Somehow I have a feeling that no goals will be used like in previous versons of the game, but they will be used in a differnt way. Kinda like how a hoop is in basketball versues a soccer goal.

Is it possible to do a lot of autonomy with the current controller?
I'm more of a mechanical person, so I don't know what's possible.

All I know is my SparkE's are screaming for more sensors so they can do cooler stuff. I hope FIRST comes through.

I like the idea that for the first 30 seconds of each match the robots are on their own. Now THAT would require innovation.

Not really, it could be done but there is not much space to do it in

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although this is in the OI manual:

When the Disable LED is blinking, the Robot Controller is in an Autonomous Mode. The following
functions are still active when the Disable LED is blinking:
• Operator Interface inputs (joystick, buttons, etc.) are transmitted to the Robot Controller in their
default state(analog inputs at neutral and digital inputs disabled).
• PBASIC code is executing.
• PBASIC input, local inputs (switches, pots, etc), including Operator Interface default inputs are
read in by the PBASIC processor.
• PBASIC output commands are sent to, and executed by the output processor.
• Robot Controller feedback is transmitted to the Operator Interface.
• For more information on Autonomous Mode, see the Programming Reference Guide.
Thus the Robot can move and function only from PBASIC code commands and will ignore any human
input from the Operator Interface.

Actually that wouldent be required if a team number is over 999 the dispaly goes to - - - and the processor can handle a huge number of teams since it has 12 places for the binary code (thats 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + 32 + 64 + 128 + 256 + 512 +1024 + 2048 = a max team number of 4095)

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as per the oi manual:

The SELECT button is used to change the 3 or 4 -digit display. Pressing SELECT will cycle the display
between Robot Voltage, User Mode, Team Number, and Channel. The data displayed can be
distinguished by the format used.
3 digit 4 digit
Team Number display 000 0000
Channel display c40 c40
Robot Voltage display 12.0 12.0
User Mode 00.0. u000
Any Team Number greater than 999 will be displayed as “---“on Operator Interfaces with only a 3-
digit display. The Operator Interface with a 4-digit display can show any Team Number up to 4095.
Refer to page 16 or the Programming Reference Guide for more info on the User Mode function.

Well what ever the game is I'm sure that it will surprise the hell out of all of us. Be it Goals or Footballs or multi level platforms or a funky shaped field, It will be something that none of us expected.

Most definitely, it's kinda pointless to try and guess.

fun though. fun is good.

and Joel J. there was no image in your post

No drivers
 

I agree with everyone who thinks the robot will run in autonomus mode for a while. The EDU robot default code makes reference to autonomus mode. It seems to be turned on and off from the FIRST computer at an event. It looks like sensors have become more popular lately.

I just don't know how it could be done...
Could it be.....
- first X seconds are auto
- last X seconds are auto
- You switch it into auto mode and score more points for every second you are in auto mode
- Do field elements emit signals?
- Will robots be required to carry signal emitters (like an inferred beacon)

What kind of sensors will we get? Gyro, IR, touch, stuff to build our own? (line followers, proximity, distance, etc...)

Lots of fun...

The operator interfaces for both the Isaac 16 and Isaac 32 systems are EXACTLY the same, only the robot controllers are different

Re: No drivers
 

If so, I am gonna say they are using retro-reflective tape and it is during the last phase of the match.. perhaps a robot has to find its way to their "end position."

Re: Re: No drivers
 

I agree! If FIRST does attempt to make a period of autonomous"ness" then to have it at the beggining of the match would be chaos! Whatever the robot would be programmed to do could be greatly affected by the other robots and what they are doing. i.e: If all the bots are programmed to go to the same place. There is no way for the bot to sense another robot and in turn adjust it's task or wtvr... If we would have that then the other bots would require retroreflective tape or something to know where eachother are. AND even if that is.. then since it is retroreflective then how would the sensors be able to distinguise between them or goals, obsticals, balls... with retroreflective tape on them. AND.....(I will stop now b/c there is an even more imp. reason why this isn't likely..)

IT'S TOO COMPLEX! Rookies would be totally excluded from the time we are automatically flowating around the feild. I think that it would be very, very hard for a rookie team who has never used code, or sensors before to pull off. I know that the majority of the teams didn't use sensors last year (even though thy weren't a necessity), and the bots were still outstanding.
Autonomous would be an awesome idea but it would have to be an "extension of the match". In other words, certain robot functions can go on for a said amount of seconds (robots jockying for position) after the said match was over. This merely makes it so that is a team did decide to go the extra yard to do this, they would get the extra time to do stuff hile others, well, don't.

Re: Re: Re: No drivers
 

I think that's the idea!
It's just one more challenge for everyone. They would most likely provide us with new and enhanced sensors such that the robots could sense each other. Those bots that are best programmed to "sense and evade" will perform the best.
Someone above mentioned it being a requirement for all the robots to emit some form of signal, and to have playing field objects emit a similar signal. This would allow the robot to sense what is happening in real-time, and depending on it's program, react to it.

Here's a new idea...
Imagine if the robots move autonomously during the first 30 seconds, and after that aren't allowed to move.
The rest of the match would be based on stationary robots, and whatever arms/shooters/whatever they have on them.
No drive controlled drivetrains at all.

It would certainly fulfill the announcement that there will be stricter rules about drivetrains.

When dean gave a lecture at my college in october i had the pleasure of talking to him for a few minutes, and he said the following:

- We will really like the game this year
- The game will either have balls or not have balls

Dean also acknowledged that 1999 was a great year... maybe hinting something?? :)

Dean gives out this exact same quote every year :cool:

Based on that, I can conclusively say that we will either have autonomy, or we won't have autonomy.

- dave

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This theory which belongs to me is as follows. Ahem. Ahem. This is how it goes. Ahem. The next thing that I am about to say is my theory. Ahem. Ready?All brontosauruses are thin at one end, much MUCH thicker in the middle, and then thin again at the far end. That is the theory that I have and which is mine, and what it is too.

- Anne Elk (Miss)