>> [Background Music] You guys ever remake a helicopter?
>> Nope.
>> I thought about that one.
I went home and I was like [inaudible].
>> Even a sunglass [inaudible].
>> Don't worry, guys.
I upgraded.
I went from a one ton bag of M&M to a two.
>> Connor Bish, Corban [assumed spelling], Bryce, Alex Zhoa.
Awesome. The restrooms are open, so go use them.
>> Going on.
>> We will wait, but you need to be back here as soon as you can.
>> Wait, are we on this one?
>> We left for Vegas early in the morning,
where we encountered our 8-hour drive.
>> I'm actually really okay with this.
>> My name is Trinity Peters, and I am the team captain
of team 1828, the BoxerBots.
>> Tag me in the group chat.
I don't even have my phone.
>> I was introduced to STEM when I was 7 years old
when I saw this team up in phoenix.
I knew right there and then there that I wanted to be a part
of this team and down there working on the robot, driving.
And eight, nine, ten years later, I'm here working
with the team and fulfilling my dream.
>> Guys, stop playing around in there.
It's time for the game reveal.
>> Kickoff, which is a giant televised event
where there introduce the new tasks to us.
>> This is stressful.
>> It's time to reveal the 2017.
>> I'm so anxious right now.
>> You know, subtle hints,
and then they finally give us the game
and our minds are blown.
>> They threw their players in the middle of the fields.
>> And then from that period on begins our 6-week build season.
>> My name is Katelyn Weinzinger.
I am on the 1828 Boxers team.
I am the vice-captain, and I am also the build team lead.
>> That rope doesn't look sound though.
Like, I'm kind of scared of that rope.
We're all very excited to have this problem,
have this challenge.
We're going to be designing it into CAD,
a 3D modeling software.
From there, we're going to start building and adding electronics,
programing and hopefully testing the robot before the end
of build season.
>> You could conceivably have 250 hours.
>> Yes.
>> Our mentors are volunteers.
So they come after their work.
>> That's going to take you to the level.
>> And we're very grateful and very thankful to have them there
and helping us out, getting parts
for us, providing any help.
>> The ratchet [inaudible].
All you're doing is resetting this.
>> It's very exciting because they know that they're the ones
that get to build this.
Our part is done.
We've done their training in the preseason.
They know how to run the machines.
They know how to work the tools.
They know how to program.
So the next six weeks is all them.
It's completely their baby at this point.
It's their brain child.
It's their decisions.
And the robot that they compete with, win or lose,
is the one that they determine they wanted.
>> We do pride ourselves in being able to say
that our robot is 100% student built.
What are you trying to get the distance to?
>> It seems to be kind of inconsistent.
>> It's works.
>> Trinity was voted as captain.
I was voted as vice-captain.
Kara is our secretary and Mathias is our treasurer.
>> It's the smallest things.
>> We just, we get each other.
>> Hey!
>> Whoa!
>> Hey!
>> It's chasing me now.
>> Yes!
>> And with Mathias too.
Like, he's our male leader.
He inputs so much that the three
of us probably wouldn't be able to think of.
So it's nice to be able to have the variety
of different ways people think.
>> I think I can feel it.
I think it's this wire right here.
What I really like is that we have a group of students
who are mainly comprised of male who are willing
to elect female officers.
So they're obviously having this mindset of they're not thinking
about the gender, but they're
about what they can do for the team.
>> You really have to have like a bird's eye view of everything
because not only are you focusing on building a robot,
but you have to understand the student, listen to them,
know what's going on, making sure that everyone is okay.
We can't even tell you [inaudible].
>> Throughout my life, I've been like a listener and observer,
like watching everything and listening to everyone's ideas
and what's happening and just making the ultimate decision
in the end based on what I've seen and heard.
>> And when we are at regionals, it's you guys --
Being in a leadership position
in high school now is preparing me to be
in those leadership positions
when I get the opportunity in the future.
>> We have until 10:00 o'clock tonight to have it in a bag.
>> I mean, I can [inaudible] this label over here.
>> Well, no, because when you take off, like when you take
that one off, you don't know which one that one is.
Right now, we're finishing up our robot,
adding the finishing touches with electronics.
The clock is ticking.
We're working really hard trying to get this done really fast.
>> On bag and tag day, there's a worldwide time
where everyone has to stop working on the robot and bag it
and have it in this ginormous bag to be ready for competition.
>> I love being able to grab that screwdriver and screw
in a bolt, and I love being able to make things with my hands.
I love seeing the outcome because at the beginning
of a build season, you don't have anything.
There's just this empty box that is going to have a robot in it.
And then by the end of the year, you have this working robot
that you built with your hands.
And anything we make from our hands is just special.
>> Twenty-two.
>> Would it help to enable?
>> See that clock behind me?
That's our countdown.
It says we have about six hours because the clock is set
to Eastern time where they have until midnight.
For us, we only have until 10:00 o'clock.
>> Don't you love just doing this.
>> All right.
>> We just finished [inaudible] build,
and the electronics are now complete.
Now the programmers take over
and we'll start seeing this robot run with code,
moving through all of its different functions.
>> Can we turn it on?
>> Do it. Go for it.
[ Inaudible Comment ]
All lights blinking.
>> Radio on.
>> Let's turn off the robot and let's move it down to the floor.
>> Can we just move it while it's on, please?
>> Yep, yep.
>> This year, we decided to name our robot Mercui.
It is elvish for mercy.
So we went through a process of coming up with different names
and then narrowing it down to one name.
>> There we go.
There we go.
[ Applause ]
>> I'm really scared.
[ Music ]
>> Oh, I love that sound.
>> I personally enjoy how it's exactly two feet tall.
We have measured it.
>> You're sending off your baby to do what it needs to do
and you're really praying that it's going to work.
You're sitting there hoping that everything goes right
and that nothing bumps into her.
You're hoping that she thrives and that she's able
to do what she needs to do.
>> It can climb by itself, but we like to be safe,
and our electrons board is on the back.
So we just want to make sure [applause].
So that is 50 points.
That is at the end of match,
we have 30 seconds to climb that rope.
Unfortunately, something is up with our [inaudible] mechanism
and does not want to pick up the balls.
It is picking up the balls, but it's not doing it very well.
>> Things happen.
And in the event that something does happen,
you get that like panic.
And during matches, it's completely intense,
especially right after coming back from a fall
or something breaking.
You're standing there and you're praying
that everything will work.
>> Will it sit nicely with this scoop down here?
>> Try clicking outside.
>> We have two servos on our robot, one to move a camera
and one to move a stopper.
One of them did not seem to be working.
So right now, we're testing to see
if it was actually the servo that was not working.
Touch any metal.
And we now found that it's the servo was not working.
So now we have to replace that servo probably at competition.
It's definitely a setback for us.
We'd have to go to competition with something not working,
and we won't be able to practice with it.
It's hard to not get frustrated, hard not to get stressed, but,
I mean, there's nothing we can do about it.
So we just continue.
So we should probably weigh the gear bucket.
>> It was bittersweet.
It was bitter because you know there are still things
that we need to figure out, which means you have
to do them right before competition,
a day before you start your qualification matches.
But it was sweet to see how far the team had come.
We started with nothing, and now we have
like a functioning robot.
>> Oh no.
>> Done deal.
>> Yep, yep.
>> We did finish our robot on bag and tag day,
which is typically not what we want to do.
We want to give us two weeks to maybe practice
and program our robot.
And we definitely felt the aftermath of that.
Each of our matches presented a new challenge
for us to fix and overcome.
>> My catchphrase this year was let's keep the faith
because there were times
where we were just thinking how can we come back from this.
>> The chain came off of our drivetrain,
so we weren't able to move.
Our rope broke, so our robot fell
and took a couple of bent parts.
We weren't able to move our robot again
because of a burnt motor.
>> Everything went wrong.
>> A lot of us were upset and confused and like what do we do
to recover, can we recover.
>> We were not picked for alliance to further compete
in quarter finals, semifinals and finals.
We were ranked 41 out of the 50 teams that were there.
I was so proud that they kept a positive attitude throughout the
whole experience.
Even after we weren't picked, they were still positive
and cheering and talking to other teams.
>> So while there was some disappointment and sadness,
we were able to learn that what we did wrong can help us
in the future.
[ Music ]
>> Looking back on everything,
what was the hardest part for you?
>> It's tough to have a great team
and have them encounter all these problems.
Like, we did our best,
and I definitely think that, and it's hard.
But I hope they consider that what we did was great and keep
that positive outlook that we can do better in the future
and this is a learning experience.
I just don't want them to think
that their hard work has gone to waste.
[ Music ]
>> Our team is a big family.
We really just become really close.
>> Can make me laugh every time I go there.
At build season, I was so happy because we got to meet
with them every day, and they would play music.
They would dance.
They would sing.
And they just entertained me so much.
>> Now turn to your neighbor and say neighbor
>> Multiple Speakers: Neighbor.
>> Oh, neighbor.
>> Multiple Speakers: Oh, neighbor.
>> Every day I come to this, I'm living the dream.
I'm doing what I've always wanted to do.
>> You're not only developing skills and knowledge
that you need for the future, but you're also making memories
that will never go away.
I will never forget robotics.
It's been the greatest two years of my life.
And I'm going to miss it.
[ Music ]