dash programs
 

This may be an oblivious question, but are dash programs allowed (hooking up the OI to a laptop and having a program running on it)?
If it is, what are some programs that have been used on the dash before? I am asking this since I have a crazy idea for a dash program for the 05 season.

Re: dash programs
 

If I remember the 2004 rules correctly (I'm too tired/lazy to find the exact quote), then battery-powered things like laptops or Palms or what-have-ye were allowed for Dashboard purposes. That has no bearing whatsoever on the 2005 rules.

Re: dash programs
 

As long as i have been in FIRST(since stack attack), Dashboard programs have been allowed. IFI has a default dashboard program but it is limited at best.
the specs for the data sent through the dashboard port are on the IFI website

Re: dash programs
 

There was a DirectX-created Dashboard program, found in this thread.

(( Credit Goes To:) Team #555 & Adam Shapiro)

Re: dash programs
 

;) Thanks Raven

Feel free to check out Dashboard3D (listed above). Personally, I use the program on the field, I just bring a laptop and connect it. It's a great help, not to mention its usefulness during build to test and calibrate!

Re: dash programs
 

I have a simple Dash program in QBASIC (and QuickBASIC v4.0) for those of you who need it. Just email me at me@endeavour.zapto.org if you want a copy.

There were other excellent ideas we were throwing around at one point, to give each person on the field a headset, and connect them to sound-outs of the dashboard on a laptop. That way, when events occured, such as low power, overcurrent, etc, the commanders could hear it, in addition to a full voice chat system between the 4 people out there. I have some schematics if you are interested as well.

Re: dash programs
 

I have been thinking of a Dashboard idea that could plot the robots current position on a picture or cad drawing of the field. It would use the IR beacons and maybe encoders to be able to display this information. In addition it would display warnings and speed indicators. I hope that this years field will have stationary IR beacons that could be used to accomplish this.

Re: dash programs
 

Actually, such a thing has been done. For 2003, Wildstang did StangPS, which let them (without the aid of beacons) tell with certainty where they were and where they wanted to go, allowing them to park their robot on top of the ramp each and every time. The link is http://www2.wildstang.org/2003/video/StangPS/

Hope that helps!

Re: dash programs
 

Like Billfred said, we actually did this in 2003. We had a Palm that could plot the robot's current position on top of an image of the field. Here is the only picture I could find, which unfortunately was taken of a buggy version of the Palm software. The yellow box was the robot's current position. In the picture the box was being drawn in the wrong place, unfortunately. We had it working correctly a few minutes later, but I guess no one got a picture of it.

Re: dash programs
 

Great controls box. Also the WildStangPS video was very help full. I think I'll have some ideas to through around until the FIRST season starts agian.

Re: dash programs
 

Is there any way to get data from a computer on your OI to the RC? I have been told that controlling the joystick ports with a computer is illegal, and that the dashboard port only gives information to the computer and cannot send it to the RC.

Re: dash programs
 

Not legally.

Re: dash programs
 

Blast. There went about half of my plans.