Written by: Connor Smith, Sophia Thieringer, Jaisri Velmurugan, Ellen Ingham

General News

The robotics team is working hard to get ready for MinneTrials coming up soon on December 6th. Each sub-team is also working to train its new members so that they’re ready for the main season!

Programming

4 members of the programming team in the metal shop smiling for the camera.

The Programming sub-team has been working hard on training new members on a variety of topics to secure the future of our team. The first of the learning topics for new programming members is electronics and wiring for the robot. This is essential for new members, as it is required to build a functional robot that can complete all of the tasks required for the season. Upperclassmen on the programming team members are working on is the new path following software, Feather Flow.

This path following software allows the programming team to plan out the robot’s path while in the automated part of competition. The new team members need to learn both how to use the new software and how to help make something like this in the future. With all this work teaching new teammates and making a new pathing software, we can be well prepared for the season. All in all, programming is off to a nice start of the season.

3 programming members and the safety captain posing around last year robot, smiling.

Build & Design

On the Build & Design sub-team there’s also been substantial work on teaching new team members. The three main things that new members of Build & Design have to learn are how to use the metal machines, how to use the wood machines, and how to CAD the robot. One of the main metal machines the team uses is the CNC machine which carves metal using water to make precise parts.

Build members doing tool training in the woodshop. The member doing the training in this photo is
4 members of the build team in the wood shop wearing safety glasses smiling for the camera

The wood machines are less commonly used, but the field elements for MinneTrials use some wooden parts as well as the game elements used for testing and practicing with our robot in the main season. Along with all this training, our more experienced members have been spending time reorganizing the various storage spaces so the tools, wood, and other parts can be easily accessed when needed.

On the Build & Design sub-team there’s also been substantial work on teaching new team members. The three main things that new members of Build & Design have to learn are how to use the metal machines, how to use the wood machines, and how to CAD the robot. One of the main metal machines the team uses is the CNC machine which carves metal using water to make precise parts. The wood machines are less commonly used, but the field elements for MinneTrials use some wooden parts as well as the game elements used for testing and practicing with our robot in the main season. Along with all this training, our more experienced members have been spending time reorganizing the various storage spaces so the tools, wood, and other parts can be easily accessed when needed. 

Operations

As we near 2026, the Minnetonka Robotics Operations subteam has started training for the upcoming season. With lots of excited newcomers and experienced returning members, our team has found a new focus of teambuilding and collaboration. Since it’s only the beginning of the highly anticipated year ahead, we’re kicking things off by sharpening our skills and strengthening our foundation in writing, communications, and marketing to ensure another successful year of promoting Minnetonka’s very own Chicken Bot Pie! One of our bigger goals for this year is to finish and get rolling the official Minnetonka Robotics website, in order to create more visibility and awareness for our team. This platform will also provide 24/7 accessibility for members and parents, helping showcase our team’s progress and activity throughout the year, so get excited for it! To further expand our reach, the Operations team also has a goal of holding 6-7 outreach events before the end of the season. Hosting these events will help gain more community engagement, building team relationships, and support Minnetonka Robotics’ educational needs. We will for sure do our best to create positive community engagement— but it is in all your hands to truly send help and support to create an impact. With our amazing Minnetonka community, we are certain we will win the upcoming 2026 season! Apart from our main goals rooted in fostering positive community engagement, we will also be revamping our design templates and branding to give the unbeatable Chicken Bot Pie a fresh new look! With so much to look forward to this upcoming season, be sure to stay tuned to our regular newsletter to stay caught up with Minnetonka Operations! See you when we win, Tonka!

Operations team working in the CAD room with their devices on the table in front of them. They are smiling and look excited to be there.
A member of the operations team working on the weekly newsletter.
5 members in the CAD room with devices in front of them which they are using to write this newsletter as well as get sponsorships, smiling for the camera

Strategy

To get the new members in the flow of how the Strategy team works, they observed past games from last year and analyzed their data. They were also trained on how the spreadsheets work so that they are well prepared for the future demand of analyzing data to best strategize at our competitions. With MinneTrials in the near future, the Strategy team reviewed their previous data of the game. This is a crucial step for improvement in strategizing future games. With the advantages of our knowledge of previous robot performance, the Strategy team can effectively advise the best tactics to score the most points. Additionally, returning members worked hard on preparing the new season’s strategy spreadsheet. The spreadsheets are very complex, so beginning with them early in the season is ideal. With all that said, the Strategy team warmly welcomed their new members and are excited to work with them this year. 

The strategy team working on their devices in the metal shop
The strategy team huddled up taking a group photo in the metal shop. They look excited to work with their devices which are in front of them on a table.

Jumpstart at Medtronic

This past weekend, our team was lucky enough to attend Medtronic’s 7th annual Jumpstart event. Our team had the chance to learn from other teams on a wide variety of topics, such as critical thinking, safety, and engaging with judges. Our programming captain, Emilio Moreno, led one of the breakout rooms, “Autonomous Routines 101”. Through these breakout rooms, our members took notes on important and beneficial information that can be used to better our performance in the future. With 24 teams in attendance from around the Twin Cities, we strengthened our connections among them. As Gracious Professionalism being an important value between the teams, the environment was warm and welcoming to all.

A group photo of members in Chicken Bot Pie in front of the Medtronic building in Fridley, MN. This photo was taken on the day of Jumpstart.
Photo taken at the back on the presentation room at the Jumpstart event at Medtronic. You can see some of Chicken Bot Pie members sitting down in the crowd with their back facing you as they are wearing their classic blue team hoodies.

Chicken Bot Pie is back and ready for this new season. We are so excited for all of the opportunities on our way this year.

Thank you!!
Sincerely,
Ellen Ingham, Operations Captain
Chelsey Mona, Head Coach
Minnetonka Robotics / Team 3082 / Chicken Bot Pie