Our Robots
Armstrong
Our 2023 robot for CHARGED UP was named Armstrong. Why? Because its predominant feature was a single arm that incorporated our first pivot and elevator. It also featured our first articulating intake-a milestone for Mechanically Challenged.
Armstrong was also our first attempt at competing in two regionals. It debuted at the Arkansas Regional and later competed at the Green Country Regional in Tulsa.
Armstrong used tank drive and was operated with the Thrustmaster T 1600 M Joysticks. Another first for Mechanically Challenged was the introduction of a secondary operator. Our "gunner" used an Xbox controller to control the pivot, elevator, and claw.
YEET! The Baby
YEET! was our 2024 robot for CRESCENDO, inspired loosely by the Unqualified Quokkas-and named accordingly. Legend has it that quokkas throw their babies at enemies when threatened, and the chaotic energy felt like a perfect fit.
YEET! used a pivot-based shooter paired with a pull-through intake/outtake system. Working together, the programming team and driver added a "reverse controls" button, letting the driver instantly flip the robot's controls for quicker turnarounds on the field.
This year, we scrapped the AndyMark kit and built our own West Coast drivetrain with a brand-new gearbox. YEET! competed at the Arkansas Regional before heading to the Bayou Regional in New Orleans.
Ebirah - Horror Of The Doorknobs
Ebirah was our 2025 entry for REEFSCAPE. Its main focus was an elevator built from the Thriftybot Elevator Kit, which was heavily modified to meet our needs. Over the season, we cycled through three different intake designs, with the final version pictured at the bottom.
Ebirah ran on a modified West Coast frame powered by Kraken Motors generously donated by a team member's family. It featured three cameras and was our first to be retrofitted with SWERVE after the season. The robot also included a plethora of 3D-printed parts, and its 3D-printed battery case turned a lot of heads in Knoxville.
Ebirah competed at the Arkansas Regional and debuted a completely new intake at the Smoky Mountain Regional outside Knoxville, Tennessee. Later, it showcased the new Thrifty SWERVE drivetrain at the 2025 Ozark Mountain Brawl.
Grozam
Grozam was our 2026 robot for REBUILT. Its main function was a shooter that could shoot out many balls at the same time. It also had a hopper that could store many balls. At first, we didn't have the hopper. It was just a slap-down intake. It also had a "indexer," which allowed the balls to squeeze through a small space and exit out the robot by coming out of the shooter.
Grozam ran a West Coast frame powered by Krakens. It had two cameras; one for looking at the shooter and the other looking forward, allowing the robot to see ahead. The robot had plenty of 3D-printed parts, especially the thick wheels on the shooter. These items impressed lots of people in City of Fountains.
Grozam competed at the Arkansas Regional and the City of Fountains Regional. It used a Swerve Drivetrain, which was coded in Java. The robot was controlled by two Xbox controllers; one for the drive, and the other for the shooter, hopper, intake, and the indexer.
