Year: 2011
Game: Logo-Motion
Robot Name: Velociraptor
Description: The design for Velociraptor arose from our experience with Raptor, our robot in the 2007 game. The articulated arm and roller claw allowed for easy pick up and placement of the various shaped tubes involved. Our mini-bot that year evolved from a 10 second to under 2 second ascent during the final seconds of the game.

Year: 2010
Game: Breakaway
Robot Name: Thumper
Description: Our 2010 robot was one of our smallest and most successful robots. We designed it with simplicity in mind. Thumper used only five motors; four CIMs for our mecanum drive train and one more for our kicker. The kicker was simply a rotating paddle that we called a “beater bar”. It was simple and effective, able to kick balls quickly and clear out the middle zone. The name Thumper originated from the beater bar. We clamped our kicker assembly to a table for testing and when attached to a battery, the entire table bounced up and down.

Year: 2009
Game: Lunacy
Robot Name: BAMF
Description: Like almost all robots in 2009, Chewy 2 looked like a box. The robot picked up balls using a vertical conveyor made of surgical tubing. Balls could be stored in a large hopper or shot through a rotating turret. The name originated from similarities between our Lunacy robot’s design and our 2006 robot’s design.

Year: 2008
Game: FIRST Overdrive
Robot Name: Speedy Gonzales
Description: Speedy was our fastest robot that we have built. Our robot had the capability to drive at 18 feet per second, rewarding us with about 8-10 laps per match. We also had the ability to knock the 40 inch track ball off the overpass.

Year: 2007
Game: Rack n’ Roll
Robot Name: Raptor
Description: Raptor is one of our most aesthetically pleasing robots due to its intimidating design. 2007 was our first year using mecanum wheels with two speed transmissions. Our arm could reach eleven feet into the air and also score over defending robots. During autonomous period, our arm would open up and flip down for easier manipulation.

Year: 2006
Game: Aim High
Robot Name: Chewballa
Description: Our Aim High robot had an effective and sleek design. An intake picked up balls in the front of the robot and stored them in a hopper. A rotating fin of lexan directed balls into the turret. They were carried up to the top of the turret by a belt and shot out the top by two wheels powered by a CIM motor.

Year: 2005
Game: Triple Play
Robot Name: Jesus
Description: Our 2005 robot had the ability to pick up a 12 pound tetra and lift it over 11 feet in the air. Jesus was a base model for our 2007 robot, Raptor.

Year: 2004
Game: FIRST Frenzy: Raising the Bar
Robot Name: Basket Case
Description: During the 2004 season, team 573 assimilated with team 1. The 2004 robot had a basket that could catch the balls as they dropped from the rack above the driver station. The robot also had an arm that could pick up balls and drop them in both the mobile and stationary goals. Eventually, a hook was added to hang off of the bar in the center of the field.

Year: 2003
Game: Stack Attack
Robot name: Wally
Description: The 2003 robot started on its side and flipped down at the beginning of the match. Wally is team 573’s only robot to date to use treads. Wally had impressive looking fold out wings on its sides that could knock down the stack on top of the hill. During the endgame, the robot could climb on top of other robots that were sitting on the top of the hill.

Year: 2002
Game: Zone Zeal
Robot Name: Solid Snake
Description: The 2002 robot was able to grab a goal and push it around the field. The robot also had the ability to pick up balls and place them in the goal that it was pushing around.

Year: 2001
Game: Diabolical Dynamics
Robot Name: The Chief
Description: Our rookie year was a huge success due to our robot. The Chief had an elevator to score balls in the mobile goals. The robot was also great at traversing the see-saw. Our successful design secured us two finalist awards and a rookie all star award.