Quote:
Originally Posted by Techhexium
But if a team wins a tournament or an award, it won't say that when you look up the team.
|
I think the website only updates Winning Alliance, Finalist Alliance and Inspire award winners in the state level and all awards from World's. (not 100% sure but when I was doing pre-scouting of how teams are qualified to World's I didn't recall any Connect, Innovate Awards, etc.)
As for Samantha, all the issues I've seen can be categorized in this:
Software: Not likely since they all have passed software and field inspection, in fact I don't think I've seen any.
Loose Wire: happens when robot "shakes" and the wire came loose and the samantha cycles through and eventually connects. Check all wiring and problem will be solved. (The FTAs did a very good job checking on that part) One of the things teams might not catch on it's the connectors from the battery and the switch can become loose also.
Low Voltage: this happens when a "dead" battery (technically according to FTAs if the battery is not fresh then they're dead...) is on the robot or the controllers (servo / motor) pull too much current suddenly and drop the voltage down to very low. The way to fix that problem is to have "power management" so there's a "ramp up" to the max speed so it doesn't go to 100% power as fast as it can...
Router / Wi-Fi Connection: I don't think I've seen any teams unable to connect to the system after they passed field and software inspection. It's definitely more convenient since teams only have to press the red button comparing to Bluetooth and teams have to configure their own FCSs on their own laptop.
General Issues:
Not switching from Auto to Tele: the voltage of the NXT battery is too low. The FCS does not keep sending the "start" signal so if the robot "misses" it (the signal is sent more than once but I don't know all the details) then it's not going to move.
Joystick: Not a huge issue but some teams did have problem during the match and the FTA had to come and cycle all the joysticks.
Please tape down & secure all connections!!! No one wants to see four robots spinning and making circles on the field... (happened one time when the emcee tripped over the power cord of the router...)
That's all I can think of for now. Feel free to post more issues (solved & unsolved) so everyone can benefit / figure out how to do it.
If they have a separate battery for the Samantha (not the 12v) and its own switch that's manufactured in the factory, I think it'll solve a lot of problems... Or even a backup battery so if the 12v dropped to a low voltage it kicks in like the VEX Cortex...
Huge thanks to the FTAs at competition, they must go through all these problems pretty much the entire competition...