Author: lucasburkowski

The Flying Toasters are delighted to announce the launch of Robots Explained! Here we will be posting videos on various topics to help other FRC teams learn the basics of building their robot.

You can check out the first episode here:

And of course, check out the Robots Explained website:
http://www.robots-explained.com/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/RobotsExplained

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/robots_explained/

We are working on developing a set schedule for creating and releasing new videos, so stay tuned!  

A lot of things have been happening lately, all for the good of our team. More especially, the team has been given a huge, once in a lifetime, opportunity by being selected by a local film company to shoot a video for FIRST Headquarters. Filming will occur this weekend from 7am to 7pm on both Saturday & Sunday.  A representative from FIRST HQ will be on hand.  (Here is a link to a video they completed for GM about a robotics team: https://youtu.be/QkJ9JOL8QFo)

Our team is being allowed to have six students behind the scenes to help with set up of the scenes as well as driving the 2018 robot. When needed, these students can become extras in the shots. We will need to have alteast one person from the 2018 drive teams (Bread or Butter) on hand for driving the 2018 robot when needed.

As this is a huge impact on our community, our district, and our team, we are being allowed to have (2) students behind the scenes record, take pictures, document, etc. the whole venue so that we can use this incredible event for a newspaper article, chairman’s award material, impact study material, etc.

FIRST wants this video to be fair to all teams, so the filming and subsequent video cannot show any preference to a particular team or entity. Therefore, no team shirts are allowed, as well as any items with logos on it, such as Red Wings, Tigers, Abercrombie & Fitch, etc.  Plain shirts work best.  Also, we want people to be in closed toe shoes, clothing without holes in them, etc.  You will need to sign a permission slip & video release and bring it with you when you come.

Because filming is 7am to 7pm each day, and there are many graduation happenings, we are breaking up the time into slots for each day.

I know this is short notice, but it’s purely a once in a lifetime experience.  Please complete the google spreadsheet ASAP. If you are interested use the contact  page of this website to let us know. Thank you!

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ― Rumi

 For the past seasons we have tried many different ways to provide a better experience, better way of developing skills, and a better way to have a more cohesive team. We have tried lecture type sessions, hands on type sessions, and project based sessions.  Still we want more for our students.

Looking back on previous years, going over reflective feedback, the coaching staff sees a common theme.  There are two seasons for the team, one that runs from Kick-off in January thru end of April, and one that runs the rest of the year (from MARC in June thru Bloomfield Girls Competition in November).  So we have labelled them FIRST Robotics Competition (January thru May), and The Flying Toaster Camp  (June thru December).

The Flying Toaster Camp is designed to 1) form the team, and 2) build the students skills.  Typically, our first team meeting has been in early October. It becomes very frantic and hurriedly as we try to get ready in three months for the FIRST Game reveal in January.  For new students to the team, it can be overwhelming.

This year, we have moved our first team meeting to June so that we can have more time,  more experiences, more team bonding events, more excursions to our partnerships, more post season competitions (five to be exact vs. two typically), and more development of skills.  The coaching staff is looking at depth and breadth of experience, and hope these changes will facilitate that.

Funding for the team is also changing to be inline with the two seasons.  The Flying Toaster Camp is funded by the individual $250 non-refundable team fee.  This is to cover the expenses from June through December, including the competition event entrance fees, supplies and materials for the team, food, etc.  If paid by June 25th, a Flying Toaster team shirt will be ordered.

Unlike the Flying Toaster Camp where there is already a robot developed with just improvements and maintenance costs as well as team bonding and skill development costs, the FIRST Robotics Competition season we have to cover the development of a the robot(s) for the new game, materials to build the robot(s), field, etc; team supplies, entrance fees for FIRST events, travel costs, and the list goes on.  Typically, we see a budget of $50,000 for this period.  To fund this much larger budget, we look towards corporate sponsorship and our partnerships to help us in meeting our needs.

Stay tuned for more information over the next couple months as the coaching staff and mentors work on bettering the Flying Toaster Experience.  We over me.