[EricH]

Originally Posted by Foster

So this bring me to my point (finally!!), does the huge improvement in COTS parts improve the possibility of improved sustainability? While FIRST has never been about building a robot, does the ability for new teams to use COTS part and build a successful robot get them on the path of being sustainable?

Has that ability of new teams to use COTS parts been improved?

That's my question. I think the improvement in COTS parts, and demonstrations of their proper use, has potentially improved sustainability. That hasn't been shown yet for sure, though--we'll see in a couple of years.

But can a new team obtain those high-quality, with a price to match, parts? That's a tougher question. I'm definitely not saying the price is too high, or that they aren't worth the investment. But trying to convince a rookie team with limited funds to plop down the money for some of those COTS parts is going to be like pulling teeth! The Kitbot has improved, true, but still, it's generally near the bottom end of the useful COTS spectrum (not that that end is all that low!)

And you still have to use the parts properly. That's even trickier.