Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

Team 4030 is developing a web application that will allow teams to scout through a simple and fast user interface. Data from scouting is then aggregated from all the teams that use the application and different statistics from it are displayed. Last year, we just had averages for different matches, but this year we are planning on adding more advanced statistics and graphs to make it even more useful.

If you'd like to check it out, you can visit http://dev.ingrahamrobotics.org where it is currently hosted. This is not the final version and there will be bugs, are we are editing it on a daily basis. More statistics and features will be added as the build season draws to close.

If you're curious, you can check out the source code on Github.

EDIT: login page is being fixed right now

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

Understand that you can't use WiFi inside the arena to access web-based systems in real time during competition. We've created on work around that we've written up a white paper on, and will be implementing another approach this season.

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

I am aware of that, we have enough students with smartphones that we can do it that way. I do see how it could present an issue though if a team doesn't have smartphones with data.

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

This looks great! I created an account, and plan to monitor the progress of this. Our team has been developing an Android app, but the same set of programmers are currently working on the robot, so that app's development has been slowed.

Are you at all interested in help on this, or are you guys all set? Looking forward to seeing where this goes...

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

Many venues also have issues with getting good cell-phone signal for data use

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

looks good, would add the ability for teams to score more than 1 ball in autonomous though.

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

Thanks, I will work on that.

If anyone else has suggestions as well please feel free to voice them.

Eventually we hope to create an android app that has the same html-based interface but instead stores values in an offline database until internet access is available.

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

Do you have experience running through an entire event using students' smart phones? Have you run into any problems with students' phones running out of battery and not being able to scout?

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

Smartphones work pretty well for the most part, we have run into this issue a little bit last year, but we plan to bring extra battery-powered chargers this year to remedy it.

We ran into that once last year; but if we can get any signal at all, it is built to be very lightweight so that slow data connections should not cause issues.

(I will probably restructure team profiles so they don't have to load pictures)

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

I think most of the UI stuff is mostly set for this year, but what would be really helpful is advice for what types of statistics would be most useful to scouts on other teams. So far we have averages, and plan to add more measures, but any input on tables/graphs that you think would be good is awesome.

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

Some potential changes I would like to see (and logic why):

1: Change the "Assist" category to "Balls Possessed"
It will be difficult to track what is actually counted as an assist on the fly, and random alliance match-ups may result in some teams having to possess a ball more than once per cycle. This change will simplify the scouting, make it more accurate, and most likely more useful as a predictive tool. Keep the received and passed categories separate, though.

2: Add a balls missed category in autonomous
Missing shots in autonomous will have significant impact on when a cycle can start, and should definitely be tracked. A missed shot is worse than a team who simply didn't attempt a shot. This could be simple integration with the multiple shots in autonomous change. Simply have three sets of rows, with the selection for each being "No Attempt," "Missed," "Low Goal," and "High Goal" with a "Hot Goal" modifier underneath.

3: Add some criteria for goaltenders, both in autonomous and tele-operated
They may not be a popular design, but they're still part of the game, and shots blocked should be tracked

4: Consider defensive metrics
Defense will be a big part of the game, but is difficult to scout objectively.



I really like the simple interface and quick data entry. Great work so far!

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

Thanks for your feedback and for trying out the app, I really appreciate it! I will work on implementing those changes in the order you put them (simply because it's simplest -> most difficult). I'm not sure how to implement defensive metrics - last year we just did it in the comments, but perhaps something like a "can defend" toggle button and then leave comments?

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

A few ideas come to mind for this.

1) an "Only plays defense" button on the last scouting page.
Yes this could be done in the comments, but as a drive coach, I'd like to be able to easily sort the teams that are only defensive to help with alliance selection.

2) include a "Shots stopped" button to count how many times they directly caused an opponent to miss a shot.

3) a defensive rating scale that would allow the scout to rank them between 1 and 5 on how good their defense was. Their average rating would be displayed on their profile page.


Now for other suggestions.
1) Aiding drive teams in determining their strategy would be a big help.
If each teams profile page could have their percentage of made shots, trusses, catches, etc... That would make it easier to determine what your partners and opponents are capable of.

2) Knowing what zone each robot usually stays in during a match could be beneficial information for determining strategy.

3) A sorting system that would allow someone picking an alliance to easily select traits they want in a partner and then ranks all robots at that regional in a list which is based on those traits. (This would be amazing!)

4) A pick list page where teams can store their list of teams they want for alliance selection. This would need the ability to cross off teams that have been picked by someone else.

I would love for our team to use your web page during our regional! I'm just worried that due to a potential lack of internet access, the system won't work as well as intended. Some way of having this run off-line for short time periods would be amazing.

Keep up the good work, we're very appreciative of teams that make stuff like this available to teams who don't have the resources.

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

Thank you for the response and the suggestions! We are on a bit of a time crunch but I will take as many into consideration as possible.

For ideas:
1, 2, and 3 would all be fairly easy to implement, I can definitely do that

Other suggestions:
1. percentages of made shots and other similar statistics are going to be on the team profile pages eventually, I will be sure to add those specifically

2. Do you think comments are sufficient here? I could add a text field or something.

3. That's a bit more complicated - but we're trying to implement such a system. Stay tuned ;)

4. perhaps... unfortunately there are other things that we have to prioritize more for the time being...but we'll see.

The offline thing would be amazing, and there's now an android API that I believe lets you embed webpage-like objects and basically make an app off them. The only missing piece is a local database that pushes when desired. I will look into it.

Re: Web-Based Crowdsourced Scouting App for 2014
 

Our team had great success last year at St. Louis with tablets and using google based table app. Scouts collected data on tablet in arena, stepped out of arena between matches to transmit and then back in. Not ideal, but worked well with pits being so far from arena. Looking forward to checking out this app.