pretty much the cycle of how we make stuff better.” 

The iRaiders and their shooter design will once again be put to the test next weekend April 14th – 16th. Watch for results and updates of the team’s performance at District Championships!