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Design Freedom is KEY
Here are some randomish thoughts. In summation though, FIRST needs to encourage more design freedom and they must make sure the final products will be very distinctive. This is less likely with a restrictive kit or rules.
Fact: FIRST will not be a regularily televised program unless they they significantly increase the max. allowed size of robots.
If FIRST wants to get big it has to be interesting and the robots have to be significantly different so they can have obvious and unique personalities. No more box-shaped robots.
Fact: FIRST will not be a regularily televised program unless they open up the restrictions on the kit so that the robots are unique and interesting.
The rule could be: "no outside electronics/motors/batteries or pneumatics."
Furthermore, I think it's a much better learning experience for the kids. If learning is the main goal then there really is no need to "level the playing field" as the rules and kit are supposed to do. If some heavily funded team makes an awesome robot with super-sophisticated parts (except for motors, etc.) then that's *great* for FIRST.
Why lock the students' and engineers' imagination in a box or in a kit?
Let the public see the best we can offer. The public won't be able to appreciate our restrictions and they do little in the way of education so why have them?
Please don't argue that it's harder to build with the restrictions of a kit either. It simply isn't. The less options you have, the less you can consider. Engineering is decision making and the less decisions and less options you have the easier (ie Dean Kamen >>> MacGyver).
Specifically I think that virtually every robot having the same old wheelchair caster wheels is not particularily interesting. Of course even BattleBots has very common wheels, motors, overall looks etc.
FIRST has to evoke more imagination and creative freedom than BattleBots. That's where BattleBots will meet is failing; its encouraging increasingly less interesting robots. This is where FIRST can provide something new and better.
The direction I want FIRST to go in can still encourage coopertition and non-destructive action; I think there is a television market out there for a fun but refined and intelligent robotic competition.
Dan
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