The Menlo Girls’ Robotics team showed their skills at the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Fremont Qualifer over the weekend, winning first place overall and earning a spot in the NorCal Championships. Even more impressive, they won the Inspire Award, which the judges award to the team they consider a model FTC team.

Team 3053, also known as “Knights Robotics,” includes Lauren Yang, the team captain, Niky Arora, Clare Cho, Rebecca Ma, Mina Mahmood, Claire McFarland, Mikayla Stabile, Ellie Schley and Nitya Tarakad (unable to attend).

The all-star team built their robot with specific goals in mind. The competition, known as the First Tech Challenge, was to earn points by scoring different sized balls into tubes of varying heights: 30, 60, 90 and 120 cm. They could also score by dragging tubes onto a ramp and even kicking a kickstand. All this had to be done in 2 minutes and 30 seconds (the length of time in a round). To accomplish this, the team built a robot that could drag the tubes and collect and dump the balls up to 60 cm.

The process of building the robot includes brainstorming, using Computer Aided Design (CAD) to supplement design ideas, prototyping, building and programming. The robot also went through redesigns, even a major one in between tournaments that had to happen in just a week’s time.

In addition to brains, the team’s heart has also been noticed. The Inspire Award is given to the team that has performed well in all categories and that the judges feel truly embodies the challenge of the FTC program: demonstrating what the program, and the young minds involved, can accomplish and serving as an inspiration to others

Another Menlo Robotics team, Team 3055, placed 5th in the seeding round and lost in the semifinals. Also known as the “MidKnights,” the team includes team captain Jason Scharff, Will Borie, Aaron Brown, Henry Fortenbaugh, Nolan Jimenez, Aaron Lee, Kenneth McNelly, Scott Schwab, Nikhil Singhal and Marco Volpi. A third Menlo Robotics team, Team 3851, took 8th out of 15 teams in the seeding round at their first FTC competition. This team, the “KnightMares,” includes co-captains Tommy Yang and Laikh Tewari, Atreya Iyer, Anna Wong (unable to attend) and Andrew Zheng (unable to attend). The girls’ team, “Knights Robotics,” took 4th place in the seeding roundand was an alliance captain in the elimination run. They lost in the semifinals. The NorCal Championship will take place in late February (exact date and location are still TBD).

Be sure to give the Menlo Robotics Club members a high-five if you see them on campus!