Mechanical Mules making progress as competition date nears

Malverne High School’s Mechanical Mules robotics team is working hard to complete its basketball-shooting robot for the 2012 Rebound Rumble FIRST Robotics Competition. So far, the team and coach Charles Vessalico have completed the design phase — “we are confident it is a very competitive design,” Vessalico said — and all of the mechanical elements. The Mules are in the process of mounting the robot’s electrical components, which have already been tested, and have already written the program to run the robot.

The Mules’ public relations team has been on the move, presenting last year’s robot at different locations to promote science and engineering in the community; So far, it has presented at the Malverne Public Library and the Maurice W. Downing Primary School, where Mules members donned lab coats and superhero capes to introduce the young students to the wonders of engineering. The team began by explaining how the mechanical, programming, carpentry, design and electronics teams joined forces to create their remote-controlled robot. To the delight of the second-graders in the audience, the Mules put the robot through his paces, lifting a swim ring and then placing it neatly on a peg.

On Feb. 29, the public relations team will present the robot at the Atria Assisted Living facility in Lynbrook and eventually at Carman’s Road School and the Lakeview Public Library. The public relations team has also been successful in setting up an engineering month.

Vessalico and his Mules are excited to meet their Feb. 21 deadline. “We are doing really well,” he said, “and we are right on track to succeed at this year’s competition.”

— Lee Landor