At Missouri S&T, Vishnu Kanikkannan, senior, unloads the Gluons robotics supplies needed for State. Members of the three MHS robotics teams, Baryons, Gluons and Luxons, attended Robotics State in Rolla Saturday, March 7.

Aneesh Batchu, sophomore, scouts team Silent Reign. Scouting is when a robotics team asks other teams about their robot to help themselves get a better feel for the competition. Batchu has been a member of the Gluons for two years and finds it enjoyable. His favorite part about being at States was scouting. “It’s my favorite part of State because it’s fun and I am able to meet other people from other schools,” Batchu said.

Seniors Adam Cohen and Shon Sayfunddinov talk with David Ozersky, robotics mentor, about their robot. Cohen and Sayfunddinov, Baryons members, were about to do a field inspection, driving their robot on the real field to make sure it does not break any rules.

Ashish Dhanalakota, junior, works on the robot with Nithin Vijay, junior. Both are members of the Luxons and were putting the finishing touches on the robot to make sure it passed through inspection. Vijay, co-captain, loved how much everyone connects in robotics. “I like the thrill of competitions, that combined with our comradery is the best experience,” Vijay said.

Gluons members Dhruv Bansal, freshman, and Arjun Khorana, senior, drive their robot in their first match. They played alongside their allies KHS Robotics. They lost the match, with 43-36 points. Khorana has been in robotics since freshman year, assuming a captain role junior year. He found being a driver stressful but fun. “Sometimes I’ll go the entire competition day without eating to stay punctal to match times, but those 2 minutes and 30 seconds on the field while driving is too great of an experience to give up,” Khorana said.

Baryons members, seniors Adam Cohen, Shon Sayfunddinov and Daniel Vayman prepare the robot for autonomous. They lost the match, with 69-42 points. Autonomous is the period when the robot moves by itself in the way that the team codes it. Sayfunddinov drove the robot because it is a tradition for seniors to drive. “I think driving is fun and interesting,” Sayfunddinov said. “You definitely feel more a part of the team and more important.”

Luxon members, juniors Ashish Dhanalakota and Travis Young drive the robot with their allies Miner Clue. They lost the match, with 102-72 points. Dhanalakota drove the robot because he has the most experience with the controls. “I love driving the robot,” Dhanalakota said. “I think that it’s fun and I love to have the control and pressure.”

Adam Cohen and Shon Sayfunddinov, Baryon members, compete in the quarterfinals with their alliance partners, The Red Hot Techie Peppers. They competed against the Luxons, whose alliance partners were the Robot Warriors. The Baryons’ team won with the points being 80-53. Cohen has been in robotics since his freshman year and is now the head documenter. He thought that driving is one of the most fun parts of robotics. “It’s just really fun to go out there and compete with the other teams and see what people can do,” Cohen said.