The BIonics Beocme Finalists at The UniveRSITY of rhode islandOn March 14-16, Team 4909 - The Bionics competed at the University of Rhode Island District Event in Kingston, RI for Week 3 of the 2024 FIRST® Robotics Competition. This weekend-long competition took place at the Keaney Gymnasium and was the team’s third official event of the 2024 season. In the weeks prior to the competition, the team was able to focus on consistency. The software team updated code to improve the robot's performance during both automated and tele-operated periods and the drive team held extensive driver practices to consistently score game pieces with short cycle times. Like previous events, the match structure is composed of qualification matches, followed by a double-elimination playoff bracket. Team 4909 ended the first day of the competition undefeated and broke the event high score of 91 points in one match. After the end of qualification matches, The Bionics won 11 of 12 qualification matches and was tied in ranking points with the first-place team. However, the Bionics dropped down to 2nd place due to FRC's tiebreaking procedure. Despite this, Team 4909 captained the 2nd-seed alliance, partnering with Team 1058, “PVC Pirates” of Londonderry, NH and Team 8544, “Reinforcement” of Sutton, MA. During the playoffs, the alliance won three consecutive matches, moving on as event finalists. In the finals, the Bionics won their first match against the 1st-seed alliance. Unfortunately, this match did not count and had to be replayed due to a field error. Despite the previous success, the team's robot suddenly experienced a mechanical error in the drive train, causing the Bionics to lose the replay, and the following match. This ended the competition with the Bionics placing second, earning the title, "Event Finalists." Even though the Bionics did not take home a blue banner, URIDE was unarguably one of the team’s best performing competitions in team history.  Bionics Win Industrial Design AwarDDuring the award ceremony, the judges awarded Team 4909 the Industrial Design Award, presented by General Motors. This award, "celebrates excellence in marrying form, function, and aesthetics within the realm of robotics." The judges specifically complimented the team's implementation of industrial design principles, including the use of precise machining and a compact design. The Bionics' next competition will be the New England District Championship at The Big E fairgrounds in Springfield, MA from April 4-6. Published on 3/18/2024 by Daniel Darris-O'Connor
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Team 4909 Places 3rd at the Granite State District Event in Salem, New HampshireOn March 1st and 2nd, Team 4909 - Billerica Bionics competed in the Granite State District Event for Week 1 of the 2024 FIRST® Robotics Competition. This weekend-long event was hosted at Salem High School in Salem, NH and was the Team’s first official event of the 2024 season. This competition attracted 35 high school teams from across New England, all aiming to take home a coveted blue banner. For this competition, high school students were challenged to build robots that operate in both autonomous and remote-controlled (tele-op) modes. Robots are required to pick up notes, ring-shaped game pieces and score them at precise targets across the game field. To score, teams have developed different ways to shoot and place game pieces. To score extra points in this year’s endgame challenge, robots must climb the stage, a field element located at the center of the field composed of a rigid structure with a metal chain linked across. Robots must attach to this element to lift off of the ground in order to receive points. In the competition, the match structure is composed of qualification matches, followed by a double-elimination playoff bracket. With a rough start on day one, Team 4909 ended up winning 7 out of 14 qualification matches, placing the team in 11th place. During alliance selection, Team 4909 partnered with Team 9443, “Aluminium Panthers” of West Newbury, MA and alliance captain Team 1922, “Oz-Ram” of Contoocook, New Hampshire to form the 4th-seed alliance. During the playoffs, the alliance won the first match. Unfortunately, the Bionic alliance lost the second match, dropping the team down to the lower bracket. The alliance won two consecutive matches in the lower bracket, but were ultimately defeated by the 2nd-seed alliance in the final match of the lower bracket. The Bionic alliance ended up placing 3rd of the eight alliances, and the team took home 46 district points, 10 more than the team’s first competition of the 2023 season.  Team 4909 Wins the Judges’ Award
Sophomore Luis TEIxeira Wins Dean’s List
Team 4909’s next competition will be this Saturday and Sunday at the Bridgewater State University event in Bridgewater, MA.
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