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FIRST Robotics Competition

The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is FIRST's equivalent of a varsity sport. It combines the excitement of a sport with the rigors of science and technology. Each team is given six weeks, strict rules, and limited resources to build a team up, hone teamwork, and build from scratch robots that both works and is competitive. It's the closest thing to "real-world engineering" a high schooler could get. You get a chance to work with real engineers, design your own robots, and get the opportunity to learn new things. Be it 3D modeling, programming, or engineering you are given an invaluable opportunity to learn.

Spruce Creek High School has had its own FRC Team, Team S*M*A*S*H, since 2007 with New Smyrna Beach High School and Mainland High School. Check The Team -> Who We Are for more info.

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This year we competing in the FRC competition called Breakaway!

It's played on a 27 by 54 foot field. It consists of two alliances with 3 teams each behind their alliance walls. The field, consists of two bumps that separate the field into 3 zones. A tower extends upwards in the middle of each bump and there is a tunnel under each tower connecting the zones together. Robots can drive across the field through the tunnel or over the bumps but robots may tip when crossing the bumps.

Each alliance starts with one of their robots in each of the three zones. One ball is placed in the zone closest to the alliance, two in the middle, and three at far end. The game is played with standard size 5 soccer balls. Each team scores points by kicking, rolling or otherwise moving the soccer balls into a goal. Above each goal is a vision target which can be tracked by teams using a camera for accurate targeting. Teams can also score by hanging off the towers, or hanging off of other hanging robots.

Each game starts with a fifteen second autonomous mode (only programming, no human interaction) in which robots attempt to shoot balls into the goals. At the end of the autonomous period, human drivers move up to controls. During the teleoperated period (human controlled period) teams control their robots and attempt to score in their goals. Balls can be scored from anywhere on the field. As robots attempt to score, they will have to deal with opposing robots that may be defending their goal. As balls are scored, a human player moves them from the goals and passes them to the center of the alliance station. A trident is then used to put them on the return rack to reenter them into play. In the last 20 seconds of the round teams can hang from the bars of the tower. Teams can also additionally hang on a elevated partner for even more points.

Scoring is calculated at the end of the round. One point for goals scored. Two points for elevated robots. Three points for hanging off of another robot. The team with the most points wins.

FRC Breakaway