It was a frigid, winter day in Utica, New York as robotics teams from around the world shook the stands of SUNY Polytechnic Institute for the Central New York Regional Competition from March 13 - March 16, 2019. The crowd watched anxiously as they waited to see which alliance’s rocket would be the first to soar skyward. “And the winner of this match is…. the blue alliance!” The crowd jumped with excitement. Nemesis 2590, along with alliance partners Team 4083, The Iron Wolverines , Team 3044, 0xBE4, and Team 639, Code Red Robotics, advanced to the semi-finals after beating their opponents with a score of 52-38! After a weekend full of tense matches, optimism and excitement exploded throughout our team making us believe that we will make it to the finals!

Nemesis was hungry for a win following their semi-finalist finish at Mount Olive High School. The Drive Team (seniors Rahul Sawant, Alex Keller, Richa Mandrekar, and Harsh Padhye, along with junior Gurveer Grewal) battled tirelessly through every match to secure the maximum amount of points. The pit crew (Nolan Quon, Peter Mathews, Connie Mehl, and Mathew Joseph) worked after every match to run system checks and reamp the robot to increase Nemesis’ competitiveness. The Strategy Team leads (Chinmay Savanur and Bhargavi Lanka) analyzed every robots’ performance to determine which team would provide us with the best chance for success.

Throughout the qualifying matches, Nemesis started small, testing strategies and implementing new subsystems. After every match, the pit crew determined what to improve for future matches. Concurrently, the Marketing Team’s amazing presentation along with their stellar business plan wowed the judges, resulting in a Nemesis win of the Central New York Regional Entrepreneurship Award. This took a full team effort from the Marketing Team who presented the team’s operations and outreach efforts to judges. When asked about winning the award Likhitha Patlolla, the Director of Marketing, commented, “It was incredibly gratifying to see our hard work recognized with the Entrepreneurship Award!”

During alliance selections, Nemesis, the 6th seeded alliance captain, chose Team 0xBE4, and Code Red Robotics to join them for the elimination rounds. Nemesis scored a great amount of points during the quarter-final rounds, getting their robot to the second level of the Hab Station. With around twenty seconds left of the match, OxBE4 raised their rocket on to the third level, giving the alliance enough points to move to the semi-final rounds. The semi-finals proved to be a tough challenge to overcome for Nemesis. Unfortunately, the alliance lost its partner, Code Red Robotics, due to a malfunction. To combat that, a substitute, The Iron Wolverines, joined the alliance playing a critical role defensively. Despite the valiant efforts of Nemesis and the rest of the alliance, the opposing team took the victory.

Nemesis left the competition more determined than ever to continue improving for their upcoming competitions, the Bensalem District Event and hopefully the Mid-Atlantic Regional Competition.

Nemesis would like to thank our gracious sponsors: Robbinsville High School, Navair, DoDStem, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Picatinny Arsenal, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Lockheed Martin, Robbinsville Education Association, Investors Bank, SkyLink Technologies, CCC, Sharbell Development, RAS, Robbinsville Education Foundation, Gilbane, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, Triangle Copy, DesignTree, and Coldwell Bankers.
 

Robbinsville High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 2590, Nemesis, was thrilled to support alumna Jolia Thadal as she partnered with the Center for Panamanian Women (CEMP) from February 7-12, 2019 as she ran a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) seminar. CEMP is a non-governmental, non-profit organization which works for the empowerment of women and children in pursuit for a fairer society without violence.

The team sent the supplies, a bilingual instructional video, and the written guidelines necessary to create a Scribble Bot challenge for 50 children, enabling the children of CEMP to create a small robot which makes artistic designs using markers, a battery, a plastic cup, and a small motor. Each child was encouraged to innovate and create their own unique designs.

Many Nemesis team members first fell in love with engineering by playing with LEGOs. Through a collective effort with the Robbinsville community, Nemesis successfully coordinated a month long LEGO Drive in which over 160 pounds of gently used and new LEGOs were collected to provide the Panamanian children of CEMP the opportunity to creatively explore the wonders of engineering.

John Exner, a freshmen member on the team, expressed, “It was a privilege to be able to contribute to such a charitable cause. Thank you to those of the Robbinsville community, who graciously donated to our LEGO Drive. By the conclusion of it, our team was able to raise an outstanding 162.5 lbs of LEGOs! It is satisfying to know that all the hours we spent collecting and packaging the LEGOs was worth it. I hope the children in Panama find as much joy playing with the LEGOs as we once did and that it inspires them to pursue careers in STEM fields”.

To spread the STEM message locally, Nemesis runs Robotics Discovery and Engineering Day camps annually for elementary and middle school students. The team was grateful for the opportunity to expand internationally once again after last year’s House of Hope Project in Haiti. Discovery and Engineering Day campers loved playing with the Nano Hexbugs, mini robots given at the camps; this inspired Nemesis to send Hexbugs to fascinate the children of CEMP in Panama with the joy of robots.

Marie Thadal, who volunteered in Panama and participated at the STEM seminar, had this to say about the experience,“The project with the children was amazing. At first glance they were a bit shy and unsure of what this whole project was about. Within half an hour or so after they watched the video, the first scribble bot was running, then the next. You can’t imagine their smiles when they realized they built this little guy. All the helpers, myself Patricia Akiens PhD, Marylynn Halland Seceritariat General of the IFSCC led by Jolia were just as amazed as the children. Thank you so much to the entire team.”

Nemesis hopes that the STEM seminar inspired the children of Panama to become future engineers and innovators.  

Thank you to our proud sponsors Robbinsville High School, Navair, Picatinny Arsenal, Lockheed Martin, DoDStem, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Investors Foundation, Nordson, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Johnson & Johnson, Robbinsville Education Association, Sharbell Development, RAS, Robbinsville Education Foundation, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, EAG Laboratories, DesignTree, CCC, Gilbane, Triangle Copy, SkyLink Technology, Inc., Coldwell Banker, Church & Dwight, and the family and friends of Nemesis.

In the midst of statewide freezing temperatures, excitement filled Robbinsville High School (RHS) as sponsors, politicians, and community members converged at Nemesis’ 7th Annual Sponsor Networking Night. The event provided the opportunity for attendees to converse, watch engaging presentations, and drive Nemesis’ 2018 award winning robot, Fury, all while partaking of the delectable snack options set out by the team. Not only is it an opportunity for sponsors to network among themselves and learn about the team's previous season, it is an opportunity for Nemesis to show appreciation.

The night began with pairs of students greeting and introducing themselves to invited guests. After attendees were greeted, the Build and Marketing Teams offered presentations on their respective subteams. On behalf of the Build Team, senior executives Rahul Sawant and Richa Mandrekar provided a detailed explanation of the 2019 FIRST Robotics Competition Game Challenge, explained the functions of common robot parts, and even gave a sneak peak of Nemesis’ 2019 prototype. After a tour of the RHS Technology Lab, students answered technical questions, and provided an in-depth analysis of the six-week build season.

Across the hall, senior Likhitha Patlolla and juniors Noel Varughese and Michael Lim wowed the audience with their presentation showcasing Nemesis’ extensive community outreach followed by a  recap of Nemesis’ highly successful 2018 competition season. The team highlighted their most recent outreach event, a LEGO drive to support the STEM camp curriculum and supplies donated to children of the Center for Panamanian Women.

In addition to the presentations, attendees jumped at the opportunity to drive Nemesis’s 2018 competition robot. There was more excitement to be found as everyone watched the Nao humanoid robot perform complex dances and show off its mathematical skills. Attendees appreciated the opportunity to mingle and ask questions of the students in small personal groups.

In 2007, Nemesis began as a 14 member team. Nemesis is currently a 60 student strong nonprofit organization. Nemesis takes great pride in their technical accomplishments and community outreach efforts. None of this would be possible without the support of Robbinsville High School, their sponsors, and the community.

Nemesis is a 501(c)(3) organization and would like to thank their sponsors: Navair, Robbinsville High School, Picatinny Arsenal, Lockheed Martin, DoDStem, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Investors Foundation, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Robbinsville Education Association, Sharbell Development, RAS, Robbinsville Education Foundation, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, EAG Laboratories, DesignTree, CCC, Gilbane, Triangle Copy, SkyLink Technology, Inc., Coldwell Banker, and the family and friends of Nemesis.

Thanks, in part, to Nemesis and the Project Lead the Way curriculum, Robbinsville Township has propelled itself into the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM). Its students actively participate in technology courses and clubs. On January 29th, Nemesis focused on the roots of Robbinsville Township: agriculture. Teammates Gurveer Grewal, Zachary Harris, and Likhitha Patlolla paid a visit to the Robbinsville Leafy Green Machine, a hydroponics facility used for sustainable horticulture. Hydroponics is a rather unique agricultural accomplishment. Rather than soil, plants are grown in a mineral solution. The Leafy Green Machine utilizes hydroponics along with other techniques to streamline efficiency. Hearty greens are grown vertically to preserve storage space. Water is fed through vertical feeding tubes and the excess is drained and reused. Computer regulation systems work around the clock, meticulously modifying pH levels, LED lighting frequencies, humidity levels, and nutrient supplies. Overall, the Leafy Green Machine showcases the advancements and strides Robbinsville is taking towards a sustainable community.

Nemesis met with the Hydroponics Farm Coordinator Kyle Clement to begin their tour. Afterwards, the Nemesis teammates began discussing the possibilities of Robbinsville High School’s involvement with Robbinsville Hydroponics. “The tour provided great insight into a very interesting concept. The Leafy Green Machine was amazing in that it showed me how STEAM can help develop and improve even the simplest concepts, like farming. Thank you Mr. Clement for helping to both start such a project and include our team in its plans for the future.” remarked Gurveer. Indeed, the Leafy Green Machine presents an amazing opportunity to contribute to Robbinsville’s sustainability and Nemesis eagerly awaits these possible opportunities.

Team Nemesis 2590 would like to thank Robbinsville Hydroponics and Kyle Clement for providing a wonderful tour and an opportunity to serve the Robbinsville community in the near future.   

We would love to thank our sponsors. We can’t do it without you!  Navair, Robbinsville High School, Picatinny Arsenal, Lockheed Martin, DoDStem, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Investors Foundation, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Robbinsville Education Association, Sharbell Development, RAS, Robbinsville Education Foundation, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, EAG Laboratories, DesignTree, CCC, Gilbane, Triangle Copy, SkyLink Technology, Inc., Coldwell Banker, and the family and friends of Nemesis.

With T-Minus 33 days until Build Season is complete, team Nemesis has been working hard to make sure that the subsystems on the robot will be up to the challenge.

Prototypes for subsystems were carefully crafted in small teams. Underclassmen were able to partake in this process, allowing them to be involved and work hands-on as new members of the team. Being able to witness and participate in the prototyping process provides them with valuable skills and they are able to learn how to use various tools such as the rivet gun, the drill press, and the router.

Some solidified designs have been made including a hatch intake and drivetrain. A cargo shooter that can shoot from below the ports has also been constructed. The team is currently working on refining these designs in order to seamlessly integrate them. The last subsystem prototype on our agenda is a Level 3 climber for the Hab.

Our main obstacle this week has been integrating the subsystems of the robot. While we have a multitude of proven prototypes, our design team is working diligently toward making all of the subsystems work in harmony for the best possible result.

The upcoming week will consist of finishing up our final design and starting to fabricate parts for the actual robot. With the next week comes exciting new possibilities and the team is excited to see what the future holds for the remainder of Build Season.

It’s that time again! This year’s FIRST(For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition Kickoff! on January 5th, 2019 marked the start of a new build season for nearly 4,000 FRC teams worldwide. FIRST Robotics strives to bring the competitive spirit to students passionate about STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Math) through inventive challenges.

Over 30 local teams attended the Kickoff! at Montgomery High School including Nemesis from Robbinsville High School, S.P.I.K.E from Hopewell Valley and Peddie School Robotics. The day began with students taking advantage of the golden opportunity to attend a multitude of workshops which included the following: Optimized Fundraising, CAD(computer-aided design), Bumper Design, Sensors, and Autodesk Inventor.

Up next, the big reveal.

The tension in the room was thick as the students anxiously waited for the challenge, broadcast live from FIRST headquarters in New Hampshire. Sara Marincas, a Nemesis freshman gushed, “After hearing about previous competitions, I looked forward to my first Kickoff! and couldn’t wait to find out about this year’s challenge!” The countdown began; T-minus: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Introducing the 2019 FIRST Robotics challenge: Destination: Deep Space.

Teams build competitive robots in six short weeks with limited finances and resources. This year’s game is played with two alliances of three robots each. Each alliance has two rocket ships and a smaller cargo ship. The game begins during a sandstorm where operators are unable to see their robots and must use pre-programmed instructions or vision technology to begin the match. To score points, the robots load their cargo and hatch panel game pieces onto the ships. The teams place balls (cargo) onto the ship and cover it with a disc (hatch panel) to secure it.

Following the reveal, whispered robot ideas could be heard everywhere. Griffin David, a Nemesis freshman described his first Kickoff! as “an amazing experience that left me with a rush of excitement for the upcoming season.”

Teams hurried out of the auditorium, to their respective schools, eager to start brainstorming and prototyping their robots. “As my final build season begins, I can’t wait to see what our strategy team comes up with. This looks like it's going to be an exciting ride,” extolled Rahul Sawant, Nemesis senior.

Nemesis will be competing at Mount Olive on March 9th-March 10th; The Central New York Regional on March 14th-16th; and Bensalem on March 30th-March 31st. All events are free and open to the public.

Nemesis would like to extend great thanks to their generous sponsors: Robbinsville High School, Navair, Picatinny Arsenal, Lockheed Martin, Department of Defense STEM, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Nordson, Investors Foundation, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Robbinsville Education Association, Princeton Sports & Family Medicine, DesignTree, EAG Laboratories, RAS Process Equipment, Robbinsville Education Foundation,  Sharbell Development Corp., Computer Components Corp., Gilbane Inc., Northstar Vets, Triangle Copy, Coldwell Banker, and Skylink Technology Incorporated.

The moment the curtain dropped to reveal the 2019 playing field, Nemesis was instantly bursting at the seams with ideas on how to solve every problem they would face.  After a double speed read of the game manual, the team was ready for brainstorming. Ideas ranging from cranes to catapults were presented. The team split up into small groups, where every team member drew out any and all ideas they had.  Each small group made a design using aspects from all the contributions. The entire team reviewed all the small group designs, effectively giving the entire team insight into the ideas of others, and additional potential solutions to all of the tasks to be completed.  After two days of brainstorming, the prototyping phase was ready to begin.

The team decided that the main subsystems that needed to be built included: a cargo intake, a hatch intake, a way to place game pieces on the cargo ship and rocket, a drive train, and a way to climb.  Again, the team was broken up into sub teams, one for each subsystem. The sub-teams proceeded to build prototypes. Some succeeded wonderfully, while others failed. Ideas quickly evolved, sometimes coming full circle, or slowly transforming into an entirely new idea.  Some ideas were abandoned, while others branched off into completely new directions. Major progress was made with the cargo carriage system and the hatch intake system. Although these prototypes worked well, the team still tweaked them and made small changes to make them even better.

The build season to come will bring many challenges, but with some more hard work and determination, the team will thrive!

Following days of presentation rehearsals, button making, and robot maintenance, Nemesis 2590 was ready to inspire the youth of Robbinsville. On November 17, 2018, these teammates made their way to the Robbinsville Public Library to present to the next-generation of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) enthusiasts the history of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and Nemesis 2590. Following a detailed presentation of FIRST, Nemesis’ sub-teams, the 2018 FRC game challenge, and Nemesis’ award winning robot Fury, the attendees had a blast playing robot inspired mini-games.

To many of the Nemesis presenters, this demonstration was invigorating; “It presented an opportunity to interact with and hear the ideas of the future of FIRST,” remarked Marketing team member Michael Lim.

The children present were fully briefed on the machinations of FIRST. From learning about the opportunities of FIRST Lego League, to seeing firsthand the impact of FIRST on its community, these attendees were informed and enthused. They learned in detail how Nemesis helped turn the FIRST message into reality. Nemesis’ annual Robotics Discovery Day was a particularly interesting topic, as parents and children alike inquired of the possibilities of the robotics half-day day-camp. Attendees were then shown videos of Nemesis in action while the competition season was discussed. As Fury was shown in its prime, its robot-carrying wings became particular items of inquiry.

Then came the action. The children raced to build their own gamecube pyramid, striving to replicate the one built by Fury. The children had a blast, and concluded their fun with ample take-home buttons, tattoos, Fury statistic cards, robot pictures, and high-fives. Overall, the Library Demonstration was a resounding success.

“The Library Demo was really cool because we could see how the future of STEM is being shaped. To see firsthand, the excitement that the children held towards our robot and FIRST in general was amazing,” stated Build team member Ashleigh D’Cruz. The Library Demonstration exemplified the amazing potential of the future of STEM.

Team Nemesis 2590 would like to thank the Robbinsville Public Library for providing this wonderful opportunity for inspiring tomorrow’s leaders.

We would love to thank our sponsors. We can’t do it without you!  Navair, Robbinsville High School, Picatinny Arsenal, Lockheed Martin, DoDStem, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Investors Foundation, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Robbinsville Education Association, Sharbell Development, RAS, Robbinsville Education Foundation, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, EAG Laboratories, DesignTree, CCC, Gilbane, Triangle Copy, SkyLink Technology, Inc., Coldwell Banker, and the family and friends of Nemesis

Ducking from flying paper airplanes and watching enthusiastic campers moving from station to station, it’s obviously Robotics Discovery Day at Robbinsville High School. This annual event, which took place on December 1st and 2nd, is incredibly popular amongst elementary-age students. It continues to remain successful, with all of the campers truly enjoying their experiences. 2018’s Discovery Day served as a great learning opportunity that allowed the young students to test their technical skills while solving open ended challenges while having fun.

The campers were tasked with building a paper airplane launcher. They experimented with different types of motors to create a design to launch their airplanes the farthest. Winners were based off of the longest glide time or the longest distance covered. Some airplanes flew as far as 60 feet! Campers also used LEGO Mindstorms to create a robot that participated in a tug of war battle or climbed an inclined plane.

Paired into groups of two or three, student teams worked with a high school mentor. Utilizing their creativity and mechanical skills, campers needed to be able to differentiate between sizes of gears in order to create a successful launcher design. Student mentors were incredibly impressed with the way campers faced obstacles. Anushka Pillay, a first-year student mentor whose team’s airplanes launched the farthest distance, noted, “The kids came up with innovative solutions to all of the problems they faced. Even though they were not very familiar with LEGO Mindstorms, they were still able to build a launcher with a creative design.”

Not only did the campers experiment with different motors, gears and designs, but they also worked together as a team. Cooperating with team members was essential to success, and campers were able to practice team-building skills throughout the event. Ritika Bhatnagar, a freshman on Nemesis, observed the excellent teamwork of her campers saying, “It was so cool watching them work together. They collaborated on ideas together and helped each other out.”

In addition to completing the challenges, campers took part in entertaining activities such as driving Nemesis’ mighty robot, Fury, and learning about the First Lego League (FLL). The FLL teams sparked interest in STEM by providing the campers with an in-depth explanation of their challenges. Campers also participated in a demonstration of the captivating humanoid NAO Robot.

The activities of Robotics Discovery Day had a wonderful impact on the campers. Swapna, a fourth-grade camper, exclaimed, “Discovery Day was so fun! I loved building the robots and launching the paper planes! Driving Fury was one of my favorite parts too. I really want to do robotics now because it seems so interesting!”

Thank you to those who participated! We hope to see you next year!

We would love to thank our sponsors. We can’t do it without you!  Navair, Robbinsville High School, Picatinny Arsenal, Lockheed Martin, DoDStem, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Investors Foundation, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Robbinsville Education Association, Sharbell Development, RAS, Robbinsville Education Foundation, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, EAG Laboratories, DesignTree, CCC, Gilbane, Triangle Copy, SkyLink Technology, Inc., Coldwell Banker, and the family and friends of Nemesis.

There was certainly no excitement spared today as Nemesis’s Fury participated in its final event of the year. Hosted by Raider Robotix at North Brunswick High School with over forty-two teams gathered from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, it provided a competitive atmosphere as teams competed for the penultimate off-season event of the year. Scouts watched diligently throughout each match, carefully jotting down notes and comments on every robot competing, aware of how decisive scouting is and how large a role it plays during alliance selections. After Nemesis finished the 18th edition of Ramp Riot as finalists last week, the team was fired up and ready to cap the season off with a top podium finish at Brunswick Eruption.

Through tough qualification rounds Nemesis rose from being ranked 23rd to ranked 3rd over the course of one match before finally finishing as the fourth seed. During alliance selection Nemesis was offered a spot alongside second seed FRC 271, Mechanical Marauders, but respectfully declined the offer. During the duration of the serpentine draft, Nemesis invited teams FRC 1089, Team Mercury, and FRC 5421, Birch Bots, to join their alliance. Nemesis’s alliance won through a third game tiebreaker against the fifth seed alliance; teams FRC 5599, The Sentinels, FRC 395, 2 Train Robots, and FRC 2601, Steel Hawks.

Unfortunately, Nemesis exited the tournament after a narrow defeat to the first seed alliance. With Brunswick Eruption marking the end of the 2018 competition season for Nemesis, many of the returning members reflected on what was one of the team’s most successful years in history. “In the end it’s all about teamwork and we worked the best we can and no matter the outcome. It’s not whether or why we lost it’s a matter of how we banded together as a family and that’s what FIRST is all about” said Harsh Padhye the Chief of Software.

Brunswick Eruption and Ramp Riot, however, were more than just the robots and accolades. These past two events also saw Nemesis try out candidates for the upcoming season’s drive team. With both drivers, Alex Keller and Nolan Quon, performing phenomenally throughout the qualification and elimination rounds it was unfortunate that Nemesis was unable to bring home the top prize in the past weeks. It was also during these events that seniors Richa Mandrekar, Chinmay Savanur, and Rahul Sawant were given the opportunity to try their hand at drive coaching. In addition, notable alumni such as Dahany Choi and Connor Hofenbitzer came out and showed their support for the team and demonstrated how once you’re a Nemesis team member, you’re always a Nemesis team member. The brand new leadership team felt more confident having alumni enthusiastically around the stands and pits, advising the new drive team, as well as pitching in during the strategy meetings.

What’s important to gather from these off-season events isn’t necessarily the competition results. It is about how the new members are transitioning into their new roles on the team. As Mr. Wolfe, team advisor, describes it, “We have participated in the most off-season events since the inception of the team; Brunswick Eruption, Ramp Riot, Midnight Mayhem, winning Girl Power and Havoc respectively, following on the heels of an awesome season. The high level point of that was that it allowed a large amount of underclassmen the opportunity to be on the drive team. The whole point of the off-season is to have fun and try out for the drive team.”

The drive team isn’t the only area of the team that seems to be thriving this year; the new pit team is assimilating remarkably well. “The newer people have been responding amazingly. We had a couple of tight spots these past few weeks and the team rose to the occasion and got it done. Especially last week was particularly tough with the smaller 4x8 pit with little space and they adapted well”, according to mentor Dr. Keller.

As the door closes on a historic season for Nemesis another door full of opportunities opens wide. With so much potential and a new team brimming with talent, only the sky's the limit for this new 2019 Nemesis team.

Nemesis would like to thank their sponsors: Navair, Robbinsville High School, Picatinny Arsenal, Lockheed Martin, DoDStem, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Investors Foundation, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Robbinsville Education Association, Sharbell Development, RAS, Robbinsville Education Foundation, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, EAG Laboratories, DesignTree, CCC, Gilbane, Triangle Copy, SkyLink Technology, Inc., Coldwell Banker, and the family and friends of Nemesis.

As we begin to prepare for the upcoming season, Robbinsville’s FIRST Robotics Team, Nemesis, hosted its annual Nemesis Engineering Day. Spanning two days and four different sessions, the half-day day camp resulted in overwhelmingly positive feedback. Students entered their sessions eager to learn and ready to build.

Nemesis had the goal of educating Robbinsville’s youth on civil engineering through engaging challenges while also maintaining a friendly environment for everyone. The campers were paired in groups of two or three and assigned a high school mentor to support them while they constructed a straw bridge designed to support heavy weights. Shweta Raman, who’s in her first year on Nemesis, noted “They partnered up and got to work with a lot of excitement and passion.”

Similar to being a professional civil engineer, the students innovated in hopes of surpassing the requirements. Specifically, each team needed to enhance a truss bridge’s design in order to hold the most weight. Nemesis photographer, Madhu Seshadri, exclaimed, “Taking photos of the students’ concentrated and determined faces was so much fun. They were all so nice!”

Efficiency and quality were major factors in how each team placed on the leaderboard. Ritika Bhatnagar, a freshman, acknowledged the resilience of her campers saying, “Even though the students came in last place, instead of giving up, they wanted to do better.” Such feelings were not uncommon to the campers, all of them did their best.

Students enjoyed a virtual simulated bridge design program, a demonstration of the NAO Robot, and driving Nemesis’ 2018 award winning competition robot, Fury. These demonstrations ignited campers’ passions for STEAM and resulted in rave reviews.

Nemesis Engineering Day provided a great learning experience for the campers. The weekend was an overwhelming success allowing Nemesis team members not only the opportunity to spread the FIRST message and their love of STEAM, but also to raise funds to support Nemesis Cares and Shares, Nemesis’ community outreach programs.

Thank you to all that attended! We hope to see you next year!

Nemesis would like to thank their sponsors: Navair, Robbinsville High School, Picatinny Arsenal, Lockheed Martin, DoDStem, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Investors Foundation, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Robbinsville Education Association, Sharbell Development, RAS, Robbinsville Education Foundation, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, EAG Laboratories, DesignTree, CCC, Gilbane, Triangle Copy, SkyLink Technology, Coldwell Bankers, and the family and friends of Nemesis.

The sun shined bright on a beautiful day in Indianapolis, Indiana. The air smelled of corn and competition. On July 12, 2018, seventy teams from all over North America converged upon the Indiana Robotics Invitational hosted by FRC teams; 234, 45, and 1024. Robbinsville High School’s FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Team 2590, Nemesis, attended with high spirits after being finalists at the Tesla Division at the FIRST World Championship held in Detroit in April. The 2018 challenge, FIRST Power Up, was an arcade based game. In this game, opposing alliances stacked crates on switches and a scale to gain ownership. During endgame, robots would climb up the scale. Nemesis tried to beat the boss using their precisely engineered “wings” to lift two robots and themselves up the scale.

As qualification matches began, Nemesis struggled to adjust to the new drive team members. However, after a few matches, the team gained control once again. In the stands, Nemesis worked with other teams from the Mid-Atlantic Region (MAR) to scout competing teams. Strategy team member, Chinmay Savanur said “Collaborating with other MAR teams gave us a sense of unity throughout the competition.”

On day two of the event, teams finished qualification matches and started alliance selections. At rank 18, Nemesis was picked by the seventh alliance with FRC 1024 Kil-A-Bytes, FRC 225 TechFire, and FRC 868 TechHOUNDS. During the lunch break, members from all four alliances strategized for their upcoming matches.

Nemesis and its alliance partners flew through elimination matches undefeated, beating some of the best teams at the event. When the final matches began, the energy of the event was at an all time high. Build team member, Kavya Velliangiri exclaimed, “The energy at the competition was indescribable! The sound of teams cheering filled the gym with excitement.”

The first of three finals matches started with Nemesis and the rest of the Blue Alliance in the lead. With two minutes to go, TechFire’s robot tipped over onto the field. The Blue Alliance found it close to impossible to maintain their lead in the two versus three robot situation. The Red Alliance caught up and won the match with a score of 328 to 387.

Finals two began with a slight advantage towards the Red Alliance. The Blue Alliance started accumulating points at a rate of 2/second and gained the lead. The announcer struggled to keep up as the scale tipped back and forth. With thirty seconds left, Nemesis lifted the Kil-A-Bytes onto the scale but were brought back down. “3, 2, 1” the crowd chanted in anticipation. Nemesis and the Kil-A-Bytes climbed the scale earning the Blue Alliance enough points to play one more match. “And the winner of Finals two is… the Blue Alliance!” The crowd roared.

As Europe’s, “The Final Countdown” played in the background, Finals three began. The Red Alliance quickly gained ownership of their switch and their scale. Nemesis and its alliance fought to change that. The scale soon tipped in the Blue Alliance’s favor. With TechFire and Nemesis stacking cubes on the scale, the Kil-A-Bytes focused on the exchange zone. With 100 seconds left, the two alliances were at an exact tie. As endgame approached, Nemesis let down its wings. Both TechFire and the Kil-A-Bytes climbed on. Five seconds left. Nemesis pulled all three robots up onto the scale. The crowd went wild! “3, 2, 1,” the gymnasium yelled.

The Blue Alliance huddled together while judges deliberated. “The winner of the Indiana Robotics Invitational is… the Red Alliance!” When the final score of 396 to 399 was announced, Nemesis celebrated the amazing matches they played throughout the invitational. Rising junior, Connie Mehl explained, “It was an amazing experience. I could feel our team’s unity and support every match we played.”

Nemesis would like to thank their sponsors: Navair, Robbinsville High School, Picatinny Arsenal, Lockheed Martin, DoDStem, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Investors Foundation, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Robbinsville Education Association, Sharbell Development, RAS, Robbinsville Education Foundation, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, EAG Laboratories, DesignTree, CCC, Gilbane, Triangle Copy, SkyLink Technology, Coldwell Bankers, and the family and friends of Nemesis.

On June 12th, 2018, the typical elementary school class would be learning the last few subjects of the school year, as the students anxiously awaited summer.  For the students in Ms. Rosol’s and Mrs. Zaffarese’s classes at Sharon Elementary School that was not the case. They spent their last hour of the school day learning about the wonders and intricacies of Nemesis, Robbinsville High School’s FIRST Robotics team.  Earlier in the year, these same students marked themselves winners, collecting the largest amount of non-perishable food items for the annual Nemesis Food Drive. Thanks, in part, to their efforts and contributions, over 2,000 food items were donated to the Robbinsville Food Pantry.  As an extension of gratitude, a group of Nemesis teammates stopped by to give them a fun-filled afternoon.

Kicking off the event, Nemesis thanked the students for their amazing contributions.  Next, came the fun. The students could hardly contain their excitement as they watched Fury, Nemesis’ award winning robot in action.  Fury picked up blocks and lifted itself along with two high school students off of the ground; a feat that impresses people of all ages, and certainly left many younger students awe-inspired.   After the opening “ceremonies”, students were split up into four groups to learn about the different components of Nemesis. At one station teammates from the Build Team explained the design process, and discussed the previous years’ robots.  The Marketing Team presented how Nemesis spreads its name and message, and acquires the means and funding to support the team. Here the students received some very fashionable buttons and (non-permanent) tattoos. At the Software Team station, Nemesis students explained how they create a robot out of a bunch of metal pieces.  The students also watched in wonder as Nemesis’s humanoid Nao robot, sang, talked, and danced.

The event concluded with some great photo opportunities, followed by a meet-and-greet where the elementary students were able to talk to the high school students, and ask them questions.  After witnessing such an amazing demonstration of STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art and Mathematics) the excitement and enthusiasm within the younger students was palpable. “Going around the room, and seeing each individual kid’s excitement for each station was really incredible.  It’s remarkable to see such an interest in STEAM at such a young age.” remarked Nemesis team member, Apoorva Savanur. With this fun-filled afternoon concluded, it is almost certain that Nemesis recruited a group of future team members. Team Nemesis would like to extend its gratitude to Sharon Elementary School for their support and partnership in the Food Drive.

The annual Nemesis Food Drive with Sharon Elementary School brought in over 2,000 non-perishable food items to support the Robbinsville Food Pantry.  On June 12, 2018, the classes with the largest amount of donations, Ms. Rosol’s and Mrs. Zaffarese’s classes, were awarded a demonstration by the Robbinsville High School robotics team, Nemesis.  Team members presented their award winning robot Fury, an introduction to the Build, Marketing and Software Teams, and their humanoid Nao robot. With this presentation, the excitement and enthusiasm of the younger students was palpable.  Students received buttons, (non-permanent) tattoos, and overall, a sense of wonder, as they enjoyed an afternoon full of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) based possibilities.

Snow flurries dusted the ground around Stabler Arena in Lehigh, PA, as Robbinsville High School’s FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Team 2590, Nemesis, clinched its second regional victory in what has been a stellar 2018 season. Ranked number one in the Mid-Atlantic Region for the second year in a row, Nemesis won their third Blue Banner of the season with alliance partners Team 225 Tech Fire from York, PA and Team 2016 The Mighty Monkey Wrenches from Ewing, NJ as the FIRST Mid-Atlantic Champions!

The 2018 FIRST Robotics Competition game challenge, FIRST Power Up, thrusts audiences head first into a vintage video game themed challenge. Robots represent game characters entrenched in a battle for dominance with power boosts and point bonuses to ultimately defeat the boss! This weekend, Nemesis competed against 59 other teams from Delaware, New Jersey, and eastern Pennsylvania at the FIRST Mid-Atlantic Championship. Local teams that competed include those from Allentown, Hamilton, Plainsboro, Ewing, Trenton, North Brunswick, Montgomery, Hightstown, and more. The competition consisted of 120 grueling qualification matches. Following alliance selection, where the top 8 ranked teams select two partners each, the top 24 robots battle through the playoffs. The prize for the winning alliance: a Blue Banner and a ticket to the FIRST Championship in Detroit, Michigan at the end of the month.

The competition commenced on a high note: Nemesis finished qualification matches with a record of 11-1, fearlessly defeating their opponents with their fluid driving and clever strategy. As the only team with the ability to lift both alliance partners and themselves using unique “wings” (steel beams upon which two other robots can rest), 2590 was evidently popular with the crowd. Every time Nemesis took to the field, the sea of red in the stands passionately showed their support with booming stadium shaking cheers. The Scouting Team diligently recorded statistics and performance data on every competing robot to pick the perfect alliance partner for elimination matches. The team retained their first place position throughout the competition, and Nemesis became the captain of the highest ranked alliance. With two excellent offensive teams and a formidable defense robot, this number one alliance was ready for playoffs.

Nemesis and their alliance partners battled undefeated through quarterfinals and semifinals, and the top two ranked alliances faced each other in the final rounds. After experiencing defeat during the first nail-biting finals match, Nemesis and their teammates were anxious and determined to come back. Winning the exhilarating second match, the two sides were now neck and neck. It all came down to the final tiebreaker. Deafening screams of support for both alliances rocked the stadium as the match began. The scale tipped back and forth, and the scores were unsettlingly close. Suddenly, Nemesis and their alliance pulled ahead. 5..4..3..2..1..0. They won! Celebrations began in the stands and down on the field as Nemesis shouted in delight, realizing they were once again the Mid-Atlantic Champions.

Pit Crew member Rahul Sawant effuses, “After the loss in the first finals match, watching us come together as a team to overcome the tough challenges was the greatest feeling ever.”

Nemesis also took home the Excellence in Engineering Award, which celebrates an elegant and advantageous machine feature. The team ranked number one overall in the Mid-Atlantic District, and will be competing at the FIRST Championship in Detroit at the end of the month.

Nemesis is grateful for the support of their community, and would like to thank their gracious sponsors: Robbinsville High School, Navair, DoDStem, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Picatinny Arsenal, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Lockheed Martin, Robbinsville Education Association, Investors Bank, SkyLink Technologies, CCC, Sharbell Development, RAS, Robbinsville Education Foundation, Gilbane, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, Triangle Copy, DesignTree, Coldwell Bankers, and Canine Services.

The speedy robot streaked across the field as it strategically placed power cubes onto the switch and the scale. The bell rang: time for the teleoperated period. The crowd cheered as the robot gained ownership of all three devices. The bell rang once more: endgame. The robot grew taller until it latched on to the metal rod. It let down its wings, allowing the other two robots to climb with it. Will they make it in time? The three robots climbed into the air with seconds to spare. The crowd went wild!

Easter weekend, Robbinsville High School's FIRST Robotics Team 2590, Nemesis, attended the FIRST Mid-Atlantic Hatboro-Horsham District Event. After a great win at the Hudson Valley Regional under their belts, Nemesis craved another victory. On Friday March 30th, Nemesis, along with 32 other FIRST Mid-Atlantic teams began the 64 qualification matches.

Behind the scenes members of the Marketing and Build Teams spoke with judges competing for business and technical awards. Alum Jenna Mollica visited the pits, reminiscing about her time on Nemesis.

Undefeated, Nemesis flew through qualification matches and earned the first ranked seed position. Nemesis invited the second ranked seed, FRC 25, Raider Robotix from North Brunswick NJ and FRC 6226, the Blue Devils from Burlington NJ, to join their alliance.

The Nemesis led alliance remained undefeated through quarter and semi finals. Final 1 commenced with the alliance gaining control of both switches and the scale. Throughout the match, the scale and switches continued to alternate between alliances. Finally, after the incredibly close match, the Nemesis and their alliance partners came out on top with a score of 259 to 244.

As Nemesis and their alliance prepared for the next match, the crowd waited in anticipation. “And the winner of Final 2 is… the Blue Alliance!” The Master of Ceremonies announced. Nemesis’ crowd of red sighed in disappointment. “One more match!” The drive team chanted, raising the crowd’s spirit. “3, 2, 1. Power Up!” Nemesis’ robot, Fury, raced across the field as the alliance gained control of our switch and the scale. As endgame began, Fury let down its award winning wings as FRC 6226 drove on. Earning 60 points for the red alliance, Fury climbed the scale and beat the boss! The crowd roared, and Nemesis took home their second blue banner of the season.

The ending of the event left everyone on the edge of their seats. Freshman build member, Kavya Velliangiri said, “The final nerve wracking feeling as the end result screen was displayed was something I won’t ever forget.”

The excitement didn’t conclude with the matches. Nemesis was presented with the Industrial Design Award, which celebrates form and function in an efficiently designed machine that effectively addresses the game challenge. The team hopes to keep the momentum of their season going as they compete at the FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Championship!

The crowd watched anxiously as the final scores appeared on the screen.  “And defeating the boss… is the red alliance!” That was it. 18-0-0. After 18 dramatic and exhilarating matches, Robbinsville High School FIRST Robotics Team FRC 2590, Nemesis,  along with alliance partners FRC 1796, RoboTigers from Long Island City, and the FRC 6401, Clarkstown North 8-Bit Rams from New City, NY left the Hudson Valley Regional victorious. Cheers of elation coursed through the Rockland Community College fieldhouse during the weekend of March 23rd - March 25th. The victory at the regional event qualified the winning alliance to compete at FIRST Championship in Detroit this April.  

Nemesis joined 39 other teams at the regional event in Suffern, NY which including teams from Canada, the Dominican Republic, and Paraguay. After finishing the Bridgewater-Raritan District Event as finalists, Nemesis was back and hungry for success.

It took a full team effort to win the event, from the drive team’s (Jared Miller, Dahany Choi, Alex Keller, and Mariko McMurtry) performance under pressure, to the pit crew (Matthew Began, Richa Mandrekar, Nolan Quon, and Rahul Sawant) who speedily repaired the robot after each match, and the scouts (led by Chinmay Savanur, Harsh Padhye, and Bhargavi Lanka) who charted every robot’s performance and worked around the clock to determine which robots would join Nemesis’ alliance.

By the end of all 80 qualification matches, Nemesis sat in first place with an average of 3.33 out of 4 ranking points per match. Meanwhile, in the pits, Nemesis’ marketing team (Jarelle Boac, Likhitha Patlolla, Ethan Silberberg, Julia Ruch, Nick Anderson, Josh Lichtenstein, and Rebekah Rahman) impressed the judges with their world-class business plan and presentation skills.

During alliance selection, Nemesis chose FRC 1796, the RoboTigers, and FRC 6401, the Clarkstown North 8-Bit Rams, to join them in battling the boss. The crowd cheered in either triumph or agony for their robot to make it to the next round. As one side of the scale lowered, one side of the gym erupted, and when an opposing robot countered, the other side of the fieldhouse equaled their excitement.  The energy in the room continued throughout 13 electric quarterfinal and semifinal matches.

During the first finals match, Nemesis and the red alliance put forth a dominant performance.  They controlled the scale throughout the match, placed 6 cubes into the vault and received 65 points for their endgame climb, adding up to a 435 - 232 win. The red alliance once again kept strong control of both the switch and the scale during the second finals match. The red alliance achieved all 90 endgame points, paving the way for a 413-322 win and an undefeated  Hudson Valley regional victory.

Not only did Nemesis walk away from Suffern, NY as victors with a secured ticket to FIRST Championship, but they also won the Excellence in Engineering award, which recognizes a unique and exemplary feat of engineering, impressing the judges with distinct robot-carrying wings, efficient intake, and a dual elevator.

After their success at the Hudson Valley Regional event, Nemesis hopes to continue improving at their next events, the Hatboro-Horsham District Event, and FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Championship.