|
Design from Scratch
Posted by Dodd Stacy, Engineer on team #95, Lebanon Robotics Team, from Lebanon High School and CRREL/CREARE.
Posted on 5/3/99 8:48 PM MST
In Reply to: Re: Not Alone in the Woods posted by Dan on 5/3/99 4:43 PM MST:
Dan,
The conceptual part of the design process is heady stuff for sure. I'm not sure that repeating the game interferes with this part of the process, at least presuming the teams are 'allowed' to come up with a totally new design for the new year. I think it would probably be pretty difficult to draw the line between 'slight additions' and new functionality anyway. In any event, I don't think that a restriction to static robot designs should be necessarily linked to the concept of repeating games.
What I really want to say, though, is that none of the robot designs are created purely from scratch. They all derive from other stimuli and embed details proven to work in other applications - like previous years' robots. I think someone from Team 177 was saying on this board recently that they've used the same basic arm mechanism for the past three years, and it IS a thing of functional beauty. I would even claim that a new game each year and a six week build period DISCOURAGES creativity and innovation in design. Any team that is really focused on the competitive aspect of the er, um, Competition is crazy to abandon what they had working well (or nearly working) the previous year. None of this precludes the kids being exposed to and being a part of the visionary problem solving process.
Dodd
__________________
This message was archived from an earlier forum system. Some information may have been left out. Start new discussion in the current forums, and refer back to these threads when necessary.
|