We are Team StarLight 24909 from Pitești, Romania, and DECODE marks our second competitive season. We truly fell in love with this event after watching the livestream last summer. This is the event that we want, very good teams and a beautiful place. Last season the budget was not enough to fly somewhere, but we have spent this year preparing to take our journey international, and we have chosen Michiana as our top destination. This season, we successfully organized a major event: the South League Tournament in Bucharest. It was a flawless experience with an amazing atmosphere, providing every participant with a memorable and high-energy competition. If we join you in Indiana, we aim to actively promote the FIRST spirit through creative TikToks and Instagram Reels. This year, we have been highly active across all our departments. One of our primary goals for the season is to compete in an international event outside of Romania, and we believe the Michiana Premier Event is the perfect fit for our team's growth and ambition. This season, we designed and built two distinct robots: an initial prototype for League Meets and DEMOS, followed by an advanced iteration for the League Tournament and National Championship. With our first robot, we secured victories at “Watt’sUp Challenge #3” and “Marea Unire a Roboticii #3”. By the end of the League Meets, we ranked 3rd in the League standings. With our new robot for the Post-Meets part, we were Finalist Alliance Partner and earned 1st Place for the Reach Award at the South-West Regional. At the National Championship, we finished 11th in the Vlaicu Division qualifiers and were invited to join Alliance 5 for the playoffs alongside 4D Robotics. Our performance highlight the efficiency of our design. At the National Championship, we ranked 7th in OPR and 12th in NP Score Average within our division. Furthermore, we achieved the 20th highest-scoring match worldwide (385 NP) in an alliance with CSH. On a global scale, our stats place us among the top teams: 57th for NP OPR (151.25), 61st in TeleOp OPR (112.22), and 66th in Endgame performance (14.93). Some of our most innovative assemblies include the fully custom-made turrets for the spindexer and launcher, a design that has inspired several other Romanian teams. For the endgame parking maneuver, we developed a system using two rectangular box tubes, each powered by a single servo. This mechanism underwent numerous iterations to achieve its current efficiency, allowing our 12.6kg robot to fully elevate in just 4 seconds. Our spindexer design emphasizes mechanical efficiency by utilizing only a single motor for all operations. Instead of complex active mechanisms, we developed specialized internal guides that harness inertia and centrifugal force to direct game elements toward the launcher. Furthermore, the system features a bi-directional sorting capability: spinning the spindexer in the opposite direction activates a passive mechanical ramp. This allows for seamless sorting and storage of artifacts without the need for additional actuators, maintaining a compact and reliable internal footprint. Our drivetrain features a unique method of rotating the Mecanum Wheels using a two-stage gearing system. The first stage utilizes bevel gears to mount the motors vertically (lowering the center of gravity), while the second stage uses belts and pulleys to reach a final output of 497 RPM. This configuration provides an ideal balance between high-speed maneuverability and torque. The intake system evolved through multiple iterations, moving from a fixed-shaft ramp design to a variable-height intake that self-adjusts using springs and a counter roller. Powered by a 6000 RPM motor, it uses two reduction stages to reach 1200 RPM at the counter roller and 800 RPM at the main intake. Our turret is actuated by two 270 servos, with gear ratios precisely calculated to allow programming in both continuous and position modes. The shooter utilizes two 6000 RPM motors geared together with a 96mm GoBilda Rhino wheel. To maximize the moment of inertia, we tested various flywheel weights, determining that a 1.1kg mass provides the most consistent shooting performance. For robot localization on the field, we use three different methods: complex calculations based on odometry data, QR code detection on the Goal using LimeLight 3A, and manual reset from the controller. This season, we chose a mathematical approach to develop a consistent launching system. Important : We created an algorithm for shooting while moving based on kinematic compensation of the moving chassis by projecting a virtual goal, calculating the turret angle and launch speed according to the predicted trajectory. We achieved this by creating a lookup table that converts the desired launch speed into motor RPM. This allowed us to determine a function that corrects for RPM drop, ensuring the shooting speed remains constant. When it comes to autonomous routines, we have two types. One that starts near the goal, where we score 18 artifacts, with the gate opened twice. The other starts from in the small triangle, where we score 21 elements, with the final cycles being sorted shots. We can quickly calibrate them depending on any alliance partner for maximum scoring, and we can detect artifacts on the ramp to fix an incomplete pattern. We use a lot of distance and color sensors together that enables the collection of a maximum of three artifacts, eliminating the risk of penalties. When the sensor detects presence in this slot, it means the remaining slots are also filled and the colors of the artifacts. The LED and controller vibrations provide feedback to the driver, confirming the optimal moment for launching. The lifting system protects the chassis position during launch by applying downward force on the tiles, thereby optimizing traction and control. Some videos with our robot in action: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NacQl6nP2yaAf1Liz1qWbSJw7CHFzkIc?usp=sharing Thank you!

We have two experienced alumni, that want to come with us. They participated in 4 League Tournaments(6 out of 7 were organised in the same time) and the National Championship. Andrei Serban - Shoby (andreiserban258@yahoo.com), known as "the guy in the pink T-shirt", served as the Romania Lead MC, bringing the Grand Final atmosphere to an entirely new level. Alongside him, Alexandru Popescu (popescu.alex2007@outlook.com) served as the Event Lead Scoring. Together, they make a perfect team, dedicated to supporting volunteers and creating an unforgettable energy, and they are awaiting the opportunity to volunteer at this event. Just watch the Grand Final of National Romania Championship and you will understand what we mean :) . We have a unique communication style and a natural ability to engage with the community and spread joy. You can see our work in action on Instagram (@starlight_robotics) and TikTok (@starlight_robotics).