Mini FRC is a 1/3 scale version of the FIRST Robotics Competition, constructed mainly by VEX parts. It lets us see which components we could use in the design of our FRC robot, without wasting precious build time and money. It also lets us see how the game is played. In 2007 we built mini FRC robots for “Rack and Roll”. Our whole team broke up into groups of one mentor and three to four students. The dimensions of the mini FRC robot could not exceed 9 1/3” by 12 2/3” by 24”. The dimensions our field were 18’ by 8’ 10 2/3”, with the rack in the middle. We invited WPI and Pembroke to bring their Mini FRC robots so they could play the game. After watching the game played, we composed our FRC robot based off certain effective parts of each mini FRC robot as well as some of the mentors unique ideas.

This Process of rapid prototyping proved invaluable for the competition. It allowed us to find intricacies of the game in week one that most teams wouldn’t find until their first competition.