Today is Friday, February 10, 2012
Today is Friday, February 10, 2012
The Robotics Club competed in the Cal Games robotics competition for high school teams on Saturday, October 10 at Woodside High School.
The Los Altos team advanced to the final round but lost after its third match. Finishing in the top eight was “pretty cool” and “kind of surprising” for club advisor Karen Davis.
The club used the robot it built last year, which performs the basic task of shooting ten-inch diameter balls into the trailers of other teams’ robots.
The robot has low friction wheels that are designed for the moon’s surface.
Davis attributed the team’s success to their robot’s ability to defend itself against other teams’ robots.
“Our robot does not shoot the ball very well, [but] we’re a good little defensive robot so we drive really fast and pin the other guys,” Davis said. “That’s how we ended up doing well.”
The club members have been preparing this robot since last January and say they enjoy going to the Cal Games each year.
“The Cal Games are really fun because it is [the last chance for us to] use our robot from last year,” club member junior Anthony Biondi said.
Davis’ favorite part of the competition is the team effort and spirit of cooperation.
“If something breaks, other teams will jump right in and help you even though we’re all competing with each other,” Davis said. “Robotics is a great group of kids.”
