Panther Robotics demonstrated their robot at the Paola High School pep rally Friday, January 29. The prototype of the kicking mechanism was demonstrated, as well. The mechanism kicked the ball from one end of the court to the other, drawing cheers from the crowd.

The robot was able to follow a replication of the target. This target is above the goals where the robot will score. The hard work of the programming team this week made it possible for the robot is able to sense how close it is to the target and adjust itself. This will make scoring much more consistent.

The website committee has posted the first round of changes to the team website, pantherrbotics.com. The changes include updating the homepage and a new page header. The new members' pictures will be added with the next round of changes.

Last weekend, the build committee completed the kicking mechanism. This allows the robot to kick the ball across the game field. The team had to downsize the prototype that was shown at the pep rally to fit within the size and weight constraints of the robot.

The chairman's committee has started updating the essay that must be submitted by February 18. This information will tell the judges prior to competitions how the team functions and what they do for their community. The essay is the foundation for the chairman's award presentation.

Every year, teams are given homework to complete for the competitions. This year's homework is to get more fans for the robotics regional competitions. The chairman's and community outreach committees have been working together to send letters to local elementary schools inviting them to attend the Greater Kansas City Regional on March fifth and sixth at Hale Arena. The community is also invited to attend this free event. Come see the wide variety of solutions developed by more than 45 Kansas City area teams for this year's game, Breakaway!