N.E.W. Apple Corps Robotics

Bridge balance action!

Team 93 competed in the Wisconsin Regional on March 22-24 at US Cellular Arena in Milwaukee. The team made serveral modifications to the robot between regional competitions. We changed our drive platform to a 4 traction wheels and updated our bridge manipulator to make bridge tipping and climbing easier.

For elimination matches, N.E.W. Apple Corps was selected by the 8th seeded alliance captain, Team #537 (Charger Robotics). Due to our awesome scouting data, we encouraged Team 537 to select Team #171 (Cheesecurd Herd) as our 3rd alliance partner. Our alliance was put up against a tough 1st seeded alliance. We helped our alliance captain develop a complex strategy, consisting of starving the opposing team of basketballs and nearly won our first match. If only we could have had a few extra seconds to pull off a double robot balance on our bridge! The 2nd match was also close, but a basketball was wedged under our bridge and we were unable to get on the bridge to balance. It was a very good fight, especially for an 8th seeded team against a 1st seeded team!   

Team 93 also competed for the Chairman’s Award. Our business/chairman’s team worked very hard all year round to make us a top competitor for this prestigious award. Submission for Chairman’s consists of many written essays, a DVD, and an oral presentation in front of several judges.

NAC won the Team Spirit Award sponsored by Chrysler.

Looking forward, Team 93 is on the wait list for the Championships in St. Louis. Keep your fingers crossed!

New Apple Corps Robotics, FIRST Team 93, competed in the FIRST Robotics Challenge Regional Tournament March 9 &10, in Duluth, MN, reaching the semi-finals.  Sixty-four teams entered the event, one of more than 50 such events held around the world.

 This year’s challenge was a three on three robot basketball game.  After a day and a half of qualifying matches, NEW Apple Corps placed 7^th out of 64 teams.  The top eight teams then selected two other teams to form their three robot alliances.  Team 93 selected teams 3747 (Chaotech of Mankato, MN) and 3883 (Data Bits of Cottage Grove, MN) as their alliance partners.  New Apple Corps’ robot, TOBOR 15, played tenacious defense as their alliance won their best of three quarterfinal matches 2-0.  NEW Apple Corps lost in the semi-final round to an alliance that included FIRST Team 2826 – Wave Robotics of Oshkosh, WI, in two hotly contested matches.

 NEW Apple Corps did not leave Duluth empty handed, however.  Team 93 received the Johnson & Johnson “Gracious Professionalism” award for their efforts in helping other teams with parts and technical knowledge so they could compete and the Xerox Creativity Award for their design of a gripper device to attach to another robot during the match end game, which was to balance one, two, or three robots on a teeter-totter type bridge.     

 NEW Apple Corps will be competing in the Wisconsin FIRST Robotics Regional Tournament in Milwaukee, March 23-24.

Thirteen team members and a few mentors gave a robot demonstration at the Appleton Public library on Saturday, March 3, 2012.  Many interested people showed up to watch Tobor 14 in action.                                                                 

Team 93 hosted a community open house on February 20, 2012.  Team parents provided treats and many people came to check out the team.  Guests included Reid Ribble, Wisconsin’s Congressman for the 8th District, and many members of the AASD School Board.

Check out our cameo appearance in a “History of FIRST Robotics” video on YouTube! Tobor 7 shows up at the 2:07 mark.

History of FIRST Robotics

Oktoberfest 2011, Appleton, WI, held on 9/24/2011 on crowded College Avenue.  Team 93 once again had a fun-filled day selling caramel apples and doing robot demonstrations.

Do you have an interest in engineering, design, programming, machining, welding, photography, video production, business, marketing, or learning in a high-energy, competitive environment? Want to know how you can get involved in our team? Plan to come to an informational meeting on Thursday, September 15th at 4:00pm in the Appleton East High School Tech Center.

If you have any questions in the mean time, contact Mr. Schuff at schuffsean@aasd.k12.wi.us.

Hope to see you there!!!

NEW Apple Corps FIRST Robotics Team 93 demonstrated Tobor 14 for the CEO and President of Time Warner Cable, Mr. Glenn Britt, at the regional headquarters in Appleton WI, on August 24, 2011.  Mr. Britt was inpressed with the robots and the students at the demo.

On Wednesday, August 17th the team put on an impressive demonstration for the members of the Heart of the Valley Senior Service Club. The club members were very interested in every aspect of the team and asked many questions.