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View Full Version : Team 1114: SimPhone App & The Kitbot on Steroids


Karthik
03-01-2012, 23:12
Team 1114 is proud to present two new sets of resources that we hope will become assets to the entire FIRST Community.

1. The Kitbot on Steroids

An effective, robust drivetrain is an essential part of successful FRC robot. In 2005, FIRST introduced the Kitbot to help ensure that every team would have access to an easy to build, basic drivetrain. Over the years, we've mentored many rookie and veteran teams on how to get the most out of their drivetrain. Through this process, The Kitbot on Steroids (KoS) was born. The KoS utilizes the FIRST provided Kitbot along with some inexpensive additional materials, to create a simple yet robust 6 wheel drivetrain. The KoS (or similar drivetrains) have been proven effective through numerous regional and district event wins by many teams.

To make the KoS more accessible to teams, we've created a webpage featuring a complete set of resources dedicated to helping teams build The KoS.

http://www.simbotics.org/resources/kitbot (http://www.simbotics.org/resources/kitbot)

Included on this page are:

Assembly Instructions: The Kitbot on Steroids assembly instructions are a step-by-step guide featuring high quality images and easy to follow directions.

CAD Model: A CAD model of the Kitbot on Steroids is available for download, so you can easily incorporate it into your own designs.

Video Guide: We now have a detailed instructional video on how to assemble the Kitbot on Steroids. It is available in full 1080p to encapsulate every small detail to the bolt. Using this video, teams can easily assemble the Kitbot in Steroids in just a matter of hours. Building a competitive FRC drivetrain has never been easier!

Bill of Materials: We have included a full list of parts (so you can easily upgrade from what has typically been in the Kit of Parts) as well as a convenient list using alternative wheels.

2. SimPhone App
http://www.simbotics.org/files/app.png

Simbotics, Team 1114, today released the new SimPhone app available on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. SimPhone is a comprehensive resource for learning the fundamentals of competitive robotics. This app is designed to leads teams competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition to success.

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/simphone/id491255134
(http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/simphone/id491255134)http://www.simbotics.org/resources/app

SimPhone features all the sections of Team 1114, Simbotics’, Textbook for Success. These sections are all focused on helping both rookie and veteran teams to better themselves both on and off the competition field. The Textbook Success was initially created in 2005 as set of workshops for team in the Waterloo area. Since then it has been used by hundreds of teams across the FIRST community. With the creation of this app, we hope to make these resources more accessible for all teams.

Kitbot on Steroids
Everything described above about the KoS is available in this App!

Effective FIRST Strategies
The strategy section focuses on the fundamental strategic design principles in FIRST; Teams learn how to decide what to design and ensuring that resources are managed effectively. It covers the essentials of scouting, advanced scouting methods, and the planning and execution of match strategies.

Running a Team
This section covers all the basics you will need in order to run your own FRC team. It focuses on aspects such as team organization, and fundraising.

Robot Design
The mobility, pneumatics and robot design sections focus on the design process, principles, and techniques to building a championship FRC robot. The mobility section discusses the selection of any FRC robot’s most important subsystem, the drivetrain.

Features:
- A complete guide to the Kitbot on Steroids
- The complete Textbook for Success
- Retina display graphics
- iPad version, which is the perfect reading companion
- Support for emailing and printing content

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If you have any questions about the Kitbot on Steroids or the SimPhone App, please post them here and we'll try and answer them for you. A special thanks to all the Simbots who contributed to these projects. Hundreds of hours were put into the development of the KoS and SimPhone, and could not have been done without the tireless efforts of many Simbots.

Andrew Lawrence
03-01-2012, 23:16
5/5. Love it already! (Also, since I downloaded it before you tweeted, I think I have the right to say "FIRST"!). We always get excellent robots from 1114, and now we get awesome apps. This is one of the best things I've downloaded in a while, and MUCH worth the wait! Thanks a bunch 1114!

Hallry
03-01-2012, 23:17
Simbotics, Team 1114, today released the new SimPhone app available on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

And of course, the question that half of us are wondering: Is there any plan for this to be released on Android as well? ::rtm::

Kims Robot
03-01-2012, 23:18
Another awesome addition to the FIRST databases of useful "stuff" :)

I'll ask the obvious question... any plans to release it for Android??

Libby K
03-01-2012, 23:18
Very cool, Simbotics. Excellent as always. This is going right on my iPad.

Andrew Lawrence
03-01-2012, 23:21
The only thing that would finish this perfect day is a game hint...

Karthik
03-01-2012, 23:28
I'll ask the obvious question... any plans to release it for Android??

There are plans for an Android version, but we have some other scheduled business to focus on for the next 6 weeks. ;) We'll get something out there as soon as we can. In the mean time, all the resources available on the App are also available on our website. (Which displays quite nicely on a mobile browser.)

http://www.simbotics.org/resources/kitbot
http://www.simbotics.org/resources/workshops

LeelandS
03-01-2012, 23:48
I've seen the light, and it is called the Simphone App :yikes:

Kudos and many thanks to 1114 for this GREAT utility! I'm probably going to be occupied for a while studying everything on it! It'll be nice to have the 1114 Bible (that's what I named it when I downloaded it on my computer ;) ) in a mobile location. Thank you guys so much. YOU ROCK!

Also, thanks for the resources on the Kitbot on Steroids! I just finished watching the instructional video. I'm not much of a mechanical guy, so I found it very insightful and educational. Very easy to follow!

Thanks to 1114 for these great resources! You guys are awesome :D

-Leeland

GCentola
03-01-2012, 23:48
Fantastic app! It's great to have the whole textbook in one place (that isn't my flash drive) that is easily referenced.

Andrew Lawrence
04-01-2012, 00:39
I didn't think it was possible, but it actually took up one of my top 4 places on my iPod (A programmer on the team made me this plugin/app kinda thing that sees how much I used an application per set amounts of time, and then sets the top 4 in the bottom bar). I knew this was a sign, so I sent it out to the team. The closest any app has done this was iMessage, which got there in 2 and a half days.

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=a419c6d33c&view=att&th=134a7382f1846677&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw

Ankit S.
04-01-2012, 01:56
5/5.

I don't think a 5/5 is a high enough ranking... it runs smoothly on an iPhone and a web browser, I don't believe that many other FRC apps do that. In addition it is a great database of information. Great job 1114!

Atleast a 6/5, if not 7/5. :D

Michael Blake
04-01-2012, 02:53
There are plans for an Android version, but we have some other scheduled business to focus on for the next 6 weeks. ;) We'll get something out there as soon as we can. In the mean time, all the resources available on the App are also available on our website. (Which displays quite nicely on a mobile browser.)

http://www.simbotics.org/resources/kitbot
http://www.simbotics.org/resources/workshops

How about a Windows Phone 7 version? ;-)

Anupam Goli
04-01-2012, 05:42
:D

Thanks for the high quality instructional resources! I can't wait to distribute these to my team, they are all scrambling already to learn as much as possible before kickoff (especially the rookie members).

O'Sancheski
04-01-2012, 07:18
Karthik and Simbotics,

Thank you so much for releasing this useful information. Simbotics is never a slouch when it comes to helping out rookie or newer teams. Heck, even Veteran teams can benefit from the tutorials/videos that you guys put out.

I love looking on your site for the newest updates and pics. Keep up the great work.

-Joe

Andrew Lawrence
04-01-2012, 09:53
I don't think a 5/5 is a high enough ranking... Atleast a 6/5, if not 7/5. :D

I was going realistically. If I could do any score i'd want, I'd do 5570/5 (You math people will see the joke in my score.)

Trying to Help
04-01-2012, 12:00
Just sent a note out to our team members about this! Thank you for all the work that went into putting this together.

Trying to Help

Basel A
04-01-2012, 14:16
This is fantastic, the best all-in-one FRC team resource I've ever seen, probably because there's none better. You've put more wisdom and information in one app than many teams learn in a lifetime. Thank you Simbotics!

Alan Anderson
04-01-2012, 20:43
Does it really use features that are only available in iOS 4.2 and higher? My first-generation iPod Touch won't download SimPhone because it runs iOS 3.1.3 and no later.

I can't run the new FRC manual app either. Can I justify buying a new iPod just because of FIRST?

Andrew Lawrence
04-01-2012, 21:06
I can't run the new FRC manual app either. Can I justify buying a new iPod just because of FIRST?

Yes.

AlecMataloni
04-01-2012, 21:08
I'll have a serious bone to pick with FIRST if 1114 does not win the Championship Chairman's Award this year.

Andrew Lawrence
04-01-2012, 21:09
I'll have a serious bone to pick with FIRST if 1114 does not win the Championship Chairman's Award this year.

Agreed. I'll send them 1114 really angry letters, and then 256 letters wishing for the great and powerful Dean to forgive me. :p

BrendanB
04-01-2012, 22:25
Today on How's It's Made!

Fantastic job simbots! Blow away by the quality of the videos and resources!

Karthik
04-01-2012, 22:31
Does it really use features that are only available in iOS 4.2 and higher? My first-generation iPod Touch won't download SimPhone because it runs iOS 3.1.3 and no later.

I can't run the new FRC manual app either. Can I justify buying a new iPod just because of FIRST?

The SimPhone App makes use of the new frameworks available in iOS 4.2, thus it requires version 4.2. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Kyle Love
04-01-2012, 23:43
This is really nifty. This is a great tool for any newbie to FIRST. I know we plan on using this so that the freshman/new members can build the kit bot from the instructions on the app and get working on code and electrical so they can experiment a bit before they work on the competition robots. Thank you 1114!

Katie_UPS
04-01-2012, 23:58
I don't think a 5/5 is a high enough ranking... it runs smoothly on an iPhone and a web browser, I don't believe that many other FRC apps do that. In addition it is a great database of information. Great job 1114!

Atleast a 6/5, if not 7/5. :D

This is fantastic, the best all-in-one FRC team resource I've ever seen, probably because there's none better. You've put more wisdom and information in one app than many teams learn in a lifetime. Thank you Simbotics!

I'm not very surprised to hear this: 1114 consistently only makes and releases good products (from robots to outreach to team members).

I wish I had an iDevice to use this with, I'm a sucker for 1114 literature.

Karthik
05-01-2012, 00:24
I wish I had an iDevice to use this with, I'm a sucker for 1114 literature.

Don't worry about not having an iDevice (I don't own one either), the new Kitbot on Steroids tutorials as well as all our other resources are still available on our website.

http://www.simbotics.org/resources/kitbot
http://www.simbotics.org/resources/workshops

We're most proud of all the Kitbot on Steroids information. Between the video tutorial, written instructions, CAD model and Bill of Materials, building a simple, robot and competitive FRC drivetrain has never been easier!

Starke
05-01-2012, 19:06
Quoted from FRC Designs twitter (https://www.twitter.com/FRCDesigns):

@frc1114 (https://www.twitter.com/frc1114) Thanks for joining forces! The Kitbot on Steriods (KoS) has been added to FRC Designs! www.frc-designs.com/html/drives.html
(www.frc-designs.com/html/drives.html)

Karthik
10-01-2012, 23:32
The Kitbot on Steroids webpage (http://www.simbotics.org/resources/kitbot) has been updated with a new BoM reflecting the contents of the 2012 Kit of Parts. The SimPhone App (http://www.simbotics.org/resources/app) has been updated as well, we're just waiting on Apple to release the new version (ver. 1.1) in the iTunes store. Users who have already downloaded the App will get the upgrade automatically through the iTunes store.

Gregor
19-06-2012, 00:52
I'll have a serious bone to pick with FIRST if 1114 does not win the Championship Chairman's Award this year.

:D

Karthik
04-09-2012, 21:22
The SimPhone App (http://www.simbotics.org/resources/app) has been updated and is now available in both French and Spanish!

http://www.simbotics.org/media/news/2012/simphone-now-available-french-spanish

Spread the word and share these resources with your local FRC communities.

Gary Dillard
05-09-2012, 20:32
YES! OUI! SI! I got it, Thanks Karthik.

PID Control in simple steps. Nice.

Alex.q
05-01-2013, 22:56
Hey Karthik, does 1114 plan to update their resources for the kitbot on steroids based on the 2013 KOP parts? I know it should be mostly the same, but for teams that haven't used belt drives before, how will this impact the drive? (My team has not used the kitbot on steroids before, but I'm mentoring a second team this year for a few days that I will probably recommend to use it.) With the different dimensions, are there any large changes to the basic design of a kitbot on steroids?

1683cadder
06-01-2013, 00:10
When I click on the CAD button, all I get is a string of code

orangemoore
06-01-2013, 00:49
When I click on the CAD button, all I get is a string of code

When I tried it at first the same thing happened. Right click the link and click the "Save file as" button save the file and the open it from your CAD program.

1683cadder
06-01-2013, 11:10
^thanks

whattsheorder
06-01-2013, 19:21
We're planning on using the kitbot on steroids for our chassis this year! Thanks 1114, what would we do without you?! :)

Karthik
13-01-2013, 12:12
Hey Karthik, does 1114 plan to update their resources for the kitbot on steroids based on the 2013 KOP parts? I know it should be mostly the same, but for teams that haven't used belt drives before, how will this impact the drive? (My team has not used the kitbot on steroids before, but I'm mentoring a second team this year for a few days that I will probably recommend to use it.) With the different dimensions, are there any large changes to the basic design of a kitbot on steroids?

Unfortunately, due to the new belt drive system in the Kit of Parts being kept as a secret until kickoff, we were unable to update the Kitbot on Steroids in a timely fashion. Our recommendation for teams who are looking for a "on steroids" option, would be to follow the general advice presented with the Kitbot on Steroids when upgrading your drive system this year. (Gear at an appropriate speed, increase traction where possible, create rigidity with a baseplate, etc.) The step by step instructions are no longer identical, but the principles remain the same. To help better understand these principles make sure to check out this presentation on drivetrain design:

http://www.simbotics.org/files/pdf/drivetraindesign.pdf
http://www.simbotics.org/resources/mobility

Which is also available on the SimPhone App:

http://www.simbotics.org/resources/app