2019-20 FLL Update

First Lego League, otherwise known as FLL, is a robotics competition meant to provide 10-13 year-olds an introduction into the fundamentals of robotics and instill the values of FIRST. 

CHS has four FLL teams - 25523, 25524, 32253, and 47100, each consisting of about nine middle school students each. Each of the four teams is working on a project to fit the 2019-2020 challenge theme, designing a Project, working on their Robot, and developing their Core Values. In the Innovation Project, they identify an issue in their communities and propose a solution for it, and for their robot, they solve a set of missions as part of the annual challenge. The teams have been working hard in preparation for their first competition on November 10th.

Each individual team is quite unique in their approach to the challenge, whether it be in their Project, Robot, or Core Values. Team 25523, in particular, is targeting the issue of blind accessibility in our community. To try and combat this issue, they propose the creation of a ramp that transports students with visual disabilities to their class, utilizing an elevator that ascends into a system of tracks. This all will take place over the passerby’s heads in order to save space. Naming the system E.D.I.T, the team proposes that an ID system also be implemented in order to prevent possible misuse. For their City Shaper Robot Game, they plan on solving 4 main missions: the blocks, swing, elevator, and ramp. They can currently solve 3 missions and hope to get the fourth done soon, by ensuring that the position of the robot is the same every time to ensure that the code is pristine, and also by implementing a designated placer to regularize their position. In total, they aim to score 90+ points during the challenge.

Team 25524, on the other hand, has a different approach. They are targeting an issue that is very prevalent in the current season, especially in California: wildfires. To solve this issue, they advocate the creation of a fire retardant system that will protect the homes of citizens. They have designed a system that is connected to smoke detectors within a home and an infrared sensor on top of the house. If the sensor or the smoke detectors detect a nearby fire, they trigger the system around the house, activating the sprinklers. Fire retardant is sprayed all over and around the house in order to extinguish any flames and lower the chance of future destruction of the house. An alert will also be sent to the fire department, who have the power to remotely activate sprinklers.  For their City Shaper Robot Game, they plan on tackling the traffic jam, crane, swing, safety factor, and the elevator missions. They have fully solved the traffic, swing, and elevator missions, and are in the process of solving the safety factor and crane. To overcome any future issues and expand their functionality, they want to make the wheels and their motors farther apart on the robot in order to get bricks to fit snugly into the structure of the robot. They aim to score 100 to 115 points during the challenge, but that number is quite tentative.

A team with a novel approach to an age-old issue, 32253 has identified the issue of homelessness.  For their innovation project, they propose the placement of interactive, electronic maps near bus stop signs. These maps would contain the locations of homeless shelters, soup kitchens, food banks, and other invaluable resources for the unemployed and homeless. In addition to the location, these maps would provide additional information, such as what times the locations are open and which buses they would need to arrive at any particular location. This team is quite confident about their City Shaper Robot Game, attempting to tackle the Elevated Places, Crane, Swing, Elevator, and Sustainability Upgrades and Build and Design missions. They can currently solve three and hope to continue expanding their design to solve more missions with an ingenious robot. Aiming to score 100 points or more, 32253 hopes to stay on track to perform well at competitions.

Last but not least, team 47100 aims to design fire escapes and emergency exits for citizens who are physically or mentally disabled. They also created a fire and water-proof room made out of refractories attached to every single room of the building. It will be used as a closet for general purposes but will have enough space to accommodate one disabled person per room. 47100 is able to solve all four missions, Elevated Places, Elevator, Swing, and Design and Build for a total of 160 points. They hope to add more detailed attachments, refine the code, and optimize robot movement to guarantee they can score high. Overall, the team is very confident about competitions and hopes to achieve a high score in the competition.

The FLL teams may tackle different issues in their Innovation Project and pursue varying missions in their City Sharper Robot Game, but all four teams have hardworking, talented students and nurturing, innovative mentors who push the teams to succeed. They are confident for the upcoming competitions and are looking forward to the experience to showcase their Core Values, Innovation Project, Robot, and all that they have learned.

Teams 25523, 32253 and 47100 respectively