Qotw [02-04-03]: technical awards...

[Ken Leung]

Hi all. With exactly 2 more weeks till shipping, most teams are rushing through their week finishing the robot with seconds to spare. I hope all of you aren't burnt out already. Anyway, here is an easy question that shouldn't kill a lot of brain cells, as you have probably planned this since the first week...

Question 02/04/03: What technical awards are you shooting for this year?

Best of luck to all of you roboteers out there.

-Ken Leung

[Gadget470]

should we really be trying for awards? I think we should build things that perform the game to the best of our ability rather than something new and innovative. If some team can create hovercraft but it doesn't do the game well, whats the point? If another team does a traditional motor setup and gets into the elim's, should they be given a special prize? What if they beat that team with an 10-motor, 5-speed transmission?

I think teams shouldn't be trying for awards unless it's chairman's because that is for the benifit of all. If they win an award because they solved a problem they were having with an innovative idea, more power to them, but they should not think of an innovative idea to a problem that doesn't exist in order to get an award

[Madison]

Originally posted by Gadget470
should we really be trying for awards? I think we should build things that perform the game to the best of our ability rather than something new and innovative. If some team can create hovercraft but it doesn't do the game well, whats the point? If another team does a traditional motor setup and gets into the elim's, should they be given a special prize? What if they beat that team with an 10-motor, 5-speed transmission?

I think teams shouldn't be trying for awards unless it's chairman's because that is for the benifit of all. If they win an award because they solved a problem they were having with an innovative idea, more power to them, but they should not think of an innovative idea to a problem that doesn't exist in order to get an award

Well, so long as students are still learning, I don't think performance in a competition is really all that relevant. Would anyone here say that the kids on on 173 learned more last season than the kids on their team? I doubt it.

Furthermore, I'd argue that doing things that are unconventional in the world of FIRST could, quite possibly, teach the students more. After all, there aren't many cookie-cutter designs for hovercraft in the White Papers. If you need a transmission, however, it's right there for you to download, and you don't have to do as much work.

It's not a black and white issue, but bucking convention and trying to noveltly, technically challenging tasks, or new methods is worth attention, in my mind.

With that said, we'll be trying for all of them. All 12

Edit: Additionally, we have more chances at qualifying to go to Houston via a technical award than we do for winning a regional. So, it makes sense that we'd pursue whatever gives us the best odds, no?

[Ken Leung]

Originally posted by Gadget470
should we really be trying for awards? I think we should build things that perform the game to the best of our ability rather than something new and innovative. If some team can create hovercraft but it doesn't do the game well, whats the point? If another team does a traditional motor setup and gets into the elim's, should they be given a special prize? What if they beat that team with an 10-motor, 5-speed transmission?

I think teams shouldn't be trying for awards unless it's chairman's because that is for the benifit of all. If they win an award because they solved a problem they were having with an innovative idea, more power to them, but they should not think of an innovative idea to a problem that doesn't exist in order to get an award

Most definitely yes! Just like in the competition trying to win, shooing for an award is the exact same thing. You get to take on a specific part of the robot, concentrate in it while being innovation, and make it look really good. Most students on a team never work on the whole robot, and this way it give them a focus of their energy into something fun and challenging, against all the others shooting for the same award.

Furthermore, most awards involve creating a mechanism work specially well for the game, so if anything, the award push you to play the game better, and smarter. It is one of the fun things about the competition, beside winning the regional.

There are many factors in the game that decide if you win or not, especially when you pair up with a partner. Strategy is key in the game, and winning the match doesn't mean your robot is less creative than the other alliance.

Shooting for an award means pushing the students to work to their limits and try to be better than others. If anything it is a really big learning experience for them.

[EddieMcD]

I can't truly answer the QOTW this week, but I can throw out an opinion. I say, especially for the odd numbered teams who still have to qualify, go for whatever you can, even if winning is your main goal. Now, I am one of those people who like the values of FIRST, and not having winning being everything. That being said, I personally would try for one of the more easier awards to win. There are still a lot of teams that don't do animation or the Chairman's Award, but prettymuch everyone is in the running for the various technical awards. So, for teams with not much experience technical wise, I'd shoot for the afformentioned two. Then there are some teams who are guaranteed to have a well built robot who will probably be shooting for the technical awards.

Just my two cents.

[Ken Loyd]

Ken,

We want all the design awards!

This year we are using the chipa and drill motors at right angles to each other and passing the power through a planetary gear transmission.

See you in LA I hope.

Ken Loyd
Team 64

[JVN]

Believe it or not. This year we have quite a few new systems on our bot that could potentially be award worthy.

Hopefully we'll get SOMETHING. Seems like we've got a little bit of everything this year.

Come check us out at UTC, and Houston.

[Gadget470]

Grrr... You stole my sketchbook!

We were going to do something along those lines, but the tolerance was way to small.

[Ken Loyd]

Gadget,

Never underestimate the power of the gila...it's a monster.

Ken Loyd
Team 64

PS I hope to see you and John in Houston. Just look for the big yellow tool box.

[Ken Loyd]

Originally posted by Gadget470
Grrr... You stole my sketchbook!

We were going to do something along those lines, but the tolerance was way to small.

Hey Gadget,

Check out the pictures in the gallery of our transmission.

Stop by our pit in Houston for a closer look.

Ken Loyd
Team 64