Microsoft Regional Update: 3/21/08

Posted by Rachel on 21 March 2008 | 5 Comments

Tags: tacoma, microsoft regional

Today was our second day of the Microsoft Regional. The day got off to a slow start as we were disabled in our first match. After a frantic hour in the pits repairing connections to the motors as matches progressed without us, we rushed back to the playing field with the robot and some more drive code modifications. The remainder of our matches were very successful, as we refined the robot and developed strategies. One match in particular was exceptionally good, as we scored an incredible thirty-four points out of our team’s total thirty-six. Things only got better as the day went on, and by the end of matches for today, we were fifth out of thirty-one teams, and are in a good position going into the final qualifying matches to be one of the alliance leaders for the finals—an accomplishment unmatched in the last four years of our team. At the Friday awards ceremony, we received another piece of exciting news, as our team was the recipient of the Judges’ Award, for the “Three S’s” of our team strategy—small, speedy, and simple.

Afterwards, all the teams traveled to McChord Air Force Base for dinner, an airshow, military robot demonstrations, and team social time. We were able to watch a C-17 plane maneuver, as well as go inside it and investigate the structure and equipment. In addition, we saw a couple of robots designed to investigate suspicious objects for explosives, and got to look at several fighter planes from throughout the Air Force’s history.

We returned to the hotel tired, but happy with out performance and ready for tomorrow’s matches. We’re quite optimistic about tomorrow, and hope to have good news to announce then!