Staff Report

Steve Aumack and Nate Phillips work on the robot operator control panel as the team gets ready for the competition in Salt Lake City March 15. Photo by TK Thompson/ladailypost.com

A team of 14 Los Alamos High School students and 10 adult mentors built a robot that can shoot hoops. The team began work Jan. 7 and wrapped up the project Feb 21.

The group is competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition. The competition involves short games played by robots. The students build and program their robots, which are remotely controlled during the competition.

Each team receives a kit of parts made up of motors, batteries, a control system, a PC and a mix of automation components – but no instructions. Designing and programming the robot is up to the students.

This year’s competition is Rebound Rumble. The object is to manipulate the robot to score as many baskets as possible during a two-minute and 15 second match.

The competition also includes a balancing component in which the robots are required to balance on a bridge.

The group is heading to Salt Lake City March 15 to compete in the regional round of the competition.

Ben Schilling works on the robot’s pit stop enclosure for the upcoming competition in Salt Lake City. Photo by TK Thompson/ladailypost.com

The Los Alamos robot now lives in a locked bag. The robot was placed in the bag at midnight Feb. 21 when all work had to be completed. Photo by TK Thompson/ladailypost.com