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Unread 23-06-2002, 23:03
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#0047 (ChiefDelphi)
 
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Re: Possible Configuration to keep things cheap

Posted by Joe Ross.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Student on team #330, Beach Bot II, from Hope Chapel Academy and NASA/JPL, NASA ARC.

Posted on 5/26/99 5:54 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: Possible Configuration to keep things cheap posted by Rick Berube on 5/23/99 8:20 PM MST:



I think that one thing that we all need to remember while we are all drooling over these new controller options is the rookie teams and those without a software engineer who can devote his entire life to the team. Whatever device FIRST comes up with should have a faster chip and also someway to send feedback to the driver station. Beyond this you are getting into a teritory that only probably 20% of the teams are going to utilize. All this will do is to widen the gap between the top teams and the teams whithout as much resources.

One of the advantages to the control system we have now was that great drivers could make up for just about any cool programming trick another team could design. Our team found that because our drivers were so good we only had make a few minor changes to the program and other than that our drivers compensated for any weakness our program may have had. If you start adding all kinds of cool gadgets that will eventually lead to autonomous control, some teams are going to be left behind.

I like the idea of giving the teams the control system (or part of it) early. Especially this year (or whenever they change it) some teams are going to need their 6 weeks to learn how to control their robot. By giving the teams the control system early, FIRST might also encourage early registration. This would help make planning the events a lot easier.

The downside is that FIRST would have to finish the control system earlier. But then, they could enlist the help of the teams that got the system early to help them work out the bugs.

I know that FIRST is doing the best job they can, I just hope our expectations aren't a little too high.

Joe Ross
Team 330
speed-controller blower-upper extraordinaire


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