Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

I was watching ESPN and a Car Show was on. I had a thought, why don't we have robot shows? Possibly get as many teams as possible under one roof bringing as many of their robots as possible? I'd be great for up coming seasons and you would learn so much about everything. Just think about it.

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

Look at what I stumbled across here folks!

Here we have a classic '92 tennis ball collector. Notice the fine lines, and the optional anti-corn removal system. Not every bot in this series had this many features. It's rare to even find one in existence. When we say limited edition folks, we are not joking!

Also notice the vintage tether, these machines didn't become wireless till the late 90's.

We're at Grandma's Pride Robot Show and next up, we got a bot that'll knock your socks off.. literally.. with a poof ball.

Stay tuned.

<commercial break>



(Yeah, I could definitely be a host of a TV show someday.. :cool: )

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

That sounds awsome. Unfortunately, i'm hard pressed to see many teams travelling cross-country just to display their robots. What would make more sense would be to do it at the Championships...maybe during that extended day we'll get for workshops...that would be cool

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

We could always have "re-enactments" of past games... Though I highly doubt you'd be able to find too many working robots to re-enact the 1992 game.. :rolleyes:

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

That's what the pits are for! Any spare time I had at nationals was spent wandering around looking at the robots.

I'm not sure how the offseason events work, but I would think it is much less formal and you could spend more time talking to other teams about their robots. If possible, you could get the organizer to stop the matches for a few hours on one of the days and set aside some extra time to look at all of the robots.

I think organizing an event for the sole purpose of showing robots wouldn't attract too many teams.

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

That in my opinion is a awesome idea! Not only that but it would also bring sponsors looking for a team that they could sponsor. It is even possible to get some sponsors to make new systems that would end up in the kit of parts. Along with media to show other people what FIRST is about (also make the robots look good in front of the camera :p ). I for one would be all for that idea!

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

I know that....
How many teams bring OLD robots to the new years games? none. So if you have some kind of show, you will see a huge variety of certain things like; drive trains, arms, gear boxes, etc.

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

I never have that much time in the pits to just walk plus not just first bot all bots, like the Google guy said let them go out and meet others bots,dare i say Rochester ruckus?

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

A summer comp would be a good time to do something like this. They're low-key and less stressful, so, sending a person off to sit next to the robot and tell about it isn't the end of the world because they're less to do in the pits/strategy/field.

I know atleast at BattleCry, putting a bunch of robots in Alden Hall wouldn't be a bad idea. It's right next to the quad across from Harrington, so, it'd be close and convenient. Colleen/Ken, what do you think?

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

Well, who said we can't just tag it on to IRI?

Anyone else like this idea?



-q

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

We probably won't bring an older robot due to the long haul in a smaller vehicle and with minimal people, but, I think it's a good idea. Maybe we'll throw the '92 bot in the back somewhere seeing how it's so small... :D

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

You could probably make one out of a Vex kit and some accessories, remember robots were a lot smaller in those days.

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

I'd so be for a robot show! It would be totally awesome.
Witness some of the creations of the past in all (or some, depending on how much storage space, and the need for parts of the team) of their glory. You could see first-hand some of the manipulators and drivetrains of years passed that may not be applicable the last couple years, but could come back in the future (floppies and mobile goals anyone?).

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

well, I kind of see that where we're from cause this Saturday we're doing a "demonstration" with all our robots and with three other teams to robotics clubs at this High school. A robot show on TV, dude, I would be sitting there the entire time watching it(the only time I'll be pulled from the computer screen to the TV screen, lol)


...and tethered.

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

Two years ago at BatleCry5 they had two of the original 1992 robots (current day teams 190 and 126) and an entire 1992 playing field to re-enact the 1992 game. Here are links to videos of the two matches they played:

Maize Craze - Match 1
Maize Craze - Match 2

And here were the results of those two matches:
http://www.wpi.edu/News/Events/Battl...004.html#maize

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

There have been several TV shows on robotic contests over the last few years. In my opinion most of them were unwatchable.

I think the thing about FIRST that is so engaging is that almost everyone on the team is involved in the design, fabrication and/or operation of the robot - Its a very-hands-on program.

Its interesting for us to see how other teams do things, to see what designs they have come up with because we live and breathe this stuff for 10 weeks or more each year

now heres the but part: A TV program? would your average TV viewer really be interested enough to tune in every week for 30 minutes or an hour?

I think the best we could hope for (to hold an average viewers attention) would be a 60 minute documentary - kinda like Nova use to do with the MIT engineering design contest that Dr Flowers held every year for his mechanical engineering students. Maybe we could have one program (one hour) like this each year?

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

That is very cool!
What is the flooring? It almost looks like popcorn.

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

It's corn kernals - the one and only year that carpet was not used at the primary flooring material on the playing field. Hence the name of the game, Maize Craze. :)

If you want to see more of the 1992 game, Koko Ed recently uploaded a documentary to Google Video about it. Here's the link:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...83057553890710

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

There is a robot show on DIY network called Robot Rivals don't know the exact show times i think its sat nights, you could check DIY website for times. But they have 2 college teams competed with a different task every week Ive see a few people on that have mentioned that they were involved in a nationwide robotics completion in high school but I don't think they ever mentioned FIRST specifically. Its a good show, definitely worth checking out.

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

Ahhh, yes... Tim and I could tell you all about this show... Eh, Tim? I think Time may have even started designing wheels to throw poof balls for a robot that was supposed to be designed to cut grass!

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

Actually, we bring old robots to off-season events quite often, and I've seen a few other teams do it as well. We used our 2001 robot in the 2003 and 2004 game, and used our 2002 robot in the 2003 game. And just for kicks, we brought our 1992 robot to last year's River Rage becuase it was hosted at the same school as the official 1992 Championship event. :)

Re: Possible Robot Show Idea?
 

Oh man, Robot Rivals. That's a name I haven't heard in a bit. Yeah, Chris, Rick Petty, and I went down to Tennessee for a few days to build/compete/tape the show in the fall of 2003. It was pretty good overall. We lost due to a producer's call which was kind of lame, but, oh well. It was fun!

I have a pic of us with our mentor, Buzz Dawson (Battle Bots) and the robot that I'll put up soon.