In May, the AlphaBots will represent Iowa in the American Dream Invitational in East Rutherford, NJ. Ahead of their trip, we asked them a few questions about their season this year.
Q: How did your team come up with its name and logo?
A: In our inaugural year of FLL, we brainstormed a plethora of ideas. However, one standout concept was proposed by a team member – the inclusion of ‘Alpha’ in our logo. As a result, we designed our logo by combining two elements – ‘Alpha’ and ‘Bots’. We chose ‘Alpha’ as a part of our name to symbolize our leadership qualities. To intertwine with the theme of robotics, we decided to incorporate ‘Bots’. Thus, we created our distinctive team name – ‘AlphaBots’.
Q: What was the most exciting part of being on your FIRST LEGO League team?
A: One of the most thrilling aspects of being a part of our FIRST LEGO League team was our involvement in community service. A standout moment in our journey was our visit to the local public library. We took part in ‘Tales for Tots,’ a program designed to captivate children through the art of storytelling. The opportunity to contribute to our community and enrich the lives of young children brought us immense joy and satisfaction. The excitement of seeing the children engage more deeply with the stories and the rewarding feeling of making a difference in our community made this experience truly memorable.
Q: What was the funniest mishap that happened during a practice session?
A: One of the most humorous events that took place was when our robot unexpectedly malfunctioned. In the midst of a practice session for our robot game, we observed a part of the robot detaching. Almost wishfully, we were imagining it to fix itself, just like in the Transformer movies. We paused the game to address the issue, but the moment one of our teammates merely pressed the play button, the motors and additional components fell off! Is transformers real? Can we make that happen?
Q: Can your team share a memorable moment from a competition?
A: A significant memory occurred when we were on the verge of losing hope, as we hadn’t received any recognition for our diligent efforts. Just when we were on the brink of disappointment, the unexpected happened. In a surprising turn of events, we were called up to the stage to receive the 3rd place championship award. This sudden announcement led to an outburst of joy among our team members. Jumping with joy everyone.
Q: What was the craziest idea your team came up with during brainstorming sessions?
A: Our team’s most outlandish idea was when we proposed that we could 3D print life. Upon presenting this concept to our coaches, their reaction was one of uncontrollable laughter, leaving us perplexed. Once they shared their perspective on our idea, we, too, found ourselves rolling with laughter at the absurdity of our own proposition.
Q: Did you face any challenges this season? If so, how did you overcome them?
A: One of the obstacles we faced involved issues with the robot drifting and sensor malfunctions, as well as coding errors. Despite our incessant attempts to debug our code, the problem persisted. After a thorough brainstorming session, we devised a solution to mitigate this issue. Our approach involved rebooting the robot and incorporating print statements for each error, which significantly simplified the debugging process.
Q: What was the most valuable lesson your team learned from your LEGO League experience?
A: During this season, we gained a profound understanding of the immense power that lies within effective teamwork. We learned that when a group of diverse individuals comes together with a common goal, the synergy created can surpass any individual effort. We discovered that teamwork not only unites us but also allows us to leverage each other’s strengths, compensate for our weaknesses, and collectively solve problems that seemed insurmountable on an individual level. This lesson of unity and collaboration was, without a doubt, the most invaluable takeaway from this season.
Q: Which mission did your team find the most interesting and why?
A: The mission that intrigued us the most was the ‘rolling camera mission.’ This was primarily because it entailed two tasks – lifting the gate and launching. The challenge to save time while successfully accomplishing these tasks made it particularly interesting. Unlike other missions, which typically involved a single action, this mission demanded a higher level of strategy and coordination, making it stand out for us.
Q: Which mission did your team find the most challenging, and how did you tackle it?
A: The light show mission posed a significant challenge for us as it required the implementation of precise measurements, which was a meticulous and demanding task.
Q: What is your team most looking forward to at your upcoming competition?
A: We are thrilled at the opportunity to meet a multitude of different teams and to see their unique robots in action. Additionally, the potential to build new relationships during this process is something we greatly look forward to.
Q: Is there anything else your team would like to share with us?
A: We are thrilled to showcase our journey, including our robot, our innovation, and our commitment to local communities. We are particularly proud of the work we’ve done for our library and are eager to share these accomplishments with others!
This is Part IV of a series on the teams that will represent Iowa in post-season FIRST LEGO League Events around the world.