Summer Robotics
The last thing on the minds of most students is going back to school, but that is exactly what Texas Torque will do on Tuesday, June 4, from 3 to Continue Reading →
First Robotics Competition 2018 Kickoff
Last Saturday, students, mentors, alumni and parents of Texas Torque met up in the LGI to watch the FIRST Robotics Competition game reveal. This much-anticipated webcast revealed the year’s challenge and marked the beginning of the 2018 FRC season.
The game for this season is Power Up, an 8-bit themed game in which two teams of three robots compete to collect cubes to deliver to the vault, which contains three boosts (force, levitate, boost) that will help gain extra points for the match. Teams can also place these cubes onto a scale or one of the two switches on the field during the tele-op period. Additionally, robots must gain control of a switch and three baseline crosses during the autonomous period to get a ranking point, and attempt to climb a rung for an additional ranking point at the end of the match. The following video released by FIRST further explains the challenge.
Following the exciting webcast, Texas Torque members spent next few hours brainstorming and getting a feel for the new game. Students collaborated with mentors and alumni to devise strategies to overcome Power Up’s unique challenges and to think up possible designs. For the next six weeks, team members will work to design, prototype, construct and program a new robot for the season before the seven week competition season begins.
Texas Torque wishes all teams the best of luck and hopes that everyone has fun this season!
Something Special Donation
This past Tuesday, Texas Torque donated $2,500 to Something Special. Our team has supported this charity shop, run by our local women’s shelter, for the past four years using profits from our annual off-season event, The Remix.
The Remix 2017
On the weekend of November 11, teams from all over Texas and as far as Mexico gathered at College Park High School to compete in Texas Torque’s annual offseason competition, the Remix.
Students, alumni, and other volunteers worked all Friday afternoon to transform the CPHS gym into a FIRST Steamworks game field. On Saturday 32 teams, including four pre-rookie teams, competed to become the Remix champions. CISD superintendent Dr. Stockton visited the event and toured our new robotics lab. During the Remix, there were also workshops about topics like the Chairman’s Award. Texas Torque also sponsored a bedding drive at the Remix to benefit the Angel Reach foundation.
At the end of the day, the 1st seed alliance, led by 148 Robowranglers and joined by 1477 Texas Torque and 5908 Spartans, won the competition. We would like to congratulate the finalist alliance (teams 624, 3478, and 5414), as well as thank our alliance partners for a great run! Overall, the Remix 2017 was a great success, and we would especially like to thank all of the teams, volunteers, students, mentors, and parents that made it happen!
The Remix 2017 is Coming Up!
The Remix is coming on November 11th!
This is an engaging opportunity for teams to use their skills to improve last season’s robots and enter in an off-season competition. Teams from as far as Mexico and Illinois have traveled to the competition in the past. This year, teams and attendees will have a chance to tour the brand new Texas Torque World Headquarters. Each year, CISD Superintendent Don Stockton comes to TheRemix and speaks in the opening ceremonies. This event will be a fun, innovative atmosphere for teams to challenge themselves.
The Remix is free for spectators and only $300 for teams.
Please contact [email protected] or our lead mentor, Scott Rippetoe, at [email protected] for more information.
For more information or to register your team, visit The Remix Page.
2017 Indiana Robotics Invitational
From July 14th to the 15th, Texas Torque competed in the Indiana Robotics Invitational, an off-season “All-Star” event held in Indianapolis, IN. We were thrilled to have participated as one of the top 68 teams competing from all across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.Texas Torque is grateful for the opportunity to travel together with 3847 team Spectrum to Indianapolis.
Qualification rounds began on Friday, in which Texas Torque competed in nine matches. During the qualifications Texas Torque suffered some issues including gear intake breaking and autonomous modes not successfully working. Unfortunately, we did not perform in the elimination rounds due to other well performed robots on the field. Texas Torque members were still excited about world’s top class robots all in one place competing at the IRI.
Texas Torque is grateful for the opportunity to compete against some of the best teams in the FIRST Robotics Competition, as well as to have had such a great learning opportunity to prepare the team for the upcoming build season. We would like to thank teams 45 TechnoKats, 234 Cyber Blue, and 1024 Kil-A-Bytes for hosting such the event, as well as Indiana FIRST for organizing and streaming the competition. We would also like to congratulate teams 1619, 195, 2590, and 1710 for winning this years IRI competition, with a special shout out to the third member of the winning alliance, 1625, whom we had the pleasure of partnering with earlier this year.
Fourth of July Parade
This past Tuesday, Texas Torque took part in The Woodlands Township’s annual Fourth of July Parade!
The team’s float was , once again, a sight to remember. The audience saw the Texas Torque 2017 robot, Corliss, shoot fuels to several members of the team, which drew the attention and admiration of children and adults alike. Stickers, info cards, and trading cards were shared to the excited community as our team spread the innovation and message of FIRST Robotics. The Woodland’s community admired Corliss and the many accomplishments of the team. They also were able to see the teamwork of the high school robotics team in action.
It was an exceptional experience to participate in the parade, and we hope to march again in the future!