The purpose of our mechanism is to extend through an obstacle and lift a 1 lb weight as high as possible.  Our base supports a mid section that extends across the field, supporting the extension arm that extends through the larger window of the obstacle.  At the end of the extension arm of the truss is a servo, the primary source of torque that lifts the weight.  Attached to the rotator of the servo is the lifting arm.  The front of the lifting arm has a carefully crafted V-shaped hand that supports the weight with two arms during lifting.  A thick aluminum counter weight is attached above the back end of the lift arm, providing mechanical advantage by increasing the effective arm torque.  The counterweight is attached above the back end to increase the amount of possible rotation before the counterweight touches the ground.  When the microcontroller is attached to the servo and the servo is activated, the servo rotator spins, rotating the lifting arm.  A combination of momentum and weight give the arm enough torque to lift the weight.  As lifting occurs, two tension strips support the extension arm of the truss in order to reduce bending.  The strong mid section and truss base supported by cross bars further prevent bending, maximizing the lifting of the weight.