Most visually appealing robot

[NWChen]

Interpret however you like: what's the most visually appealing FRC robot you've ever seen?

I'll start with team Spectrum 3847 in 2014 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126812).

[thatprogrammer]

I've decided to break this into a few catagories; Im finding it hard to select a favorite robot in general.
Pure Looks: 254 in 2014
Functional Design: 1114 in 2015
Wow Factor: 3310 in 2015
Mind-Melting Creativity: 469 in 2010

[Billfred]

Several of the NASA house teams have been killing it for a long time on this--Pink, Cheesy Poofs, and Robonauts in particular.

But I still measure things on the Tumbleweed (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/30601) scale. No other robot was good enough to eat (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/31418).

[s_forbes]

Pretty robots? Nobody (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/20393) else (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/23151) does (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/32817) better (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/35176).

[asid61]

254 every year is amazing. 1114 had a very distinctive look this year, although they look pretty fly every year. I would put 1114 above 254 for this year though.
148 is good-looking, but they're not as artistic as the above two.
2848 looked pretty cool this year.

EDIT: 1501 is amazing!

[Ginger Power]

My personal favorite. (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DojyJ9bZ4fk)

[dodar]

For my years,

2007: 987
2008: 233
2009: 254
2010: 469
2011: 254
2012: 1717
2013: 148/33
2014: 254
2015: 2826/971

[artK]

Teams probably worth throwing into the mix: 33 (2014), 1986 (2014), 330 (2015), and 67 (2012). All of them make really eye pleasing robots each year, parenthesized is the one I thought was coolest.

[Knufire]

148 in 2010. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hTyXQUgYLE)

[Jeremy Germita]

My favorites by year:

2010: 330
2011: 254 / 330
2012: 118 / 973
2013: 1323 / 1477 / 125
2014: 254 / 118
2015: 118 / 148

These are the robots I always refer people to when talking about the effective fusion of aesthetics and execution.

[Trevor1523]

I think that we all know that 118, 254 and 1114 have some of the most amazing looking as far as function and aesthetics are concerned.

Definitely not ours, considering we spray paint the aluminum.

[carpedav000]

I just had to make an Indy list:

2008: 1024
2009: 1501
2010: 1501
2011: 234
2012: 1501
2013: 234 or 1741
2014: 1024 or 868
2015: 868 or 3947

Including teams outside of Indy:

2008: 27
2009: 1501
2010: 148
2011: 118
2012: 233
2013: 1986
2014: 33
2015: 254

[Kevin Leonard]

Best looking robots in NY: 340, 2791, 1507

Favorites by year:
2015:148, 4039, 118
2014: 16, 971, 254
2013: 1114, 3476, 2485
2012: 67, 16, 1717
2011: 40, 1503, 1114

[John Retkowski]

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-w5vPb-1YqRE/UwV728l74bI/AAAAAAAAAuY/KP2f-MdKEZc/w440-h330-p/Thumbnail.png

Surprised no one posted this one sooner.

[Taylor]

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-w5vPb-1YqRE/UwV728l74bI/AAAAAAAAAuY/KP2f-MdKEZc/w440-h330-p/Thumbnail.png

Surprised no one posted this one sooner.

The still picture doesn't do that machine justice. Its true beauty came from watching it whip around the field (while the other alliance ineffectively tried to keep up).

[Jack S.]

My opinions:

Refreshingly Clean: 254
Beautifully Intricate: 118
Aggressive Styling: 148
Handles Like a Dream (#weswerve): 16
Mechanically Elegant: 971
Industrial Beauty: 987/2056
Some sort of mash-up of all the above painted red with an autobot sticker slapped on: 1114

Those are just the repeating favorites, I have individual favorites outside of those teams.

[indubitably]

2015: 1595 (http://www.1595dragons.org/uploads/1/7/1/8/17186990/8377554_orig.jpg)
2014: 2451 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/9cc/9ccf84411ccf402d8a3472a71b3c038f_l.jpg)

[Lil' Lavery]

Basically anything from Mark Setrakian.

[notmattlythgoe]

I'm going to have to go with the last 3 robots from 696.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/956/9568825cbc9c9f12094462bd7fe48e5c_l.jpg

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/f74/f747466a5be19836cf153c93110aae09_l.jpg

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/ca7/ca722d779abad18044668fc98ff9b569_l.jpg

[Kevin Leonard]

I'm going to have to go with the last 3 robots from 696.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/956/9568825cbc9c9f12094462bd7fe48e5c_l.jpg

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/f74/f747466a5be19836cf153c93110aae09_l.jpg

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/ca7/ca722d779abad18044668fc98ff9b569_l.jpg

This.

[jajabinx124]

Hmm...

I have to either go with 1114's simbot sidelift (https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/t31.0-8/11004533_1041517169196174_4658557028191161769_o.jp g) or 254's deadswipe (https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/11112850_941831392523250_7337374968126894844_n.jpg ?oh=c461d8668d4417e0b5cda9e6407942c4&oe=563F874D)..

In all seriousness, I agree with most of the robots people have stated, but I would like to add a few others. 1538 and 3476 has built beautiful robots for the past couple of years. 3339 built a good looking one this year. 27 also built a good one this year.

From MN 4539, 2846, and a couple others build visually pleasing robots as well.

[Joseph Smith]

Gotta give a shoutout to Wave Robotics 2826: their robots in 2014 and 2015 have been among my favorites, and both were visually stunning.

[Ari423]

Gotta give a shoutout to Wave Robotics 2826: their robots in 2014 and 2015 have been among my favorites, and both were visually stunning.

Visually stunning in the sense that whenever I saw them they made me pee my pants and run away.

<edit>meant in the best way possible</edit>

[NWChen]

Guess I'll add a few more...

2015: 1595 (http://www.1595dragons.org/uploads/1/7/1/8/17186990/8377554_orig.jpg)
1595 in 2014 (http://www.thebluealliance.com/team/1595/2014) was beautiful too, down to the brake disc.

Best looking robots in NY: 340, 2791, 1507
I'll add a few more names, closer to the city: 334 (https://youtu.be/VFUMrp5ir2I) and, annually, 1796 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/d8e/d8e666870fbe0f085f7f4900790024fa_l.jpg). Both teams have some of the most recognizable robot branding in the area, and are the main recipients of Industrial Design/Imagery Awards as a result.


Definitely not ours, considering we spray paint the aluminum.
What makes spray-painted aluminum less attractive (than anodizing, etc.)?

[Kevin Leonard]

Guess I'll add a few more...


1595 in 2014 (http://www.thebluealliance.com/team/1595/2014) was beautiful too, down to the brake disc.


I'll add a few more names, closer to the city: 334 (https://youtu.be/VFUMrp5ir2I) and, annually, 1796 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/d8e/d8e666870fbe0f085f7f4900790024fa_l.jpg). Both teams have some of the most recognizable robot branding in the area, and are the main recipients of Industrial Design/Imagery Awards as a result.


What makes spray-painted aluminum less attractive (than anodizing, etc.)?

True. 334's 2014 robot had a sick lightshow going on. 1796 makes some nice looking machines too, but I have much less exposure to them. Maybe if New York goes districts soon (please), I'd see more NYC and LI robots (at district champs).

I could also go on about how nice 1511's robots look, how crazy 1126's robots look, and a few others (3015, 4134 used to, 229 some years)

[Conor Ryan]

Call me crazy, but here is a tale about a robot that has not been discussed here in a very long time.

On one of the ancient Photo gallery sites that used to hang around here there was once a picture of a robot from a team in ?Arizona? that lasted only one season. I think it was 2004's game, possibly earlier.

The robot was a tall one, with the manipulator designed out of beautiful anodized aluminum elliptical tubing for arms in the front of the robot and I believe it has some graphic design elements that were way ahead of its time. I haven't seen elliptical tubing used like that since.

The last time I saw a picture of this robot it was 2006, since then to my knowledge the server went off line, and I'm not sure if they way back machine has a copy of it.


If anybody can help me find this robot, or even verify the existance of it many green dots will be had. I don't want to sound like a crazy person.

[Lil' Lavery]

Conor, are you talking about 60?
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/65a/65a44709c86157e7e498c9b85d9bbd33_l.jpg

[BL0X3R]

My personal favorites for the PNW:

2014: 1983 (http://ahsrobotics.us/Robotics/robot_history.html), 2471 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/39943), 4061 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/8e2/8e2316a96137506d6d830befc1c09ccf_l.jpg)

2015: 955 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/58e/58e067f32116b18f3a004e08336b7356_l.jpg), 1595 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/a62/a62d24de6db4463557e48e28209c273d_l.jpg), 2046 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/d4d/d4d8d9573cfed9ffcc1d0ed9f8889802_l.jpg)

[Kevin Leonard]

My personal favorites for the PNW:

2014: 1983 (http://ahsrobotics.us/Robotics/robot_history.html), 2471 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/39943), 4061 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/8e2/8e2316a96137506d6d830befc1c09ccf_l.jpg)

2015: 955 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/58e/58e067f32116b18f3a004e08336b7356_l.jpg), 1595 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/a62/a62d24de6db4463557e48e28209c273d_l.jpg), 2046 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/d4d/d4d8d9573cfed9ffcc1d0ed9f8889802_l.jpg)

And the team with the best looking robots from the PNW for every year of their existence (and humble students on CD :) ): 4488

[Conor Ryan]

Conor, are you talking about 60?
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/65a/65a44709c86157e7e498c9b85d9bbd33_l.jpg

Nope... wasn't 60. Definitely was a 3 digit team.

[Karthik]

Nope... wasn't 60. Definitely was a 3 digit team.

Here's a list of teams from Arizona in 2004. Only nine 3-digit teams in the state that season.

https://my.usfirst.org/myarea/index.lasso?page=searchresults&programs=FRC&reports=teams&sort_teams=number&results_size=250&omit_searchform=1&season_FRC=2004&area=AZ-USA

[Cory]

60 pre 2005. Nobody else was even close during that time frame. Cool before it was cool.

233 from 2005-2008. Especially 2005 and 2008. There's so many ridiculously awesome over the top features in those robots. The most minor of parts had a lot of effort put in to make them awesome. Check out the flag holder in 2008...

[Karthik]

60 pre 2005. Nobody else was even close during that time frame. Cool before it was cool.


Examples:

2001 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/12759)
2002 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/13459)
2003 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/14768)

They were light years ahead of everyone else when it came to aesthetics.

[The other Gabe]

Here's my favorites by year for the time I've been in FRC:
2012:
personal favorite: 2046 (definitely not biased)
Aesthetic: 233
Unique and effective: 67
2013:
Personal Favorite: 469
Aesthetic: 254/1983
Unique and effective: 118
2014:
Personal Favorite: 67
Aesthetic: 696
Unique and Effective: 254
2015:
Personal Favorite: 254/4488/148/no specific favorite
Aesthetic: 1114
Unique and Effective: 2826


some other cool robots: 1717 (any year they did swerve), 1425 (2014), 2471 (2012, 2015), 4061 (2015), 1983 (2013, 2015- check out their transport configuration), 4488 and all of these:
My personal favorites for the PNW:

2014: 1983 (http://ahsrobotics.us/Robotics/robot_history.html), 2471 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/39943), 4061 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/8e2/8e2316a96137506d6d830befc1c09ccf_l.jpg)

2015: 955 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/58e/58e067f32116b18f3a004e08336b7356_l.jpg), 1595 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/a62/a62d24de6db4463557e48e28209c273d_l.jpg), 2046 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/d4d/d4d8d9573cfed9ffcc1d0ed9f8889802_l.jpg)
(you stole my thunder, man: I wanted to post all the pretty PNW bots :P)


I like a lot of robots...

[EricH]

60 pre 2005. Nobody else was even close during that time frame. Cool before it was cool.

Forgetting about 254? Particularly in '04.


As far as the mystery team, the only one of the 3-digit AZ teams that isn't still competing is 898--and they weren't a one-and-done, '04 was their final year of 3. IIRC, they preferred a desert camo pattern (and I want to say that they're (one of) the reasons for the lexan on the field sides, after they ended a practice match E-stopped under the stands in '03 having gone under the wire...).


207 should go onto the list--they've always had a very nice-looking robot. There's a reason they're called "Metalcrafters".

[hectorcastillo]

Although I've been a huge fan of 118's and 148's designs since I first started, I'd have to so say that 1538's 2015 robot looks pretty slick.

[I_AM_Clayton]

I like 3397's Clawdia Robespierre:

https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/10559786_1407420559566570_4401072665378208635_n.jp g?oh=276b555a743dbbf854905e928ae81916&oe=5642C56F

[Ginger Bread]

4941 solely because we had 2 gold chains hence the name 2chainz.

[Jay O'Donnell]

I love 1538's robot from 2013 and 67 from any year.

[Michael Blake]

ALL-TIME greatest looking FRC robot...

148 Robowrangler's 2011 Raptor.

This bot should be in the Smithsonian on a rotating pedestal with a spotlight on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XECmOwmYiu8

--Michael Blake

[carpedav000]

ALL-TIME greatest looking FRC robot...

148 Robowrangler's 2011 Raptor.

This bot should be in the Smithsonian on a rotating pedestal with a spotlight on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XECmOwmYiu8

--Michael Blake

Gonna have to disagree with this statement, sir. I believe the greatest looking frc robot of all time is 118 Robonauts' 2011 robot, Magic.

[Joseph Smith]

Gonna have to disagree with this statement, sir. I believe the greatest looking frc robot of all time is 118 Robonauts' 2011 robot, Magic.

That robot was absolutely gorgeous. I was fortunate enough to see it up close and personal my very first year in FRC when we played with them in the Archimedes division. That was also the first robot reveal video I ever watched... I'll never forget it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lRtC8wBUa0

[TheBoulderite]

I'm surprised that no one's mentioned 624 yet! They always have a great robot, a great strategy, and the robot always looks cool!

[Cory]

Forgetting about 254? Particularly in '04.

Was trying not to toot our own horn. I'm not sure id count 2004 either. Not to discount anyone's work, because I know everyone on 254 and 60 put in a ton of it, but it's pretty obvious that 60 (particularly Glenn Thoroughman) taught 254 how to build elegant robots.

[Ryan Dognaux]

I remember team 207 making gorgeous looking robots back to the 2003 / 2004 time frame - http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/15588

1024 has made very consistently bright robots for most of their team's career - http://www.mckenzierobotics.org/wp/robots/

[AdamHeard]

I remember team 207 making gorgeous looking robots back to the 2003 / 2004 time frame - http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/15588

1024 has made very consistently bright robots for most of their team's career - http://www.mckenzierobotics.org/wp/robots/

you mean the 2003-2015 timeframe?

[Ryan Dognaux]

you mean the 2003-2015 timeframe?

Yes. I first saw them in Arizona in 2003 and was blown away by how great they looked. Most robots looked like piles of 80/20 back then.

[Lil' Lavery]

...our robots still look like piles of 80/20 :o

[Conor Ryan]

Update on my crazy robot hunt.

No update.

I'm combing through archives to find stuff.

Thank You Jason Rudolph for restoring http://firstrobotpics.com back to the improved glory days of firstrobotics.net

I'm currently browsing until i find it. I'm coming for you mystery bot.

[Conor Ryan]

Call me crazy, but here is a tale about a robot that has not been discussed here in a very long time.

On one of the ancient Photo gallery sites that used to hang around here there was once a picture of a robot from a team in ?Arizona? that lasted only one season. I think it was 2004's game, possibly earlier.

The robot was a tall one, with the manipulator designed out of beautiful anodized aluminum elliptical tubing for arms in the front of the robot and I believe it has some graphic design elements that were way ahead of its time. I haven't seen elliptical tubing used like that since.

The last time I saw a picture of this robot it was 2006, since then to my knowledge the server went off line, and I'm not sure if they way back machine has a copy of it.


If anybody can help me find this robot, or even verify the existance of it many green dots will be had. I don't want to sound like a crazy person.

Conor, are you talking about 60?
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/65a/65a44709c86157e7e498c9b85d9bbd33_l.jpg

Nope... wasn't 60. Definitely was a 3 digit team.

Here's a list of teams from Arizona in 2004. Only nine 3-digit teams in the state that season.

https://my.usfirst.org/myarea/index.lasso?page=searchresults&programs=FRC&reports=teams&sort_teams=number&results_size=250&omit_searchform=1&season_FRC=2004&area=AZ-USA

Forgetting about 254? Particularly in '04.


As far as the mystery team, the only one of the 3-digit AZ teams that isn't still competing is 898--and they weren't a one-and-done, '04 was their final year of 3. IIRC, they preferred a desert camo pattern (and I want to say that they're (one of) the reasons for the lexan on the field sides, after they ended a practice match E-stopped under the stands in '03 having gone under the wire...).


207 should go onto the list--they've always had a very nice-looking robot. There's a reason they're called "Metalcrafters".

Update on my crazy robot hunt.

No update.

I'm combing through archives to find stuff.

Thank You Jason Rudolph for restoring http://firstrobotpics.com back to the improved glory days of firstrobotics.net

I'm currently browsing until i find it. I'm coming for you mystery bot.

Great Scott I think I've found it. Or at least one that vaguely fits my mental description, it was yellow.

Ok the Arizona thing was wrong.
It Was a 3 digit team.
It was 2002, not 2004.
It was not a 1 and done team...

It Was... 910 Foley Freeze in 2002. (http://www.firstrobotpics.com/wp-content/gallery/2002/0910-1.jpg)

[Ryan Dognaux]

...our robots still look like piles of 80/20 :o

Nothing wrong with that. I think we see more aesthetically pleasing robots than we used to in FRC due to more teams having access to advanced manufacturing capabilities than ever before. You can also build a pretty sharp looking robot in-house now thanks to some of the COTS solutions on the market that allow teams to spend an extra day or two on graphics and lighting.

[Mitchell1714]

Team 4818 has made very nice green robots their first two years.

[Ginger Power]

Team 4818 has made very nice green robots their first two years.

I got the oppurtunity to work with 4818 this past year. Their team is lightyears beyond what any second year team should be. For reference they had a shifting swerve (with no noticeable bugs) ready to go for a non-Recycle Rush game. Their future is incredibly bright.

[Brandon_L]

2590's 2013 bot (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/38724), which was a big inspiration for our 2014 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/40020) bot

[jajabinx124]

Team 4818 has made very nice green robots their first two years.

I got the oppurtunity to work with 4818 this past year. Their team is lightyears beyond what any second year team should be. For reference they had a shifting swerve (with no noticeable bugs) ready to go for a non-Recycle Rush game. Their future is incredibly bright.

I agree. 4818 had a beautiful looking robot and an effective one this year. Take a look at their improvements between the Lake superior regional this year and Champs. From just setting 2 uncapped 4/5 stacks on the SZ at Lake superior, to setting 2 capped/noodled 6 stacks and a uncapped 6 stack on the SZ at Champs. Their improvements where phenomenal, and it's unbelievable that they are such a new team.

Can't wait for what 4818 comes up with next year!

[rees2001]

Examples:

2001 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/12759)
2002 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/13459)
2003 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/14768)

They were light years ahead of everyone else when it came to aesthetics.

Not too sure about light years ahead? Maybe A year ahead.

2002 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/13627)
2003 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/15042)
2004 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/17672)

[NWChen]

Seeing FRC robots in person made all their details much more pronounced for me. 973's bot this year (https://www.greybots.com/uploads/1/4/6/6/1466639/1107150_orig.jpg?284), and 2590 in 2014 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126980), looked nice in reveal photos/videos but better in person, and even more in action.

Effective controls and automation make bots like 254's and 3310's all the more visually impressive.

[Brad Hanel]

There is a distinct lack of 4039 in this thread.

2015 was my favorite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgmfHsDHyPI

And it's not just their robots, their shirts, pit, and signs are gorgeous as well.

[Cory]

Not too sure about light years ahead? Maybe A year ahead.

2002 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/13627)
2003 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/15042)
2004 (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/17672)

I love HOT and I think their robots have always been well designed and highly functional, but those 3 robots don't come close to 60. They're elegant in their own way, but 60 was on a different playing field when it came to executing clean, seamless designs. 60 was also doing that prior to 2001.

[NWChen]

oops - didn't see this before, here's a similar thread (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137166).

[The other Gabe]

oops - didn't see this before, here's a similar thread (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137166).

I posted on that thread and didn't realize this ::ouch::

[Briansmithtown]

I persoanlly have the hots for my teams 2014 robot... but prob because I have a special connection with it...

[Canon reeves]

Team 33 always produces beautiful robots, but their 2014 robot (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btQtnyxyY8E) is one of my all time favorites. Also 3937's 2014 robot (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJi7qda5AIc)is very appealing.

[Nick Lawrence]

Team 1538's 2011 robot (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/36685). My favorite machine by far. Incredibly clean and simple.

-Nick

[Noudvanbrunscho]

i'm always looking forward to the robots from team 1986 and 1983. The combination of an well functioning and beautiful robots is awesome.