Old Robots?

[JaneYoung]

418 has been lucky so far in that our robots remain pretty much in tact year to year. Because we have participated in BEST for many years as well as FIRST, we have robots varying in sizes with stories and history attached. Several of the smaller robots decorate the classroom walls of our coach and lead teacher, Mr. Bertucci. In the metal shop there is storage for robots and for the tool cart. We've gotten rather creative with our storage and it becomes somewhat of a dance to access the older ones when they are needed. We pulled out our FIRST 2004 robot at the beginning of build to take some photos of a lift mechanism for another team. To access that robot, it took 3 of us and a carefully choreographed movement of robots and people to bring the robot out of storage and into the metal shop for photographing.

We also have old bicycles stored/displayed along one of the walls of the metal shop that have been built and there is always something coming in: old wheel chairs, bicycles, etc for future projects. It is nice that we have the space we do in the classroom and metal/wood shops to be able to use our robots for demos, training, and as a showcase for future students and guests. When unexpected visitors drop by, we can usually be found in the 'cage' either doing a simple demo or choreographing a moving 'dance', usually involving the guests. They have always loved it.