Good looking driver staions

[Wildcats1378]

Hey guys,

Wasn't really too sure where to put this, and I couldn't find anything else.

One of our members is really interested in making a nice driver station this year. Last year, we just showed up at the walls with our joysticks on the laptop and a bunch of knotted wires, while we saw a lot of other teams show up with really nice wooden frames for all their equipment, LED lights etc. So were just asking anyone who's got a nice frame to post up a picture so we can see what others have done in the past!

Thanks! :D

[varunv]

So traditionally we've always had a nice fram with led lights and all fancy equipment, ( i'll send put a pic when we go to the shop tommorow) but this year I'm considering usuing Saitek X52 Pro Flight Control System as the Joysticks ( we've gotten more funding this year than we expected). We generally have a control panel on the side where an electrical member wires basic functions and two joysticks for the driver. We've always used swerve drive, so we've only needed 1 but used the second for emergency tank. We are usuing six wheel drive this year.

[Koko Ed]

What always stunned me when I see teams come up to my que line is how insanely large some teams make their drivers stations. I know alot of bells and whistles look cool but sometimes having something efficient and ergonomically sound is the coolest drivers station you can make. Remember your driver has to carry that all the way in the pit, to the field and hold it until it's time to set up in the alliance station. That can be alot of strain on the back, shoulder, neck and arms. Never sacrifice common sense for the sake of looking cool.

[JCharlton]

I have to post a link to ours from last year, I'm incredibly proud of the students who built it so lovingly.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/37981

One design feature of note is separating the driver and operator console. Made it a lot easier to carry and store than a big monolithic one.

[cjlane1138]

We had a really nice driver station last year (in my opinion at least). We spent about 8 hours cutting, painting, and mounting everything. We had a fully enclosed black box with black-smoked polycarb as the cover to the box. I will post a picture the next time I use it, which will be on Thursday!

[CalTran]

What always stunned me when I see teams come up to my que line is how insanely large some teams make their drivers stations. I know alot of bells and whistles look cool but sometimes having something efficient and ergonomically sound is the coolest drivers station you can make. Remember your driver has to carry that all the way in the pit, to the field and hold it until it's time to set up in the alliance station. That can be alot of strain on the back, shoulder, neck and arms. Never sacrifice common sense for the sake of looking cool.

I agree with Mr. Ed. Our team has never had some impossibly huge, 44" max box with bells, whistles, lights, and everything else. Our Driver Station year to year has just been a snowboard we painted matte black with loop side velcro on the up facing side. Then we stick hook side velcro on a set of joysticks, the laptop we use as a driver station, and whatever operator boxes we fabricate for that year. Looks nice, easy to carry (Grip around the middle like you do a regular snowboard, also so you're gripping the laptop) and simple to transport. We've gotten a few compliments for it too. I think this year, when we're repainting the board, I might take my decal gun and paint some more color on it (Mainly blue and green for team colors).

[PizzaBoxZombie]

Team 225 has used the same control board for the last 5 seasons- and thats literally what it is. We (this was back when i was a student, not a mentor) took a piece of plywood, around 18x36, sprayed on a couple coats of black matte spray paint, and used velcro for attaching controls and the laptop. the joysticks would occasionally get two screws in opposite corners, but the way we laid out the board the first year hasnt needed to change that much and we have just reused the holes for most years.

my advice, matching those above, is dont get fancy. or do it in the offseason. You just need something that will hold the controls while you travel, either to an event or simply across a room. We have had many comments on our board on the elegance in simple black. Then again, use your team colors to stand out a little more, personalize!

[Roger]

For the past couple of years a student would try for something better than our plain painted board, now 8 or so years old. Someday we will get one, though they are getting better. Koko Ed is right. Simple is better.

One suggestion I thought of whilst reading this thread: Build your driver station and carry it around all day at school, setting it up for each class. If you can move it down the hall and get it ready before the bell rings, you got a winner.

[Nate Laverdure]

One suggestion I thought of whilst reading this thread: Build your driver station and carry it around all day at school, setting it up for each class. If you can move it down the hall and get it ready before the bell rings, you got a winner.
Bonus points if you add a big decal that says "ROBOTEACHER 3000"

[JB]

I agree with what everyone here is saying. We used to do a driver station that was so big and heavy that it was harder to move than the robot. Last year though I made this quick little 80x20 Lexan box that has a laptop on the top of it and two game pads inside of it. We put decals on it and now the computer has them as well. It has worked out really well for us and is super easy to carry.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/37977
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/37976

[Roger]

I made this quick little 80x20 Lexan box that has a laptop on the top of it and two game pads inside of it. We put decals on it and now the computer has them as well. It has worked out really well for us and is super easy to carry.So good it can stick on walls :) (or the pictures are sideways)

[JB]

So good it can stick on walls :) (or the pictures are sideways)

It can definitely stick on walls...I guess I failed at uploading them.

Here are a few better pictures from our website

http://www.cougarrobotics.com/wp-content/uploads/DSC_0586-1024x680.jpg
http://www.cougarrobotics.com/wp-content/uploads/DSC_0136-1024x614.jpg

[GCentola]

I agree with what everyone here is saying. We used to do a driver station that was so big and heavy that it was harder to move than the robot. Last year though I made this quick little 80x20 Lexan box that has a laptop on the top of it and two game pads inside of it. We put decals on it and now the computer has them as well. It has worked out really well for us and is super easy to carry.

For the past 2 years, 1126 has done something very similar (except we put the laptop inside of our box). We used PS2 controllers and everything was hooked up inside the box so it just unlatched and could be connected easily. When it was all folded up, we attached a shoulder strap so it could be easily carried around. We found that our "box of wonder" worked well for us (image below).

[Mike AA]

A few years ago we bought one of these (http://menards.com/main/mobile/tools-hardware/tool-storage/tool-chests-boxes/aluminum-tool-box-18x13x6/p-1497968-c-9188.htm) and just repositioned the foam to fit around the classmate and 2 logitech game pads. We then added a small piece of lexan to hold an ethernet extension cable to tie into. Its light compact and quick to pack and unpack.

[CalTran]

One note to add, if you're going to make a box for your driver station, be sure to have ample space for both modularity (This year's driver station is not next years) as well as some good airspace for your laptop to vent air.

[Darth Drew]

In the past we've only had driver stations that look like yours, a laptop, joysticks, and jumbled wires, but this year we're looking into ordering an arcade game box with a joystick and some buttons on each side and space to mount our laptop in the middle.

[gabrielau23]

Here's 2537's driver station....It's at the bottom:
http://first.raidtech.net/images/phocagallery/Ches_Comp_2012/thumbs/phoca_thumb_l_img_5095.jpg

and another view...

http://first.raidtech.net/images/phocagallery/Ches_Comp_2012/thumbs/phoca_thumb_l_img_5213.jpg
Personally, I think it's a pretty cool Driver Station...

[Peyton Yeung]

I made our O/I this year out of poly carbonate and aluminum angle. I turned out pretty nice and it is pretty flashy. It's light and it fits all our stuff.

[Ernst]

1732's driver station last year looked like this (http://i.imgur.com/RAQF6.jpg). I really liked it. It was easy to build, had cool blue lights, and we'll be able to use it again this year just by swapping off the button panel for a new one.

[s_forbes]

My all time favorite is definitely this (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/30640) one (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/30639), which we built in 2008. It is the most compact that I've seen in person, but it would be difficult to fit all of the newer OI components + controllers into that stylin' box.

[Botwoon]

Here's what the Robonauts used for the 2012 season. It's by far and away the best one I've ever seen. (http://i.imgur.com/oGRmiD9.jpg)

[THE DYNAMO]

Our driver's station since the team was started in 2009 has been an stained, ironclad wooden box made by a team member. It has words burned into the side in the runic scandinavian alphabet. on a side note, it weighs about 35 pounds and has sharp, rusty corners that dig into your thihgs when you carry it by the ropes. but I would never pass it up for the world, do to the epic factor.

will post a picture tomorrow.

[ToddF]

We went scouting out driver's stations at IROC this year. We were particularly impressed with 2537's bling factor:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-v5CAu2P-vkY/UJ_B0W5XldI/AAAAAAAAExc/ErlY-YwoscY/s720/IMGP3858.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bS-PyejuHAE/UJ_CEQTIAmI/AAAAAAAAExk/57tqQO7Cano/s800/IMGP3859.JPG

We liked the compactness and simplicity of 1262's:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ff6KNOHzEcM/UJ_Cv8jAe9I/AAAAAAAAEyM/-APqPi1jZXc/s800/IMGP3874.JPG

We liked how 116 did the controls for the operator side:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-tLUvXXW-SLw/UJ_DgCxOz-I/AAAAAAAAEzA/upwL03Wgcuk/s800/IMGP3887.JPG

[Teamcodeorange]

There are many ways to make a good-looking driver's station. Whatever you choose, I advise you keep it light. Someone is going to have to carry it around for hours. That isn't fun when your driver's station weighs 20 lbs. :p

[cmrnpizzo14]

I have to post a link to ours from last year, I'm incredibly proud of the students who built it so lovingly.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/37981

One design feature of note is separating the driver and operator console. Made it a lot easier to carry and store than a big monolithic one.

You can also see our bot in the corner, and me with the flame pants in the back :D

This was the best looking driver station that I saw last year. This (http://www.igknighters.com/Robotics/images/Photos%202012/small/DSC_0282.jpg) is ours. It is both good looking and functional. We used a black briefcase from a thrift shop that we mounted the classmate inside and stored our gamepad inside. On the outside, we painted the team logo on one side and velcroed the joysticks to the other.

When we got to the field, our driver would just lift off the lid and set it up off to the side. The operator would open up the classmate and pull out his gamepad and we were set to go.

It also matched our fedoras...... :cool:

EDIT: Posted a picture of it, sorry it is small and not at a great angle.

[cadandcookies]

As a previous member of my team's drive team, and on behalf of yours, I beg of you to, if you aren't the drive team yourself, at the very least consult with them before you build anything, and take into consideration any concerns they may have. This last year we made a beautiful station our of polycarb and 80/20, but the thing weighed like, 20 pounds. It was painful to carry it around all day, as we didn't even have a place on our cart for it.

It's been stated so many times now, but keep it light! (Now that I think about that, it applies to just about everything in FRC)

Then again, if your drivers are willing to put up with lugging around the kitchen sink, by all means indulge them. I'm sure they'll reconsider next year though.

[CalTran]

Then again, if your drivers are willing to put up with lugging around the kitchen sink, by all means indulge them. I'm sure they'll reconsider next year though.

Well with the robot doing all the sports, where am I supposed to get my daily work out in? :confused: :rolleyes:

[Gray Adams]

Then again, if your drivers are willing to put up with lugging around the kitchen sink, by all means indulge them. I'm sure they'll reconsider next year though.

I actually didn't mind carrying a huge console around. Its 10x better than scrambling to set up joysticks and plug everything in properly. You can't do a whole lot of things when you have 2-3 full size joysticks, so keeping everything solidly attached in place as long as the weight is low works out ok.

But if your drivers like gamepads then it would be crazy to make a full size station.

[Jeff Faust]

I have to post a link to ours from last year, I'm incredibly proud of the students who built it so lovingly.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/37981

One design feature of note is separating the driver and operator console. Made it a lot easier to carry and store than a big monolithic one.

I loved 296's driver station so much when I saw it in St. Louis that I asked team members to pose with it.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13623&stc=1&d=1358905220

[jediptm]

Saw this on the web today and couldn't help but think about driver's stations. Once again, probably not practical, but wow would it be cool!!!!

http://gizmodo.com/5977732/awesome-5+foot-lego-nintendo-gamepad-works-just-like-the-real-one

[gabrielau23]

Saw this on the web today and couldn't help but think about driver's stations. Once again, probably not practical, but wow would it be cool!!!!

http://gizmodo.com/5977732/awesome-5+foot-lego-nintendo-gamepad-works-just-like-the-real-one

I saw that in PopSci a few months back! I wonder if it's FRC legal.....do you know how epic that would be if your drivers controlled the robot by jumping on the controllers?

[45Auto]

You guys may want to pay close attention to how the GDC Q & A answers question #283. R93 says that your control panel can only be 12" deep. There's a LOT of illegal control panels out there if they enforce it.

[sircedric4]

And this thread just became much more relevant for our team. R93 is a hard enforceable dimension according to the Q283 that we posted on the Q&A system.

We were using a toolcase very similar to the one that is posted in POST #14 of this thread, and those exceed the 12 inch hard dimension eventhough the shelf easily supports them. (We ran the toolcase for 4 years prior to this). So that nice briefcase is illegal.

Looking at POSTs #18 and #13, it appears that those operator consoles hang slightly over the edge of the shelf and would also be illegal under R93.

If anyone finds a nice toolcase that would not exceed the 12" hard limit on the shelf when opened and has a depth of 5" when closed, could you please post the vendor and part number. I have been searching for a week on the internet to try and find something 18" X 10" X 6" with a 2" lid so that we could put all our stuff in a nice suitcase with no luck.

Also, you might want to measure the depth of your operator console laptop with the lid open and make sure it doesn't exceed 12 inches. We were donated a 4:3 ratio older laptop for our console that is bigger than that dimension and thus we are having to go back to our E09 Classmate.