Re: Real-time balancing strategy
 

I wasn't that we weren't the only team at Alamo with brakes on the robot. It's cool to learn that we and 1477 went down the same path there.

Re: Real-time balancing strategy
 

Our software guys developed an "e-brake", which (as best as I understand it, being a non-engineer) basically holds the robot in position on the bridge, using microadjustments in force generated by the motors based on gyro input as to whether the bot is moving. Or something like that. Anyway, with the e-brake on, the robot doesn't move, it just sits on the bridge whether it is flat or tipped.

Re: Real-time balancing strategy
 

I would think a physical brake would be helpful if you can do it, for example, on the coopertition bridge. There is 1 point for being fully supported but unbalanced, so if you can hold yourself and the other robot on at the end of a match (by tipping the bridge your way and engaging the brake) you can still get a point, whereas a robot with an "electronic brake" system would simply roll off at the end of a match.

On a slightly related note, it seems that getting 1 coopertition point this year is quite a bit more difficult than getting 2. Maybe the GDC will come up with a more intuitive "consolation point" system for Championships. They did reserve the right to alter bridge scoring, after all.

Re: Real-time balancing strategy
 

Yeah, I realized that the other day - that it will still roll down when power goes off. Oh, well, can't have everything. (Or maybe you can, but we don't.)

Re: Real-time balancing strategy
 

Our electrical team was able to wire the brake/coast jumper pins on our drive victors to the Digital Sidecar, this allows us to control brake/coast in code. Our driver can enable "Bridge Mode" in order to switch to the breaking setup, as well as some other driver interface tweaks.

We also found that a low gear is incredibly useful this year, as it makes balancing many times easier.