By: Ruhi Khanna…

Last Saturday, the IA FTC team had their first competition. The first competition is filled with multiple factors; the nerves, competing teams, flow, pressure, performance, and malfunctions. Considering all of this, the IA team managed to hold their place, getting 7^th and 8^th.  

The competition ran quickly, as some teams did not show up. However, the schedule was an hour behind because of set up. The school was massive, and the competition was held in the cafeteria. The other teams were hospitable and welcoming.  

The team had to use their robot to retrieve objects, or blocks, and move the blocks to another area. This is done by pushing and parking the robots. This is also how the team scores points. Another way a team can score points is by using an arm attached to the robot. However, a problem arose, and the arm was malfunctioning. Even though the team expected it to work, it was the result of an improper code. An additional problem occurred when the blocks were getting stuck underneath the robot. The team quickly found a solution for this after the first round. They used a strong tape to tape down the bottom. This way, the blocks were prevented from getting trapped. 

Despite these unexpected factors, the team managed to perform well. Team member Sahasra Pokala emphasizes, “I would say our school did pretty well, for not meeting what we wanted with the robot.” Overall, this competition managed to teach the team about the environment and unexpected factors. The team can also see its areas of improvement and award themselves for their success. However, it is not an overstatement to say that great things can be expected from IA’s FTC team.