Re: Getting a headstart?
 

Ok, this year was our third year in first and two of the three robots had 2wd and the 2003 robot B.O.B had 4wd and we liked that much better. But we used the drill motors and kept burning them up. So this year we went to the chips 2wd and had no problems with them at all, but mobility and precision turning was lost. So next year no matter what the game is the robot will have 4wd using the chips. And i am sure we will need some help.

Re: Getting a headstart?
 

Build a prototype and when it comes down to the 6 weeks rebuild using the prototype as as a blueprint. And the same thing with the computer code. write a code with last years robot and modify that code for next years robot. That is simply using research and development.

Re: Getting a headstart?
 

And we are while the drive train sub team is buildind a 4wd drive system the rest of the team besides programing will be building a cart and crate for the robot next year that will implement all of our sub teams skills and we will use this as training. And the drive train will be used to make the cart mobilized.

Re: Getting a headstart?
 

yes, a team may only need the motors to pop in and hook up the rest of the electronics and they can drive, but what about the game itself?? what if the drive train they made of the off-season isnt up to the new rules of 2005, or the motors they intended on using are not allowed, or what if the drive train built won't help the team with what they hope to accomplish in the game next year. There are so many things you can throw around with "if this, if that" in the rules and the game, that an ultimate drive train that's created and work for this years game, may be worthless for next years.

Re: Getting a headstart?
 

I completely agree. In fact, I think FIRST did just that with this past season by changing the drill motors a bit, and including a second atwood motor. However, the teams that do fabricate full drive systems in the offseason have a huge advantage over other teams who don't have the resources to work year round, especially rookie teams (assuming of course, that the drive system is compatible with the current year's game). I can't say it's not fair, because if the resources are avaliable, there's no reason not to use them. And there's no better time to develop incredible machines than when not under the pressures of time constraints.

I don't have anything at all against off-season creativity. Inspiration is a year-round job, and from what I'm seeing here, everyone seems to be doing a great job with it! Just like an athlete training in the off season, all it can do is benefit you.

Re: Getting a headstart?
 

What is this about including a second Chiaphua motor? There were always two. Except that in 2002 the output shaft was splined like a gear and in 2003 it was switched to 8mm plain with 2mm keyway.

Re: Getting a headstart?
 

I thought of doing that but then I realized that the light might not be modulated and that would be a serious flaw with the sensor. Since it would face interferance with the IR beacons.

Re: Getting a headstart?
 

Hmmm...

I don't think thats an issue. How would more IR light interfere with the mouse operation? I highly doubt that a puny IR beacon could shine so brightly it would "overexpose" the mouse's CCD. Am I missing something?

Re: Getting a headstart?
 

Never mind. I realized that interfearence would be minimized since the thing is pointed towards the ground.

Re: Getting a headstart?
 

We are looking forward to students designing transmissions and drive trains. We are probaly just going to be designing until the 6 weeks because if you start to build then we have found out changes are in store and you end up behind where you started from.. We also will be working on programming our last years robot as a practice for designing better auto programs.. But thats all the robot stuff we will be doing, we will be doing many presentations, summer camp, and many fundraisers. We never stop even though sometimes i wish we would/could but we do this because its fun and it is.
Nate