[Johnny_5]

Battlebots is one of the harder things for the FIRST community to take part in due to that fact. But I think we have settled upon the Vex 75Mhz transmitter and receiver system.

We are going to put together our own KOP just like FTC or FRC does and sell them to the students. Our KOP will mostly contain the items needed to build the drive train. There will be instructions in the kit to build at least 3 different drive trains, and each one will use different parts so teams will have some left over.

Our field plan is to use something similar to the FTC field and modify it just slightly. We would like to raise it up about 16 inches off the ground and add traps or pits to increase the level of difficultly and entertainment.

The reason we chose the 75Mhz system is because it is relatively inexpensive in case something does get ruined. The radio system will also work with the field controller that vex sells. And right now I am working on a protective case and rest that is required for all sorts of easy to damage, sensitive electronic components can sit in.

As for rules we have only done some minor brainstorming. But we have decided for school safety reasons that there will be no fire, and no shooting projectiles. There will be some sort of size restriction. And I am quite sure that our school system will come along and manage to somehow "water" it down quite a bit. But our main goal with rules is to level the playing field so no team can go out and buy $3000 components. Plus since this is going to be held in the gym we can't have parts flying everywhere.

Our goal with this whole competition is to get everyone interested in robots in some way shape or form. Because for some people hanging inner tubes on a rack with a robot is just not cool enough. But we also want to open up the community to FIRST and maybe get some other clubs involved in the competition.