Re: pic: Game hint
 

Maybe a complex version of laser tag with a capture the flag objective? a win/loose game would be unlikely though because penalty points would have to be assessed real time.

Re: pic: Game hint
 

are therre ant threads longer thin this one?

Re: pic: Game hint
 

lol probably this one has only been open for a week or so (6 days actually) so I bet ones are out there that are longer. (now getting this many posts this fast, it probably takes the cake :D)

As for laser tag, I think it would be cool, but Interference is still a huge problem and how would you play laser capture the flag???

Re: pic: Game hint
 

The longest threads are in the Games/Trivia sub-forum.
Word association is at 9,247 posts

Re: pic: Game hint
 

now this is one of the best posts so far! it focuses on what we have in hand instead of wishing that the board would do fantastic things.

i have already posted 4 clues.
anyone who is serious about solving this puzzle needs to examine the board.
CLUE# 5
the programmers might best like this clue. on the robot controller the digital inputs are the most used connections for feedback devices. we often come close to using all these inputs. so why would first design a board with 4 ouputs?
only a single remote can be detected at any time. thus only a single output line will pulse. this provides 4 pieces of information. it takes only 2 bits to hold 4 different values. the board should have 2 signal lines if the robot controller is to use this IR detector.

therefore, this will not be on the robot. we should try to determine what field-device could be activated by the 100 ms pulse from this board. there must be 4 gates, or 4 containers, or 4 of something.

jerry w

Re: pic: Game hint
 

On my poker forum we have a thread with 258,904 posts, so far.

Re: pic: Game hint
 

I do believe you are missing something here.

While it is true that the reciever board we got can only read 1 signal at a time, and that there 4 different types of signals that can be read, there are 5 possible conditions coming out of the reciever.

And they are: Out0=on,Out1=on,Out2=on,Out3=on, and no signal recieved. Therefore 2 bits will not cover all of the possible outputs from the board.

Re: pic: Game hint
 

Yeah its much more likely that we have 4 spare outputs. Right?.
You assume that we're using the same FRC controller. If the robot were the IR transmitter there would still need to be an IR encoding board or each team will need to write code to encode the IR signals.

Re: pic: Game hint
 

As per new email from FIRST:
What does it mean?

EDIT: The first thing I thought of was a set of lat/longitude coordinates. Using the first two, + being north on the first and - being west on the second, I get Copley Square in Boston, right in front of the John Hancock Tower.

However, probably just some settings for the IR sensor... but who knows?

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342.24 as an elevation measurement....
342.24 inches = 28.52 feet
342.24 cm = 11.23 feet

the elevation of Boston is ~19 feet above sea level, so either one of those is plausible for the ground level of Copley Square

EDIT: Copley Sq is about 16 feet above sea level, so it's not the ground elevation. HOWEVER, if you look at the satelite view in Google Maps, it appears to be pointing DIRECTLY at a statue or post of some sort. This could be the elevation of the top of the statue, a plaque on the statue....anyone want to go take a look? (I would, but I'm in California at the present time)

EDIT #2: Statue appears to be of John Singleton Copley, the square's namesake. Famous for his paintings, parents were traders. Theres more on his wiki page. Hint could also just as easily involve the physical statue attributes, or his name (Singletons anyone?)

EDIT#3: Copley Square is the official finish line for the Boston Marathon (Credit to Ruth of 1735 for this one)

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wow.... are you guys all physic... that was exactly the same things said in the email blast thread lmao

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Discussion about the second hint has moved here
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=60297

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I think this is most likely.
I believe this will follow two rules, kind of like the camera has in the past.
1. I highly doubt that this board is going to be mission-critical.
2. It'll be nice if you have it, but some teams will not have the ability to make it work. Therefore, any advantages gained from having it must not be so large as to guarantee a win.

I'm thinking something like what turtlecoach described above.
Example 1: there are four identical bins, each with a transmitter on them that you have to deposit balls into. One or two of the four bins has the transmitter active. Depositing balls into the one or two transmitter-active bins scores you 5 points/ball. Depositing balls into any other bin scores you 2 points/ball. Specific point values notwithstanding.

Example 2: 4 identical bins, each with a transmitter. Each bin is numbered, the numbers remain identical throughout every match. (I.E. bin #1 will always be the bin closest to the blue alliance station)
They all start transmitting the same, coded signal. This signal will identify a particular bin. Depositing balls into the indicated bin will result in more points than depositing balls into any other bin.

Sorry if I repeated anything that's already been said. I didn't read all 41 pages before posting, just the first and last few.

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oops
i knew this was a weak clue but forgot why. it doesnt invalidate the conclusion. however, having 3 digital inputs is not much better than 4.

jerry w

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This might have been pointed out earlier in the thread, but i thought i would say it myself...2004 game - there was a LED receiver that was used in auto. mode. I want to say that this is a re-try of that? but with a more sophisticated device?

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Even taking so many theories, it can not be "Breaking the head" before the kick off, it is healthy, but many people are giving shot in the dark, as well as in other years. The only concept that we have are of new technologies, and this is good, but on the game can not know virtually nothing
...
...

...
...

Will be Triangles and not Cases, or Cubes, or Boxes, or Squares....
Will be Triangles

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please
it has been 24 hours.
has no one in that area got a gps unit?
google is not accurate within about 50 feet.
i would like to know what is on the ground at the suspected coordinates.

please, will someone go make the measurement?:ahh: :ahh: :ahh:

jerry w

OOPS

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It is important to distinguish between long IR and short IR. One is what we feel as heat, the other is what IR LEDs emit. Determining which is which is an exercise left to the student.
...or you can buy 24 AWG ribbon cable, eh? For Example
Me too.
Anyone??

Don

GPS devices are not always accurate
 

keep in mind that a GPS device can be off by 50 feet as well, depending on the signal quality.

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True, although since the Feds switched off selective availability it's a bit better.

Nevertheless, there are ways to get really good accuracy, for example. I have used this to locate my radio antenna tower to within a few feet.

74 01'W 41 01'N is about 32 feet NE of the tower, if anyone cares.

Don

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Another thought came to me today, and it wouldn't surprise me that others have thought of this as well.(If this has already been suggested/posted, please ignore mine.) :o
Could the fact that we were given GPS coordinates as a clue, mean that we will be receiving GPS coordinates, for positioning purposes, on the field? If so, the third coordinate would most likely be a height value. (Look at what is being used in Surveying and Construction these days. )

Just food for thought.

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Civilian GPS coordinants are only good to about 10 feet and GPS signals are notorious for dropping out in some structures (like a steel building) and in high EM areas.

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For civilian GPS, you are correct. In fact, when I backpack, my GPS is sufficient. If I know where I am within 3 meters, I'm really happy!

But remember, I said to consider what is used in surveying and construction. Think in the 1cm for X,Y and 1-3cm for Z accuracy range.
Good enough for robots???

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Surveying and construction are done out doors and therefore will have cleaner signals.

To get to the 1-3cm accuracy from a non-military GPS you'd need 4-5 signals from different GPS satalites and time to syncronize them (hours). In addition, reflections cause havoc in such systems, nevermind the EM field around the robot.

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All I can say is, check this out.

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Aside from the Pseudolites mentioned above, look up Differential GPS - makes it trivial to get cm accuracy within seconds.