GNRT BOOTCAMP: DAY 4 SUMMARY

On the fourth day, the challenge was to build a robot that could play basketball. Each team planned to construct a square base for their robot, with an arm on top that could raise to shoot baskets. For the next two and a half hours, teams worked on building their robots.

The coach announced that from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m., teams could test their robots on the track, and the team with the highest score would earn a chance to compete. Everyone rushed to finish their robots in time. We took a break for lunch and rest until 4:00 p.m., then resumed work on the robots.

By the time of the tryouts, all teams were ready and gathered at the amphitheater to compete for the bonus. The basketball rules were simple: there were three baskets—one at 80 cm, one at 1 meter, and one at 1.20 meters. Scoring a basket in the lowest hoop earned 1 point, in the 1-meter hoop earned 2 points, and in the highest hoop earned 3 points. Each team had three one-minute rounds to score as many points as possible.

After the first rounds, there were three additional one-minute rounds where two robots played against two others. Until the games began at 6:30 p.m., teams strategized on how to maximize their scores. When the time came, all teams gathered at the amphitheater with their robots and began the competition.

Once the games concluded, we had dinner, and the coach announced that the next day’s challenge would also involve basketball, but with slightly different rules. After the announcement, we returned to our rooms, discussed potential changes for the next day’s challenge, and then went to sleep.