Happy New Year 2013

NASA Johnson Style (Gangnam Style Parody)

And while I'm at it...

FPL Generator Challenge research & resources

http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/build-micro-hydropower-generator-repurposed-printer-parts.html

http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2010/03/09/build-small-scale-hydroelectric-generator/#.UNNKguQ1nTo

Let's Plan for VEX Next Year!

Each season’s VRC game is a complex challenge for teams to design and build a robot for. Each year a new game is released in April; students design and build robots throughout the year, competing at local events. 

But certain game aspects repeat themselves, year after year. Team 1614 has been playing VRC five years now:

• VRC Season 2012-2013 Sack Attack 
• VRC Season 2011-2012 Gateway 
• VRC Season 2010-2011: Round Up 
• VRC Season 2009-2010: Clean Sweep 
• VRC Season 2008-2009: Elevation

At today's meeting, we made a list of some of those aspects. It is reasonable to predict that whatever robot is designed for VEX next year will need to address these challenges:

• FIELD ELEMENTS - Many game objects
• FIELD ELEMENTS - Height Challenge of different sized goals
• FIELD ELEMENTS - Different sized game objects
• FIELD ELEMENTS - Played on foam mats
• AUTONOMOUS MODE - tape on the field requires sensor(s) to follow tape
• AUTONOMOUS MODE Followed by DRIVER MODE
• DRIVER CONTROL MODE - Assisting our alliance partner if overturned
• STRATEGY - How to score/descore objects
• STRATEGY - Organization! A place for everything. Don't waste time looking
• STRATEGY - Alliance selection scouting reports
• STRATEGY - Selling ourselves, advertising for alliance partners in playoffs
• STRATEGY - Interview with Judges
• STRATEGY - Have fun!

LET’S PLAN FOR VEX NEXT YEAR! SOLUTIONS
Next year's robot should be versatile enough to address those challenges with some core design philosophy:

• ROBOT BASE - Holonomic base, Omnidirectional wheels
• ROBOT BODY - Low Center of Gravity
• ROBOT BODY- Scissor Lift
• ROBOT BODY - Motors in bottom
• ROBOT BODY - Battery Access, add weight to bass
• ROBOT BODY - Short telescoping arms for hard to reach heights
• STRATEGY - 2nd controller
• STRATEGY - photos of other team robots -- what's working for them?

Remember the 7 Ps: Prior planning and practice prevents piss poor performance!

20121209 VEX Sack Attack at Gulliver Prep

(Click on the first picture to flip through a photostream of 2012 VRC "Sack Attack" South Florida Championship at Gulliver Prep)

Seminole Ridge SECME students competed in the South Florida Championship of the VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami on Sunday, December 9.

Seminole Ridge VRC Team 1614 consisted of robot driver Jesse Mendheim, and field scout Mitch Lafferty. To prepare for the competition, the group designed and built a robot (affectionately nicknamed  “Sack Sucker”) that could quickly and efficiently solve the specific obstacles and challenges in playing VRC Sack Attack.

The action-packed day required middle and high school students to execute VEX Sack Attack, a game that is played on a 12’x12’ square field. Two alliances – one “red” and one “blue” – composed of two teams each, compete in matches consisting of a fifteen-second autonomous period followed by  one-minute forty-five seconds of driver-controlled play. The object of the game is to attain a higher score than your opponent alliance by scoring bean-bag like sacks in goals, earning bonus points and ‘parking’ robots at the end of a match.

Our students competed with and against 40 teams from across the state—Melbourne to Miami, Bradenton to Boca. The Hawks finished the qualifying rounds with a record of 3 wins, 5 losses, and missed making the playoffs. But coaches Erich Landstrom and Ed Batchelor are proud of their team taking what they’ve learned in the afterschool SECME program and applying it in an academic sport. Landstrom pointed out that building and programing a competition robot from the ground up, they are developing critical skills for the workforce including hard work, team work, collaboration and leadership: “We are building more than robots here, we are shaping inventors and innovators.”

Each week, Seminole SECME students apply what they‘ve learned about science, technology, engineering, and math in order to build the semiautonomous VEX machines. And through the competition students learn an equally important skill set: communication, project management, site management, and composure, working together on a variety of challenges and obstacles requiring problem-solving skills.

Our SECME VRC team must raise funds to cover the cost of robot parts, competition entry fees, and transportation expenses. Support them this holiday season—make a matching gift at http://tinyurl.com/AdoptSeminoleSECME. All gifts are welcome! 

WISH (Women in STEM High School Aerospace Scholars)

NASA is Accepting Applications for the WISH (Women in STEM High School Aerospace Scholars) Program – Apply by January 3, 2013 (HS Junior Females)

NASA wants you to become the engineers, scientists, researchers and innovators of tomorrow. The WISH project offers a one-of-a-kind experience for female high school students to jump start your future and explore the possibilities of a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related major or career.

WISH wants female high school juniors from across the country to participate in our pilot project! Your adventure starts with an online community and culminates with a summer experience at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Summer, 2013.
Applicants need to be:
o    U.S. citizens
o    Current female high school juniors during the 2012-2013 school year
o    Interested and excited about STEM
o    Committed to a one-year relationship with JSC; and
o    Able to access to the Internet and email (at home, school or public library)
o    A scholar with a cumulative GPA of 3.25/4.0 or higher
NASA is accepting applications for an excellent program for high school juniors:
The WISH (Women in STEM High School Aerospace Scholars) is a great opportunity for girls in their junior year of high school who are interested in STEM careers. WISH is accepting online applications through January 3, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.wish.aerospacescholars.org/apply.

An Opportunity to Support SECME!

An Opportunity to Support SECME Programs   SECME, Inc.

Dear SECME Supporter, Housed on the campus of Georgia Tech, SECME will be participating in Georgia Gives Day on December 6, 2012. Your contribution will help us to address the increasing financial issues affecting educators and students in SECME programs. Your contribution, as little as $10, will go a long way in helping the SECME National Office to assist SECME programs across the country. Your contribution allocation will be limited to enhancing funding to send a teacher to the Annual SECME Summer Institute, supporting SECME Student Engineering Competitions, or providing additional funds to support SECME EP² parenting programs. Mark your calendars or DONATE TODAY! We appreciate our donors and supporters, Michele Williams SECME Interim Executive Director www.secme.org secme@coe.gatech.edu What: Georgia Gives Day When: Tuesday, December 6 Where: Online at Georgia Gives Day Help us get the word out that a donation during Georgia Gives Day is not limited to Georgia and is not limited to only making donations on December 6. Tell your friends! Forward this email! Share it on Facebook and Twitter! Mark your calendars or DONATE TODAY! Thank you for all you do for our SECME community!

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