Norwell Robotics Update

The Norwell Robotics Team just completed their fifth week of the “build season” with two more weeks to go until the first competition, the South Florida Regional. Since the details of this year’s competition were released on January 6, 2024, each respective crew within the robotics team has been working hard to do their part for the season. The build team is working with a new drive system for the robot, where instead of Tank Drive, where the two wheels on the robot's left side are linked and the two wheels on the right are linked, the robot uses Swerve Drive, a four-wheel drive system. This week, the builders installed the electronic and pneumatic systems and just completed assembling the robot they designed. To keep the code compatible with the new Swerve Drive system, the programmers have been writing new code and are working on programs to control the robot’s arm and adjust the sensors. Additionally, the programming team has set up a WPI XRP robot, which KWOL plans to implement in his future robotics classes. After finishing building the robot’s bumpers, the drive and strategy team is working to put the bumper covers on as well as practicing for the human element of the competition, where a player throws an orange foam ring (note) onto a pole on the field. Members of the promotion team have made 300 promotional buttons to be given to competing teams, and the team uniforms are produced through silk screening. Rounding off the updates, the safety team has been packing all the items needed for the upcoming Florida trip, which will take place from February 28 to March 2 in Fort Lauderdale.