The LASA robotics team, named Purple Haze (team number 418) participated with 34 other teams at a district level event this past weekend. The team had to compete in a minimum of two to qualify for state level competition. This was their second competition they participated in. It was held at Clear Falls High School in League City, TX, just South of Johnson Space Center. Qualifying rounds took place on Friday March 31st and the morning of April 1st.
The competition matches consists of two alliances made up of three randomly chosen team robots on each alliance competed against one another. The field is made up of obstacles each robot must negotiate to score by placing traffic cones or 10” cubes on various locations at different heights on the obstacles. Additionally, teams can score by balancing their robots on a teeter totter like obstacle called a charging station. The matches begin with a 15 second period where the robots must run and try to score autonomously using pre-programmed coding. Followed by a 135 sec period where the robots are controlled by a two person team. This requires pre planning, coordination with other teams to leverage strengths, and teamwork.
At the end of qualifying rounds, the top 8 ranked teams are tasked to pick two teammates to compete with it the finals. This requires teams to have members scouting the qualifier matches to be able to select the best combination of other teams that will complement them in the finals matches. The finals are a double elimination bracket matches.
The Purple Haze team started strong in qualifying with a run of undefeated matches to start the day on Friday and had them ranked as high as #2, and finishing day 1 in 6th. It was not easy, as they had several matches that resulted in damage or component failures that required the teams pit crews thrash between rounds to have the robot ready for the next match. They met the challenge each and every time.
Another critical component of the team are the scouts. While the pit crew are keeping the robot running, the scout crews are diligently observing each match. Compiling a database on each robot’s performance so that a list of top performers can be available for finals selection. Purple Haze scouts have excelled at this.
Saturday morning qualifying rounds ended with some disappointment as some component failures and stiff competition resulted is several lost matches that dropped the team to a rank of 11th at the end of qualification rounds.
During finals selection several of the top qualifiers selected teams within the top 8 to team with, which resulted in Purple Haze moving up to be the #7 alliance team captain. The scouts did a fantastic job providing two great alliance mates.
In the finals, the PH alliance was paired against the #2 alliance which we battled hard against, but lost the first match sending PH to the losers bracket. The alliance then fought back to win the next three matches. Ultimately, being eliminated by alliance #4.
In the end Purple Haze finished 4th overall in the competition. Additionally, the PH programming crew were awarded with the highest average scoring in the autonomous portion of the matches.
The results from this weekend and the previous Belton competition have qualified the team to compete with the top 80 teams at the state competition. That competition will take place this Thursday-Saturday at the Houston Convention Center.
Congratulations, LASA Robotics!
