Quote:
Originally Posted by Dancin103
Tracking the number of balls a team can hold in their robot, approximate % of that load they can get in the boiler, and the number of cycles they do in a match will help. I think it would be ridiculous to try and hand count every ball that goes into the boiler. In order for this to be effective you'd need to do pit scouting / good use of observation
|
I couldn't agree more, this year scouting seems to be more about the confidence you have in your data than anything. Of course we will see how it all shakes out after the first week or two. My initial thoughts on fuel calculation followed the methodology of using approximation and back solving. And frankly there are only certain 'zones' of fuel scored that are important: if they score (when and where) and if they approach/exceed the 40kPa of pressure. If your window of certainty is narrow enough while still allowing for the inconsistencies of scouting then you should be in good shape.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeeTwo
I haven't thought this through in detail, but perhaps if the scouts monitor the pressure level before and following a dump, you can at least get an estimate. Of course, if somebody is feeding the high-efficiency boiler at the same time, this will cause significant uncertainty.
|
Following the kPa changes is a good method of doing it, especially with robots that score in 'unique' goals, and it may very well be the most accurate method. However I see it has one fatal flaw in the big picture; the lights on the field denoting kPa are relatively difficult to see accurately and are themselves sort of an approximation. If one was to use the scoreboard to keep track of kPa you have a more accurate data source but lose valuable 'eyes-on-field' time.
It is my belief that approximating groups of 10 balls scored by a robot in a goal, the robot's approximate make percentage, and the number of cycles is the best way to solve this problem.
Keeping track of 600 balls individually is a fools errand, it will not be fun for those doing it and kind of defeats the purpose of FIRST. This is a sport, it is supposed to be fun for those playing and spectating.