The Monta Vista Robotics Team consists of both an Engineering branch and an Operations branch. The Engineering branch is made up of a Mechanical division and an Electrical division. The Operations branch includes Media division, Public Relations division, Finance division, and Documentation division.
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The Mechanical Division is in charge of the design, fabrication, and assembly of the robot. During the first couple of weeks of the build season we prototype the different possible designs of the robot (prototypes are usually made out of basic materials: wood, PVC, etc.) and present them at design reviews. Then, we finalize the designs, using Autodesk Inventor (our 3D CAD modeling program), and make the final versions. At the end, we put it all together as one mechanically complete robot and tweak it during the last couple of weeks of the season.
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The Electrical Division is in charge of programming and wiring the robot. Members take in the software design and sensor implementation on the robot to make the “brains” of the robot. During the first weeks of the build season we will begin to work on wiring and programming the swerve drive along with learning how various sensors work. Later on, we will begin working on drive code and finalizing the sensors we use. In the last weeks, we will finish wiring the robot and programming the manipulators.
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The Media Division creates all of the graphics for the team. During the first weeks of the build season we teach members Photoshop and design T-shirts and buttons for the team using that software. After the Main Animation prompt is released, the media team spends much of its time creating objects and animating a thirty-second video. Throughout the course of the build season, we take on small projects that require the use of Photoshop, such as graphics for letters or banners for the robot.
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The Finance Division provides the funds for the team. Throughout the year we apply for grants from various companies such as BAE Systems, Google, and IBM as our primary source of funding. We also obtain funding from donations, application fees, and fundraising such as SCRIP. We keep the team on a tight budget especially during build season. For regional competitions, we also apply for the Entrepreneurship Award that rewards teams that are well structured to be able to finance its operations.
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The Public Relations Division is the integral part of spreading engineering throughout the community. We hold events throughout the Bay Area to reach out to different groups and teach people about not only robotics but the fields of science and technology. We uphold the ideals of FIRST by starting youth robotics programs at local schools and helping businesses and programs internationally. We work closely with other teams, divisions, and sponsors to best promote both gracious professionalism and engineering to everyone.
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The Documentation Division is responsible for documenting precious memories of the team. We capture moments at competitions, events, and build with photos, videos, and words. We do not only manage the website system, but also program the website and distribute information about outreach events to the team. We are also responsible for updating the MVRT Blog and creating the team newsletter that is distributed to members, parents, sponsors, and mentors. In addition, we work closely with the Public Relations Division to create the Chairman’s Video during build and the Media Division to create posters, flyers and more.
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Upcoming Events:
MVRT would like to thank:
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