pic: Physics lesson from BlueLightning 578
 

I agree with your team that the action goes on in the pits... we spent friday also making that long red frame in the picture and also moving our orientors and taking out several pneumatics and more. We learned in Chesapeake that we needed to protect stacks.

However, after that day, we just sat around and did a 10 min system check before each match cause the robot never got damaged.

As for that picture, I don't understand what the physics lesson was. That frame is 4.8lbs and those orientors (now bin holders) are < .5 lb total. The CG is still about 9" or so off the ground. What happened in that match was that a bin falling hit the top of our robot and it did a wheelie; it did not tip.

What also happened was us winning that 1st quarterfinal match for our two alliances... and also winning the quarterfinal. :D

So I guess what we learned was; though you got to the top first and knocked down three... we got the other three and could still win.

What's interesting about the quarterfinals was the second match of it, where we put 783 and 314 out to do some pushing.

I know many of you have waited for this vid.

314 slowly goes up the ramp and gets flipped in autonomous. Everyone in the alliance is screaming cause we think we lost. 783 later pushes 314 up the ramp on top of the HDPE. An opponent pushes them off and in a miraulous moment, 314 flips back upright and goes to the top allowing our alliance to move on.

The vids I took are of Dana/Nick driving. The match where the pic was taken is our Quarterfinals Match 1 The amazing vid of 314 flipping and getting flipped back (great job 783) is Quarterfinals Match 2.

All of them are here:
Team 639 Code Red Robotics
Canadian Regional Movies
http://www.orbitreview.com/~temp/639movies/

Note that I took the first 4 accidently at the lowest res on my photo camera and the other 6 are at 320x240. My digital camera doesn't have sound... however, I doubt you'd want the screaming.

Our Alliance was great!

There weren't any tipping issues, except when MO somehow flipped themselves...But we fixed that ;)

I would be happy to be paired with you guys again!

That video doesn't even begin to do justice to that match. I've seen a lot of matches in my time, but I think that was by far the most exciting.

When team 314 was flipped onto their back it looked as if all hope was gone for the 639-738-314 alliance. The crowd went berserk once Mowat pushed 314 up and onto the ramp. Then it seemed the hopes were to be short lived, as 314's opponents pushed the upside down robot off the ramp. Then miraculously Mowat managed to help right 314. I can't even explain the reaction when 314 was flipped back over. In just a few seconds the entire match had turned. I stood in the stands in a state of awe.

Bravo to the entire alliance for some quick thinking and skilled driving.

Allright, allright, I get it; my camerawork sucked and it didn't do justice for the match but that's due to how great it was.

Ah god, that was great.

Not to rub it in, 578, but you guys lost that match. Your alliance also lost the next QF match. Consider that our lesson to you about how to play the game.

783: you guys were at the top of our picking list for a reason, good job.

Greg

Our hopes were definitly dim when MO flipped.... I definitily damaged my voice from screaming so much after we won, though.

Crazy.


Our Canadian alliance r0cked.

I dont think the photo was from the quarterfinals - I think it was from our last seeing match - Im pretty sure we pushed your bot all the way down to the bottom of the ramp on your side in auton mode.

The physical lesson was, since we were going faster, we had more momentum, and pushed your bot back down the ramp. Its also possible your bot was tipping backwards as it was pushed down, causing its drive wheels to loose contact.

BTW - we lost that match too.

in the video you posted our bots miss each other and you hit the wall more towards the center - that happened in the quarterfinal, when we broke a pin in one transmission

we are not conviced that match was scored correctly. Our front wheel was hanging over the edge of the ramp at the end, and we have a photo showing a judge with a curved piece of paper under the wheel - but they did not give us the 25 points for being on the top. (I will post that photo).

Either way, we accept the judges decision.

And either way, you womped us good. We are humble in your presence :c)

no wait - I just checked the match scores on the first web site. Our last seeding round was match 97 - where we beat team 188 to the wall in a similar situation

sorry - my mistake - we didnt play against team 639 in that match - you are correct - the photo was from QF3.1, where we grazed against your bot.

I posted the photo of our wheel at the end of QF3.1 - sure looks like that card under the wheel is bowed - but again, we respect the judges decision :c)

To see a great flip watch the semi finals from Lone Star. Team 118 "Immobolius" KOH robot gets flipped at the end of autonomous. There robot was covering the entire ramp when they flipped. The crowd went wild. I think my teams robot is the king of near tips, in one match we were going over and an opponents robot accidentally righted us. We didn't flip a single time despite being over 4' tall and being on top of one robot during the final match.

Yes I remember that match, I checked our wheel as well. We were called off the ramp in a similar fashion to you (I dont think we actually had contact with the ramp, but our wheel had broken the plane of the mesh).

But again, I didn't dispute it since you were called off as well (and no, I didn't know we had won yet).

We were never pushed down the ramp.

Greg

The whole game really changed in Canada. There seemed to be a lot less stack destruction and a few more stackers. What also improved greatly was the strength of the robots. Just two weeks before Canada, our robot was the 2nd strongest to CRT in Chesapeake. It was so odd being able to push 2 robots around (except for that one match with the bad battery... oops) and any off the ramp and then somehow going to Canada and just being an average torque robot.

Man, these Canadians take their FIRST seriously. :D

you need to remember that for 80% of the teams at the canadian regional, that was the first time they competed.

If you goto more than one regional you have a big advantage - while the other teams are working out the bugs to get their machine to run, you are making improvements based on what you learned at the last regional.

Team 578 doesnt have enough $$$ to goto the championships, so we goto 2 regionals instead. In the last 4 years, we have won 2.

Man, these Canadians take their FIRST seriously.


One of the reasons is we feel we have something to prove. We are small in numbers but growing rapidly. I also feel that some teams become complacent over time. Ours is one of them. At West Michigan this year I saw an amazing attitude change. I saw a spark in everyones eyes that was not present earlier on. Our team got going and we couldn't be stopped. I believe that this will rejuvinate our team and others that see what we have done. Look out Houston hear we come!!!!!

More 639 Movies of Canada at www.orbitreview.com/~temp/639movies/


Quarterfinal 3.1 where that pic was taken:

well said steve

it certainly was true. our team was somewhat disorganized and off to a slow start and had some trouble with commitment, but we still pulled together and got through everything. Being Canadian, and being known for friendlieness helps too :D