Quote:
Originally Posted by adciv
Electrical:
Learning how to make your wiring neat:
- Anderson Powerpole Connectors
- Learn to make your own PWM wires
- Zipcord (black & red wire fused together)
This will make your robot reliable. Birds nests tend to contribute to failures and troubleshooting issues.
Programming:
- How to use a gyro to ensure your robot drives straight in Auto
- That "laptop" which came in the Kit of Parts? Ditch it. Get 2x ~$500 laptops (One for programming, one for driverstation).
- Figure out a language to use and stick with it. Develop a library of commonly used functions. Practice in the off season and learn an architecture to use for development.
- Sensors aren't just for Autonomous. The programmers job is to make the drive teams life easier during a match.
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I'd have to disagree with most of this for a 1st year or even a second year team. Most rookies are tight on funding and while power poles and parallel bonded wire (it is not zip cord that is for lamps and other home appliances) is great it is best to use what you have and save that money for something else in your rookie year. Ditto for making your own PWM cables, again that is nice but they should have what they need to make the robot run w/o the extra expense of the tools and parts to make your own.
Yes better lap tops would be nice but again $1000 is a ton of money for a rookie team. Better to stick with the classmate as the driver's station for now and if students have their own lap tops or if there are school ones available use those for programming.
I do agree that if they have the bonus gyro that was included with the 2nd round FIRST Choice then try and use it IF and only IF they have everything else under control. Ditto for sensors, IF and only IF they have everything under control should a rookie team try to mess with sensors. I also agree that sticking with one language and perfecting it is the best plan of action. Now once the off season is here then have programmers that are returning next season play with Gyros and sensors if they didn't make it that far in the competition season.
I also agree that they should find a language that works for them and stick with it, once they have identified that language which may mean trying different languages. Many times teams start with Labview and that is great for a rookie team with inexperienced programmers. However once there are programmers that have experience or if you have programmers that have previous experience with Java or C++ then starting and sticking with one is best. Most likely Java as that is more commonly taught in high schools.