According to Ryan Wilmes, student team lead and senior, the TechHOUNDS team has been scouting the progress of other teams in preparation for competition.

“We’re looking at a lot of other teams that posted videos of their robots, and we’re very confident right now in our capabilities,” he said. “Many other teams are not doing so well.”

Yet despite the team’s rate of progress, Wilmes said there are still areas in which the team can improve.

“Number one thing to improve is to have the drivers get more practice with our practice drive trains so they get more in tune with that so they’re better able to respond to the field,” he said.

Wilmes said he would describe his current mindset as “anxious.”

According to club sponsor George Giltner, the robotics team’s first competition is from March 15 to 17 at Purdue University and is considered an official FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Regional competition.