Quote:
Originally Posted by kamocat
But lack of time to test is something every team runs into.
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I think it would be interesting if FIRST provided a mini chassis set up, something that a student programmer could take home with them while the team worked on their chassis. If they provided several sensors, and a cookie cutter code for that test chassis it would be nice and I think it would help with the time issue. Also once the robot would ship you would still have a test chassis. I understand that it would not be nearly a one-to-one with the actual robot, but from discussion I don't think the fine tuning is why robots play dead, its because the "getting started" is something that is very low in many teams priorities, and fairly difficult to do.
As with any good programming language or technology there are tons of tutorials. However with FIRST these are few and far between. And the tutorials (sample code) that do exist are fairly intimidating.
I think the combination of an advanced framework that alleviates high level functions, a programming chassis, and tutorials would greatly lower the bar for getting started.
Based on this I would propose 3 steps:
1. Distribute a Test Chassis with very specific instructions on how to set it up.
2. Bundle a framework where all you have to do is define the parts of the robot
and the maneuvers.
3. Release a set of dozens of tutorials that your mother could follow and get working.