Re: pic: Game hint
 

defiantly indeed. Freudian slip?
Perhaps, but how to "send' that data once it gets there?
38 kHz is a standard modulating frequency for IR remotes, used by almost all manufacturers. The IR receive module from Radio Shack is centered on 38 kHz as well.
The idea is to filter out the 38 kHz Carrier (that is, demodulate the data) to dramatically increase the resistance to noise and stray IR. Any such circuit will have low sensitivity to carrier frequencies other than 38 kHz. Cable TV remotes generally do NOT use 38 kHz to avoid interfering with (or controlling) the TV/VCR/DVD/etc to which they are attached.
This assumes that sanity was the starting point... Alas, and sadly, this is not so...:p

-...-

What we know:
1. Not a hoax
2. Used for FRC 2008
3. Can be used to receive/decode up to 4 IR signals, and act upon them.
4. Compatible with systems on the Robot.
5. The team can pick (teach) the four IR signals...
6. It works from at least a few feet away.

Speculating, if it's on the 'bot, and the 4 signals are unique* to a team, then only that team** can do something with it - sounds like a remote version of the autonomous "version" switches many teams use.

Teams will need to change autonomous*** strategies after the field is set and teams are at the player stations, but before the match begins. This board allows that.

Don

* They get to pick the remote & buttons used for teaching, right?
** Hypothetically, two teams could pick the same remote AND the same buttons...but that's unlikely, and can be mnodified at competition anyway.
*** Or maybe change something fundamental during regular play, but I suppose the OI can be used for that...

Re: pic: Game hint
 

Changing your autonomous mode from the players' station - doesn't that come really close to defeating the purpose of the autonomy of it? If you need to change your autonomous at the last minute, a binary switch on the RC can do that very easily...

Re: pic: Game hint
 

i agree, it seems like way too much hassle for you to do something that 1 you should already have planned before the match and 2 it would be easier to just have a manual switch on the robot that you can change while setting it up for that match, there is almost no time anyways from when you set it up till when the match begins, so theres not much time or need to change your mind.

Re: pic: Game hint
 

Wow. I'm really confused and my brain hurts. Watch this really be a hoax. lol that would be great.

Re: pic: Game hint
 

I agree. Seems like a lot of effort for so little purpose... Also, commenting on people's ideas of "robots going from station to station to get data to score points": would that not be the most boring game you've ever seen. Seriously, if that was the game, I'd cry. I can just see it now... everyone sitting in the stands and an announcer trying to sound enthusiastic about a robot getting data...

That's about as exciting as making a sandwich... or maybe thinking about making a sandwich...

Re: pic: Game hint
 

Probably thinking about it; seeing a robot trying to handle mayo might be at least a little funny, if not exciting...

Re: pic: Game hint
 

Haha, Subway is now a FIRST sponsor...

Re: pic: Game hint
 

Getting data would be a lousy game (though it would also be grounds for a nice fifty-motor drive, since you probably wouldn't need much in the way of an arm). But let's suppose there was a specialized field element robots had to negotiate to receive some information that is relevant to their interests. A box or area that robots had to stick the sensor into could make for an interesting test, particularly if that information can make the difference between a Good Robot and a Great Robot.

Re: pic: Game hint
 

I like the idea someone else came up with of using the infared soccer ball that was posted earlier.

A game piece involving infared would be more interesting... I don't know why you would need an infared sensor to use it though... unless you wanted to get to this game piece during autonomous mode...

Thinking about it, the real question we need to be asking is: why the need to go infared when we already have the CMUcam...

Re: pic: Game hint
 

YEAH!! Look at those 0's and 1's just fly into team xxxx's IR chip!! Yes ladies and gentlemen, they are moving at the speed of light! Aww, it looks like they got knocked over....

At least the game pieces wouldn't get stuck on the freaking flag :p

-vivek

p.s. It might be cool if the game pieces were identical in everyway except that they put out different IR signals. two goals: wrong IR game piece gets one point, correct IR game piece gets two points? eh... I need to do my homework.

Re: pic: Game hint
 

Hahaha, that is an advantage to a pretend game piece...

Re: pic: Game hint
 

No, not a water game, or a Jello game....but a MAYO Game!!

(Ewww).

Re: pic: Game hint
 

honestly, I can't get a clear idea of what this is used for.:confused:

but I wonder if they are leaving out an item left in the kit. Such as a transmitter perhaps?

Perhaps we will be able to interact with other robots without harming them. (like lazer tag).

One thing I have noticed is that we are forgetting that FIRST may have left other parts relating to this device in the kit and secret.

We should probably take into account the possibility of items kept secret.

Re: pic: Game hint
 

if you notice, it says shes from from virginia on stumble upon, and maryland on ilounge. but nice job sherlock.:D

Re: pic: Game hint
 

I'll say it again... this IS the game piece... get your circuit board harvesters ready!