Re: Finally the year?
 

You aren't going to give up, are you? ;)

Re: Finally the year?
 

Actually rookies were brought up a couple times. You underestimate their ability. I read about a group of kids who was about as rookie as you can get entering in a underwater compitition not only did they do well but they won beating MIT and many other colleges. (i have no idea why a high school group was in a college compitition) If its a requirement people manage thats why we do our best work when we push ourselves. I guarinty you teams could do it and actually water proofing a robot is'nt as hard as it sounds.

Re: Finally the year?
 

Yes, blame Gary. For everything.

And may I suggest that if a water element isn't possible for the robots, why not for the human players? Maybe a dunking booth, and the robots have to gather up balls to toss to knock the human players in?

Heidi

Re: Finally the year?
 

That would be cool! Design a robot to throw something. It could even be safe if FRIST used a net around the field

Re: Finally the year?
 

Not quite.

When most people around here say gyro they're referring to an angular rate gyro. This will measure how fast an angle is changing on whatever axis it's aligned with. That means you can align it with your heading, and integrate its output with Angular Rate/Time to track you angular heading as it changes. But switch an access and it can track the tilt of your robot. It doesn't measure any heading/tilt, just the rate of angular motion. You can use 3 gyros for one on X, Y, and Z axis if you'd like to track your heading and tilts in 3 dimensions.

Re: Finally the year?
 

that would be awesome!!

i can just see it tho, lets go test our robot... who wants to get wet?

Re: Finally the year?
 

If that would be the case then I would hope that the "human players" could be a mentor only position :D (I wonder who would win in a Dave vs. Heidi tryout?)
Worst case senario IRI turnaround match.

Also if anyone hasnt noticed that 120 AMP main breaker is waterproof (or so they claim.......)

Re: Finally the year?
 

Underwater?
Been there, done that.
It is difficult to find a pool, but it's also difficult for us to find a FIRST size carpeted playing field. Testing individual systems can be done in a tub.
Safety? It is always a concern. Propellers can be in a screened enclosure, etc.
Waterproof every ting? Yes it is a challenge.
Worth it? When it works, it's very rewarding.
Will FIRST do it? I doubt it. There are very few venues that could host regionals or championships. (This year the national ROV competition was held in the Neutral Buoyancy lab at the Johnson Space Center). It is not a spectator friendly competition. Not a lot to see above the water.

Anyway, information about the MATE underwater competition at
http://www.marinetech.org/rov_competition/

Cool video that mixes up FIRST and MATE. It was produced to demonstrate teamwork, not to promote FIRST or MATE or our school. http://posts.flyingspot.com/clients/...k/files/071805

Our videos and such can be found at www.FalconRobotics.org Go to ROV, then videos

We use a lot of old FIRST parts. It's an activity that we like to do after April. It costs less money than FIRST. There were quite a few FIRST teams competing this year.