Programmers meeting in Atlanta to discuss sensors

[miketwalker]

I would like to organize a programmer's meeting for all programmers, new and old, in Atlanta just after the Web Hug on Thursday in the same area as the Web Hug will be.

I would like to host this meeting to discuss the following things to help make suggestions to FIRST to possibly consider for the 2006 kit, and just to help FIRST get an idea of where we stood this year with the new sensors and equipment from this year and what we'd like to see if possible.

On the agenda for discussion:
- Pros/Cons of current sensors
- Helpful sensors teams would like to see in the future
- How to help with the actual programming aspect
- Ideas to make autonomous mode more programmer-friendly

Please respond if you would like to attend this meeting or have any suggestions for other things to be discussed. Keep in mind, this is NOT a FIRST-supported meeting. I am simply trying to organize the programmers so we can have an open forum for ideas that we could simply present to FIRST to consider. I hope to see you all out there, if you can't attend this little get-together, feel free to come on by our pits in Curie (Team 21). I'll be driving, so I may be running around quite a bit, but just come by and ask for me and we'll hopefully get to meet up.

[Mark Pierce]

I think it's a great idea to meet face to face and talk about sensors and programming issues. I'll try and be there. (I always seem to forget the web hug, I'm really going to try this time.)

If things are as crazy as they usually are, it's probably more productive in terms of generating suggestions for improvements in these areas to rely on the forums for information. But meetings sometimes help get people working together in the same direction, so let's try it.

[neilsonster]

I'll plan to be there. Try to announce something at the Web Hug so that people don't forget, and so those who haven't read this will know about it.

[AIBob]

Unless I am told that I am busy by my team, I plan on being there.
::[Adds it to his schedule]

[geeknerd99]

I'll be there. I blew about 40 hours during build season on the camera, which we ditched the night before shipping. I also spent about 8 hours total working on an ultrasonic sensor we also ditched that night. So, logically, I'm coming and spending more time to figure out how I can end up blowing more time next year!

[Greg Ross]

Originally Posted by geeknerd99

I blew about 40 hours during build season on the camera, which we ditched the night before shipping.

An all too familiar story.

I'll try to make it too.

[IMDWalrus]

Originally Posted by geeknerd99

I'll be there. I blew about 40 hours during build season on the camera, which we ditched the night before shipping. I also spent about 8 hours total working on an ultrasonic sensor we also ditched that night. So, logically, I'm coming and spending more time to figure out how I can end up blowing more time next year!

Same here. We spent a lot of time with the camera code, but we never got the time we needed with the robot to test that code. I'm hoping now that someone who actually did get the camera working will be at the meeting and will be able to talk about that.

Besides...if I leave for this meeting early and happen to end up finding a certain Web Hug, my team won't really be able to tell me I can't attend it.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Add me to the list.

[Goldeye]

Originally Posted by IMDWalrus

Same here. We spent a lot of time with the camera code, but we never got the time we needed with the robot to test that code. I'm hoping now that someone who actually did get the camera working will be at the meeting and will be able to talk about that.

Besides...if I leave for this meeting early and happen to end up finding a certain Web Hug, my team won't really be able to tell me I can't attend it.

Same exact story here. Perhaps we would have had time to work it out with the same amount of time, but we couldn't get it to reliably focus on any color at all because of awful lighting. By the time we did, we didn't have enough time to get it working. I'd love to hear what problems the teams that did seriously try ran into.

So, where and when?

[aziandorkess]

Originally Posted by Goldeye

Same exact story here. Perhaps we would have had time to work it out with the same amount of time, but we couldn't get it to reliably focus on any color at all because of awful lighting.

I think many teams tried out the camera.. we didn't have many problems with the lighting, but that may be because we never tried it out at scrimmages or competitions. Most of our problems lay in hardware and getting the robot to work- which was the priority.
Anyways, probably at least one representative from our team should be there... it'd be really awesome to hear what other teams have been working on, and new ideas..