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Unread 15-04-2010, 12:45
DaveO DaveO is offline
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FRC #2357
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: missouri
Posts: 1
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Creating a "Robotics Lab" ...

We are considering creating a "robotics lab" - a dedicated lab area, with 6 or so robot "kits", along with the requisite laptops and network. I'm interested in know whether other have created such an environment, the cost of purchasing the kit of parts, etc.

Our goal is to provide an environment where a team can work on projects as small (two person) groups, rather than the typical "everyone tries to work on a single CRIO/robot". We'd like to provide step-by-step tutorials, much like the Lego Mindstorms tutorials, where a plain vanilla robot is quickly constructed, then software developed to meet specific goals. A team might meet at this lab during normal business/school hours for a 1/2 day, and accomplish 4 tutorials.

We'd also like for this lab to be a "mentor spawning ground", where mentors can be mentored.

Additionally, we'd like for the robot "kits" to be available for mentors to checkout for overnight or weekend use.

One of my primary concerns is developing the curriculum - it seems like the tutorials would need to be well defined, which could take a lot of work. One thought is to make the development of tutorials a part of the prerequisites for area teams to produce in order to receive a financial grant for the coming season.

So, to start it off, is there a way to order a kit of parts that is really only parts, and doesn't also include FIRST registration fees, etc.

Anyone developed step-by-step FIRST FRC tutorials?

Has anyone else done something like this?

Does this sound like a dumb idea?

Thanks,
Dave