Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

In a frantic race to get them running, we had to drop the PID out and run straight state machine (Drop arms at 100% until one pot reached a set value). We noted some hardware hitching when we were testing them at 30% in the pits (The one side with the broken pot was off speed).

I'm not sure if our auton selection from the smartdash took too much time to initialize, but we powered the motors at 100%. Unfortunately we spent so much time in the morning with the first attempt that we didn't get enough time to diagnose issues with the second.

That said, we're incredibly thankful that you guys gave us the opportunity to be cheesecaked. Absolutely worked our tails off to get not one, but two different solutions implemented throughout the morning and into the evening. Another story for another post :).

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

Absolutely thank you so much to 548 for that wicked fast cheesecake! If I remember right, Mr. G, it was the left pot we were reading and the left gearbox that had problems. (My arm is indeed still hurting after being thwacked at 30%)

After thinking it through I'm pretty sure I know what that initialization delay is and how to optimize it. We should get an instance of SendableChooser.getSelected() in autonomousInit() instead of making a request every time(that's silly idk why we did that) or even hard code it instead of allowing selection if it comes down to it. Other than that, I'm sure there's a couple milliseconds of delay due to the structure of our state machine. (Maybe we'll get a rematch with 118 at IRI ;) )

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

Besides their speed, it looks like 1678's canburglar was designed to tilt the cans towards their alliance immediately upon impact, increasing the probability that they pull away with the cans in hand even if the opposing robot managed to get into the hole.

It's too bad I was pretty tied up this weekend, it's a shame I wasn't able to see the Citrus Circuits machine before Saturday (definitely wanted to check out that feeder intake system too). Congratulations to them and their alliance!

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

The tilting issue was one thing that made me think 1114's harpoon guns could still be beaten by standard arms. As seen in the video that 1114 posted here, the harpoons tilt the cans towards the opposing side pretty significantly when they hit.

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

Makes you wonder, if two opposing robots were able to get their hooks in the cans, would the two robots be able to tip 1114's towers/ pull them onto their side of the field?

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

I would like to mention that our can grabbers were only operating at 80% power the whole event. We could have run as much as 120% power if we really wanted the cans. Our can grabbers really could dial it to 11, but it would be brutal on the driving mechanism and we deemed the wear and tear to not be worth it and turned out to not need it.

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

You are completely correct about our grabbers pitching the cans forward on impact. We might release some of our test footage later this year showing our full power tests.

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

That would be really awesome if you guys did. Those can grabbers were insanely fast and scary to watch.

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

This is not true.

We lined up on our side and they lined up on theirs. We did not battle each other but I do have slow motion video showing it to be a virtual tie if we did line up against each other (they beat us to the can by about 20 milliseconds).

In that match we got our 2 cans and 1678 got their two cans. There was no battle.

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

No, you can't dial it to 120% power. By definition that is 100% power.

There are students on this forum that may not understand this statement and it completely misleads them.

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

Looks like someone was suffering from memory loss. In hindsight, waking up at 5 in the morning to watch alliance selections after 3 hours of sleep might not have been the best choice.

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

There is nothing wrong with my statement. It is exactly like over-volting an electric motor for more power. The motor is designed to take 12 volts(100%) but we run it at 9.6 volts(80%) to reduce strain, but could run it at 14.4 volts(120%) to make it run faster. Yes we can run a system with more than 100% power. We were using surgical tubing and could keep adding more and more past what it was designed for.

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

For the sake of sparing everyone in this forum, we'll just agree to disagree on this one.

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

I am fine with that as well, meant no disrespect.

Re: Einstein Can-Race Compilation Video
 

Yep, our's were inspired 100% by 548's design that we initally saw when we paired with them at Livonia. We started designing a set to be used at MSC (poly carb version) a couple days later. They were 0.5s to the can due to the flexibility of the poly. After that we re-designed with carbon fiber, testing last Monday for the first time. Our testing showed them to be no slower than 250ms and much more repeatable. We knew this would be pretty fast, but feared we might be designing for an old target based on discussions with others.

Unfortunately we did not design for the can battle stalemate very well. Due to the nature of having them as part of our transport configuration required us to be able to attach them on the field very quickly. We did not have a robust attachment stategy which ultimately resulted in our arms faliure in the division finals. If we would have made it to Einstein our arms probably would have been ripped off the robot after the first tie. Which seemed pretty inevitable since we were very close to the same speed as most of the teams out there.