#689: FIRST Design explain

Team Member 1 (out of panel): Wow, this is a much better design.

Team Member 2 (out of panel): Let’s build it.

[A blueprint depicting a robot design for the FIRST competition. It consists of a standard mobile platform, with a pusher blade at the front. Additional parts include an umbrella on top and a trailer unit consisting a telescoping pole with a matchbox and match on top.]

Referee (out of panel): Go!

CLICK

[A FIRST competition field, with teams at opposite ends. Various robots appear on the field, and the team whose design appears above activates their robot.]

[The robot’s trailer unit detaches as the telescoping pole begins to extend, and the mobile platform with umbrella rolls forward.]

VRRR

CLICK

[Telescoping pole extends further.]

VRRRR

[Telescoping pole extends further.]

VRRRR

[Telescoping pole extends further, approaching a sprinkler head fixture.]

VRRR

[Telescoping pole stops extending, placing the matchbox and match very near the sprinkler head fixture.]

[The mobile platform stops moving.]

[The umbrella deploys, extending beyond the dimensions of the mobile platform.]

FWOOMP

[The match box and match are lit beneath the sprinkler head.]

FWOOSH

[The heat from the match triggers the sprinkler’s valve, and water sprays out of the sprinkler into the room below.]

PSSSSHH

[Water pours from the sprinkler onto the competition field, causing the electrical components of the opposing team’s robotics platform to short and malfunction. The opposing team appears distressed and confused.]

FZZZT

BWooooooo!!!

[The initial robot, still protected by its umbrella, pushes along the balls toward the goal zone without any difficulty.]