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Research Begins

got robot? views a webcast about biomedical engineering.

The new season begins as it always does with brainstorming and research. This year's FLL theme is called Body Forward and is about biomedical engineering. After a ton of ideas the team decided to narrow our search to anything having to do with the head. 

In addition to research got robot? spent a day doing a lab on the ultrasonic sensor mapping out what it sees on a polar map. We discovered the sensor has a somewhat warped view of the world compared to what we see with our eyes. One thing for sure is this sensor will be a big help in locating targets on the mission mat.

Roger facilitates a brainstorming session.

Ryan and Marc work together mapping an ultrasonic sensor.

Roger and Kristen get a little nutty.

2010 got robot? Kickoff Meeting

As a new season begins got robot? had it's first meeting on Saturday, Sept 4th. This is our third year as a team and patterns of what needs to be done and how to approach challenges seems second nature. The team enjoyed hot dogs and reunion time and then reviewed the mission videos on Youtube. After that it was downstairs to build the table elements.

One of the things we're doing different this year is putting the robot away for a few weeks so the team can concentrate on the tools and attachments needed to manipulate the mission models. Once the tools are developed they will be modified to accommodate robot platform to deliver the tools to each mission. I  know of a couple champion teams that do this and it makes sense. Another side benefit is that each team member can contribute without competing for use of the robot.

2010-2011 FLL Team #280:  (left to right) Matt, Roger, Kristen, Marc, and Ryan

Marc uses his telekinetic abilities to levitate his teammates

Roger flies off to save a kitty stuck in a tree

Sorting and Preparation

The FLL Body Forward game elements arrived while we were away so our neighbor signed for the package and held it for us until we got back. This year everything was sent in one long box. The bags of LEGOS neatly tucked in the center of the rolled mission mat. There are quite a few LEGOs and the mission models will be fun. We got a lot of rubber bands--lots of pushing and activating this year. Matt and Kristen spent a couple days sorting the inventory into baggies so that every mission model will be ready to assemble at our first meeting. Should be fun--especially for Marc.

I haven't studied the mat very long but my first impression is that it's fairly open for navigation. Many of the mission models look to be set at angles away from convenient walls. I just hope there are more point and shoot missions for the newer teams this year. I thought last years challenge was tough for rookie teams.

This year got robot? has a returning team roster of five veteran members; Matt, Kristen, Marc, Roger and Ryan. Bradley and Jake have retired from FLL and will be missed.

On another note, my wife, Carol, is starting a rookie team at CWF (Christian Workshops of the Fox Valley), a homeschool co-op. So far, it looks like she'll have a team of 8-10 rookies. She's nervous but I have confidence she'll be a great coach.

And so it begins.

I received an email that the 2010 Body Forward field kit has shipped. It should be here on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Hard to believe the new season is around the corner already.

Oh, by the way our team number this years is 280. May God bless all coaches and students this year.

1st Place Research Project Award!!

got robot? won the 1st place Research Project award at the Illinois State Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 16th, 2010. The got robot?'s project was chosen over 64 other top teams in attendance. Scott Evan's, game designer for FIRST LEGO Lego League and employee of FIRST, was in the room for call backs and observed the teams presentation to a panel of 13 judges. Scott (pictured in the hat) said in the 10 years he's been involved with FLL championship tournaments he's rarely sees such a quick decision for 1st place.

Pictured in the photo from left to right: Roger Dean, Marc, Matthew, Ryan, Coach Mr. McKellar, Kristen, Referee Marc Solomon, Scott Evans, Bradley, and Jake.

State Tournament - Friday Nite

Our team had its judging for State Tournament this evening. The Research Project, Teamwork, Technical, and Ambassador all in the span of 3 hours.

The team did a fantastic job and really made me proud. They know their stuff -- and it showed!

It was very loud in the gym to listen in on their technical judging but the kids said it went well. The judges seemed to like the engineering journal and asked a lot of questions.

There are a lot of really good teams here. Super Nova from Naperville is here and their coach and I had a chance to have a nice chat and swop stories.

It's been a long day. Time for some sleep!

New sponsor for INScITE Illinois

I'm proud to say that Maddock Douglas, Inc. is now sponsoring INSciTE Illinois, the operational partner for FLL in our state.

I work for Maddock Douglas and it gives me great pride to see a leading innovation agency partnering with an organization that nurtures the sense of wonder and innovation in America's next generation of thought leaders.

Massive Earthquake in Haiti

bounced from twitter @firstlegoleague

The thoughts and prayers of everyone at FIRST and the entire FLL community are with the citizens of Haiti. This is a terrible tragedy for the world. FIRST has not yet heard from our FLL Partners and team members in Haiti, but we remain hopeful that they and their families are okay. We will all do whatever we can to support them in the days ahead.

FLL Growth

From the development of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) concept by FIRST and the LEGO Group and the first pilot tournaments in 1998 in the U.S., FLL has grown to more than 140,000 children in 56 countries projected to participate in the Smart Move season.

Information obtained from FIRST LEGO League

Found on YouTube

A couple of our team members found the videos below. It's always amazing to see how others go about accomplishing the various missions

390 point practice run

This is the bestest table run we've recorded. Our all time best table run, evah, is 400 smackers.

On to State! got robot? wins Technical Award at regional.

got robot? attended their regional qualifier on Dec. 12th, in Rockford, Illinois. It was one of the smaller regional tournaments in Illinois with only 10 teams attending. They had a very good day and their teamwork, technical, and presentation judging went very, very well.

Their table scores for the robot game were considerably lower than anticipated in part from the brand new, and much tackier, mission mats throwing off some key turns and higher ambient light levels throwing off one of the unshielded sensors causing the robot to miss important way points. Their highest table score was 270 points and their highest score for the day was 325. Overall they ranked 3rd or 4th on the table for the day. They have their homework cut out for them as they gather their thoughts for the state tournament in January.

During the awards ceremony the team won the Technical Award for robot design an programming and was one of three teams chosen to advance to the state tournament. All in all a very good day for team 247.

Hey we're in the paper!

The Mrs. and I were thumbing through our copy of the Daily Herald when we spot on page 5 of section 5 a press release about our team. Thanks Sue!

400 Points!

got robot? did their very first 400 point table run on Dec. 6th!!

Great use of Sensors

Lego's in Paradise posted this video of a 400 point run on YouTube. I think their use of sensor is interesting.

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Final weeks

Like most projects much of FLL is trying to control chaos and then organizing it into something presentable. As we near our Dec. 12th date much of what we've been working on is now coming together.

Our project this year is so awesome. We've spent a lot of time in research and have interviewed four experts with a fifth lined up. I'm hoping the judges will be blown away. The team has done a terrific job. 

Carol and I have worked hard to put a state tournament polish on what we're presenting at our regional. The purpose is to be that much further along should we advance to state. Last year we discovered the month interval between regional and state leaves very little time to make improvements. Especially when you factor Christmas and News Years into the equation.

Considering all the time we've spent the project our table missions are a tad behind schedule. I'm not too worried though because we've worked out our navigation so that the robot can find its way using sensors and way points. Unlike last year the kids are working out the solutions pragmatically. Their plan is to run three missions with a couple contingency missions in case something goes wrong and they need to retrieve the robot by hand.

I'm also proud of the kids for learning and applying some advanced programming techniques. Six of our seven members can explain a proportional controller and half them can write one from memory. I think it's pretty cool. I hope the technical judge will think so too.

Table Progress

West: The robot can pick up the blue loop, the gray loop, and the three loops consistently every time but still has to pick up the next gray loop yet.


End (east): Robot performs every thing consistently but the ending turns still need to be tweaked.


T2: First two loops grabbed consistently but brown still needs work.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White

Yesterday as part of our research project we took a field trip down to the Thompson Center in Chicago to interview Secretary of State Jesse White.


Secretary White is a remarkable man with a life long list of accomplishments-- any one of which would be sufficient for one life time. The Secretary was very gracious and has a real love for kids. We had an appointment for one hour with him but he kept asking questions about our team, our robot, and FLL that, by the time we gathered our things to leave, he was late for another appointment because of the extra time he spent with us.


He was incredibly generous and lavished us with a ton Jesse White Tumblers wrist bands and lanyards, then filled us up with Girl Scout Cookies and soda pop, and then opened a huge box of Halloween Candy and said "dig in!"  As we were leaving he asked for the date of our regional tournament so that he could put it on his calendar!