Key engineering mechanisms developed for the 2026–2027 FIRST CANOPY™ season
High-speed dual-roller active intake designed to rapidly capture 3-inch spherical Pollen elements from any orientation on the game field with zero jamming.
Mechanism: Active RollerMulti-stage telescopic lift inspired by natural limb articulation, providing high reach and precise angular placement into scoring canopies and hive targets.
Structure: Cascading RiggingCustom computer vision running AprilTag detection, target color isolation, and distance estimation for sub-centimeter autonomous alignment during matches.
Software: OpenCV / AprilTagUltra-responsive 4-wheel mecanum drive paired with 3-wheel dead-wheel odometry pods to maintain pinpoint localization across aggressive maneuvers.
Chassis: Mecanum OdometryAhead of the September 12, 2026 season kickoff, our engineering and software divisions are running through the seven official FIRST Skill Builders challenges. These hands-on drills test StarterBot fundamentals, intake geometry on 3" Pollen balls, and precise trajectory tracking.
Precision driving & obstacle slalom
Ground pick-up & compression tuning
Elevation control & repeatable drop
Encoder-based path following
Optical color & distance feedback
End-to-end collection speed drills
Cooperative strategy & zone defense