Author: Dennis

UNIX System Administrator at GE Aviation Systems, Adjunct Instructor at Davenport University and Mentor for Red Storm Robotics
Low Goal Robot, 2017 FIRST Steamworks

Kentwood District Competition

Our next competition we’ll be hosting at our very own East Kentwood High School in the Fieldhouse.  This will be our third year hosting the FRC Competition, so we’re looking forward to it.

This is a Week Five Event, and FIRST in Michigan’s event info page can be found here.

We can always use volunteers to make this a smooth running event, so if you have some time, please sign up with FIRST on their VIMS system.

Event specific information can be found here.

Please make the time to come and cheer Red Storm onto a great showing!

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Lakeview District Results

This past weekend we attended the FiM Lakeview District at Lakeview High School in Battle Creek, Michigan.

During qualifications we held onto first place with a final qualifying record of 11-1-0.  2017-03-04 19.45.47

We then became Alliance #1 Captain.  We selected Team 830, The RatPack and Team 5685, The Robo Terriers.  Unfortunately, we were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

However, during the awards we won the District Chairman’s Award!  

“The Chairman’s Award is the most prestigious award at FIRST, it honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST.

It was created to keep the central focus of FIRST Robotics Competition on the ultimate goal of transforming the culture in ways that will inspire greater levels of respect and honor for science and technology, as well as encouraging more of today’s youth to become scientists, engineers, and technologists.” — from FIRST’s website

 

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FTC Season Summary

Our FTC teams had a good season this year.  We started it off by hosting a Rookie Workshop to help other teams build the base push-bot chassis, which would enable them to have a fully driveable base to use in the season.  We followed it up by hosting a scrimmage at STEMosphere held at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.  This helped other local teams by being able to see the competition field and being able to see other teams robots in action.

This past season our three FIRST Tech Challenge Teams did quite well at their two FIRST in Michigan Qualifiers–including several overall team firsts.

At the Big Rapids FTC Qualifier the Red Storm Red – 6482 earned the highest placement in qualification rounds (2nd place).  They also had the honor of being the first time as a captain of an alliance.  Red Storm Blue – 10031 – was the first time since 2011 that we were on the winning alliance, and qualified them for the Michigan State Competition.  The Blue team also earned the PTC Design Award.  Not to be left out, Red Storm White – 5292 – won the Controls Award.

At the Kentwood FTC Qualifier the three teams performed quite well.  The Red Storm Red – 6482 – team won the Controls Award.  Red Storm White – 5292 – was nominated for several awards: Finalist for the Motivate Award, Finalist for the Promote Award and Third place for the Inspire Award.  This is the first time that any Red Storm FTC Team or Red Storm FRC Team had placed for the top award (FTC – Inspire, FRC – Chairman’s).  

Red Storm Blue – 10031 – went onto the FTC State Competition held at Lakeview High School in Battle Creek, Michigan.  While the team performed well, they didn’t advance to Super Regionals.

We are very proud of our three FTC teams this year.

Blue Team #10031, FIRST Tech Challenge, Red Team #6482, White Team #5292 , ,

2016-2017 Team Mentors

Wendy Ljungren - Co-Coach, GE Aviation Systems, Chief Consulting Engineer
Adam Veendaal -Co-Coach, GE Aviation Systems, Engineer / Technologist
Dennis Behrens - Mentor, GE Aviation Systems, UNIX System Administrator

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FIRST Steamworks Kickoff

This is what we’ve been waiting for ever since the first teaser came out on September 20th, 2016 at 7pm Eastern.

The FRC build season, which officially kicks off on Saturday, January 7, begins the 6 weeks of intense design, build and iteration. We will be attending kickoff at GVSU’s Pew Engineering Campus, downtown Grand Rapids Saturday January 7 from around 8am until about 5pm.

Details about the game thus far, and special DLC packs are available at: http://www.firstinspires.org/2017-frc-teaser

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