GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A group from the Boys/Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida’s robotics team were challenged to build a machine that could scoop six-inch balls from the tournament floor, load them into a storage hopper, then shoot them into a target. 

The challenge was accepted. 

The team, called “The Zip Bombs,” will finish creating their futuristic machine in time for the Tallahassee Regional’s REBUILT First Robotics Competition, April 15-18. 

The team from Clay High will be one of 46 teams at the event, which also includes two teams from Turkey and one each from India, Mexico and Taiwan. 

“Right now, our robot has a storage design that could probably hold around like 30 balls,” said team president and lead designer Mason Corby. “We have a firing mechanism back here. Once we get to where the shooting side of the arena is, we'll shoot into the basket. It's kind of like a box, and it has like a little funnel on the top. We have to launch the balls into the basket to score points.” 

Each member has a role in the project. Joshua Valadzko is the main programer, Gabriel Herbein is the robot driver and Dilon Baker is a strategist. 

Other teams represent schools or clubs. The Zip Bombs are part of the BGCNF’s 21st Century community learning after-school program at Clay High. Other 21st Century programs are at Grove Park Elementary, Keystone Heights Elementary, Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High, Montclair Elementary, Orange Park Junior and Senior highs and Wilkinson Junior High. 

Corby said the biggest challenge is to find ways to solving problems during a match. 

“A lot of teams will have a mounted turret on their robot which lets them adjust their firing angle to shoot into the basket,” Corby said. “Because of some cost constraints, we don't really have a turret. We're kind of a new team so we're doing very well for being a new team.” 

Another cost concern is the trip itself. BGCNF said it will cost $8,000 for transportation, meals and lodging. The team said it is looking for sponsors, and anyone willing to help can email Cobi Gainious at CobiG@BGCNF.org. 

Valadzko said another issue for the young team is understanding the nuances and sorting all of the documentations. 

After programing at the First Tech Challenge level a year ago, Valadzko said FTR is more complicated. Valadzko and Corby said there is a dramatic difference between the two levels, which Crosby calling FTC the “junior varsity” and FTR the “varsity.” 

“I’m learning how to interface with the motors, how to do it effectively without messing up during the competition,” Valadzko said. 

As the strategist, Baker said his role is to study the game and the way other teams play. That includes watching videos of previous tournaments and understanding the point values to maximize opportunities. 

“We don't play our games at the same time as other people all around the world, so generally I'll have reference videos of other teams playing the game to watch. In a lot of time periods, because a majority of the time there's a variety of ways to score points, and we will focus on one of those ways. Then, we’ll try to build our robot to do one thing efficiently. Then once we get that, we’ll expand the robot from there.” 

The Zip Bombs started on their robot in January. The team has competed at other tournaments, and they continually watch videos to improve the robot, strategies and performance. 

“We redesigning and re-implementing our design after every game to get better,” Crosby said. 

All part of the challenge.