Penguinauts team members working together in their robotics workshop

Austin, Texas / FTC 32240

Curious by nature.
Builders by choice.

We are the Penguinauts: young makers learning out loud, building robots, and opening the door to STEM for others.

Watch our season story

2026—27 season FIRST Tech Challenge · BioBuzz Scroll to explore

Middle & high school makers · Steiner Ranch, Austin · 2026—27 BioBuzz

@penguinauts32240ftc

01 / The teamLearn together. Build together.

Robotics is the work.
People are the point.

We are a community FTC team of 8th graders in Austin, Texas, and all of our members go to Canyon Ridge Middle School.

Our mission is bigger than a robot: grow real-world skills, practice Gracious Professionalism, and help more students see themselves in STEM.

Our CORE values

CCuriosity

OOpenness to feedback

RRally

EEnjoying the process

02 / The season

26/27

BioBuzz

A new field.
A whole new set
of questions.

The next season is underway. Follow our practice, outreach, and first steps into the 2026–27 FIRST Tech Challenge.

Penguinauts team members build a cardboard prototype together

Across bordersMaking room for more
young innovators.

03 / Robot & processEngineering is iteration.

Every problem
is a design prompt.

Last season, we turned observations into upgrades: encoder-guided autonomous movement, a smoother three-ball intake, and more consistent shots. Now, we're carrying that curiosity into BioBuzz.

The Penguinauts' 2026 Decode robot reveal

See the 2026 robot reveal 2025—26 / Decode

Measure, then move

Motor encoders replaced timing guesses with distance feedback, making autonomous paths more repeatable as battery power changed.

Make three fit

A reverse-running shooter during intake helped move three balls into the trapdoor without jams or a full robot rebuild.

Test the small things

Grip tape, sturdier fasteners, and added shooter supports solved mechanical issues through careful observation and iteration.

The team discussing its Rehab-Bot idea with a healthcare professional

Community project / 01

04 / Real-world impact

Build for
someone.

Rehab-Bot began with a question about how older adults can practice reaction time and motor skills. The concept detects and collects balls, then returns them at a chosen speed for an engaging practice loop.

See the idea take shape

Beyond the build

STEM belongs
to everyone.

From elementary classrooms in Austin to conversations with students in India and Sweden, the team shares FTC through demos, workshops, and hands-on conversations.

We learn from engineers and experienced teams, then pass that knowledge on—especially to students who have not had an easy way into robotics yet.

Watch a classroom visit