Quote:
Originally Posted by EricH
Doesn't matter how it does it, I think we all want a field control system that works the first time, every time, and has no breakdowns, no updates, and no cases of Murphy.
Now, whether we get that is something we'll have to find out in March, unless they test it at some offseasons.
|
Ethernet is cheap, so are 10Mbps hubs (switches or anything >=100Mbps will cost you). WiFi
should have dropped price, but the industry says customers don't care about price, they want speed! (actually it has a little). CAT5 cable for 10Mbps connections are cheap too (not to be confused with CAT6).
I think the best way to ensure that it doesn't break down is to use the same control system protocol that teams will. The biggest problem I see is the robot not finding the field or controller, as long as a team can verify they have found each other, that should solve most all of the field problems, so long as the field doesn't change modes (e.g. Team controllers discover the robot with one way, the field discovers it a second way).
Even better, make the entire control system free software (free as in freedom) so teams can ensure their robots work with the system, or hold pre-ship or off season competitions. Worst case, we have to passively sniff the field communications during the match and reverse engineer a control system.