[Donut]

Originally Posted by Bongle

At the very least, try to plan so that the programming team has access to the RC, OI, sensors, batteries, and other electronic kit right up until they are installed on the robot. At the very least that enables the programmers to make sure that their outputs make SOME sense given certain inputs, but there is really no substitute for on-robot testing. Most of the components the programmers need to test with are mutually exclusive from the mechanical components of the robot, so they can have their own special box.

Originally Posted by artdutra04

Sorry to hijack this thread... This can be solved extremely easily: mount the FRC controller on a Vex Robot chassis and start programming code from day one. Sure, you may not get your exact coefficients needed for certain functions and the like worked out, but you can definitely get the algorithms perfected for doing such things as a CMUcam searching for the light and driving towards it, or using gyro sensors to make sure your robot can automatically correct itself if it's knocked off course.

Building off of these, just give your programmers SOMETHING to test with. It can be a Vex robot, it can be a previous year's FRC robot, it can be the current Robot Controller attached to a block of wood, just give them something to run some code through. We worked out 80% of our camera code for our 2006 robot on our 2005 one so 2006 could be worked on while we tested.

If worst comes to worst, they can test the drivetrain with it propped up on blocks while you screw on a few bolts to the arm. Everything needs to get finished, so compromises need to be made on both sides. And yes, all parts are important and very interesting; I love thinking of mechanical designs though I mainly program for the robot. Try investigating something new for a new idea on how everything really works.