FIRST Global Challenge — Team Trinidad & Tobago

Overview

Representing Trinidad & Tobago on the World Stage

FIRST Global is an international robotics olympiad bringing together 150+ national teams to solve real-world problems using STEM and innovation. Teams design, build, and program robots competing in a themed game reflecting a global challenge.

As Team Captain, I led Trinidad & Tobago's engineering vision, directed mechanical and systems design strategy, coordinated problem-solving across the team, and drove overall performance — all within a 6-week sprint from first concept to competition robot.

Engineering Details

Mechanical Design & Problem-Solving Strategy

The competition's 2019 theme centred on ocean pollution — robots needed to collect and deposit game pieces representing ocean cleanup, using precise autonomous and tele-operated control. My role as captain included driving the mechanical design decisions: drivetrain configuration, game piece manipulation mechanism, and structural approach.

The drivetrain used a differential drive with PID control for straight-line accuracy and precise turns — both critical for game-piece pickup and scoring. The chassis was engineered with impact resistance as a primary design constraint, as defensive play (robot-to-robot contact) is a common high-level competition strategy. We iterated the wall thickness and joint geometry to absorb collision energy without damaging internal electronics.

↗ View Team Trinidad & Tobago on FIRST Global