How do you do scouting software?

[mbmccormick]

I'm just curious to see what everyone else does. So how do you do it? Wirelessly using an Intranet router? Using PalmOS devices? Using laptops? Old school pen and paper?

Let me know how your team does their scouting software...

[kE7JLM]

Originally Posted by mbmccormick

I'm just curious to see what everyone else does. So how do you do it? Wirelessly using an Intranet router? Using PalmOS devices? Using laptops? Old school pen and paper?

Let me know how your team does their scouting software...

We made a DESS (Digitally Enhanced Scouting System) here is a link to
http://www.nventivity.com/scout.htm


It work very well, it automatically make stats that you could never do by hand. All you need is a team of people in the crow taking scores, it is also adaptable to each years game. Hope you like it!

[t-raum]

Our team uses lots of man power and paper to scout. We just had a meeting last night to decide the scouting team. Our plan has two phases:

Phase 1: We came up with about ten questions to ask other teams in order to give us an accurate picture of what their robot is supposed to do. We also are going to walk around the pits taking several pictures of everyone else's robot.

Phase 2: After the work in the pits is done then we will move back up to the stands to watch all the matches. Each scouting team member will watch one robot during a match and record how it does on a form that we came up with last night. The data and pictures will then be entered into a computer in an excel or word document that we can come back an look at later on.

And that's how Team 1625 scouts a regional.

[feliks_rosenber]

Last year team 2217 from Kiryat Motzkin used a laptop for its scouting software.

This year one of the teams I'm in is going to use Palm.

We don't have the software yet but we might have it on time if we find it vital to our team's success.

[JonathanLKS]

We used to use laptops with an internet router connected to a laptop we converted into a web server for scouting but we had to arrive to the competition early every day to secure a spot in the stands to plug in the router. So now we made a java based scouting program for our laptops.

[SteveGPage]

Team 836 uses an access database as the backend database. The database is updated each year with the new rules, new items to track (i.e., number of hurdles, laps completed, etc...). We also have a wireless router that we use to set up a wireless network for data entry. In addition, we have a IM style application that allows communication from the scouting team to the pit. New this year, we are setting up a front end web-based BI tool, to do reporting, data mining, predictive analysis, scorecards, etc... that will be accessible via the wireless network. We intend to broadcast the reporting capabilities to anyone at the tournament, who can then view the reports and team scorecards at any time. Let me know if you have any questions!

Best regards,

Steve

[merybar]

Originally Posted by SteveGPage

Team 836 uses an access database as the backend database. The database is updated each year with the new rules, new items to track (i.e., number of hurdles, laps completed, etc...). We also have a wireless router that we use to set up a wireless network for data entry. In addition, we have a IM style application that allows communication from the scouting team to the pit. New this year, we are setting up a front end web-based BI tool, to do reporting, data mining, predictive analysis, scorecards, etc... that will be accessible via the wireless network. We intend to broadcast the reporting capabilities to anyone at the tournament, who can then view the reports and team scorecards at any time. Let me know if you have any questions!

Best regards,

Steve

We are trying to figure this exact thing out. Any help at all on this?
Thanks
Matt
894

[Andy L]

Originally Posted by SteveGPage

Team 836 uses an access database as the backend database. The database is updated each year with the new rules, new items to track (i.e., number of hurdles, laps completed, etc...). We also have a wireless router that we use to set up a wireless network for data entry. In addition, we have a IM style application that allows communication from the scouting team to the pit. New this year, we are setting up a front end web-based BI tool, to do reporting, data mining, predictive analysis, scorecards, etc... that will be accessible via the wireless network. We intend to broadcast the reporting capabilities to anyone at the tournament, who can then view the reports and team scorecards at any time. Let me know if you have any questions!

Best regards,

Steve

Any chance of you guys sharing this entire system to other teams so someone could set it up at other regionals?

[SteveGPage]

Originally Posted by Andy L

Any chance of you guys sharing this entire system to other teams so someone could set it up at other regionals?

I would love to, but at this point, the software company that owns the BI tool that does all the reports, the web tools, etc... - who I work for - has not allowed me to share that part of the system. I guess it is a licensing issue for them. If you are at Trenton or Chesapeake, then I'd be happy to let you on to the network to use the tools. I am hoping that at some point my company will allow this technology to be used by other teams. Maybe by the 2009 season, I'll have effectively broken them down and they will let others use the system! I would, however, be happy to share the access database that we developed, the paper and pencil scouting sheets - both pit sheets and match sheets, and also the IM system (which is available as a free download, I just have to find the link!) Let me know if you would like a copy of all this, and I'll post it here as a zip file on CD or email it to you directly.

Best regards,

Steve

[merybar]

Could team 894 view the access database that you created. WE are trying to come up with something just like that. Thank you!
Matt Rybar
894

[SteveGPage]

If you send me your email address, I'll be happy to email you a copy of the database this weekend. I am on travel and need to get to my home computer to get the current copy of the database.

Best regards,

Steve

[MARS-CJ]

This year, we're going Excel with Visual Basic modifications. Auto-sort and forms, mainly.

[Kendal Reed]

We use pencil and paper only, although generally my father and I create forms in advance that address what we consider important about the design and capabilities of any given robot and print one copy labeled with the general info of each team in attendance.

[Q. Sheets]

Team 245 normally uses pencil and paper for scouting. We use one set of papers for scouting the robot before the matches to identify its features (drive system, manipulator(s), expected abilities, etc.) and a second set for scouting during the matches to note what the team actually does and how well it performs those functions (where it scores, how many times, etc.).

This year, with any luck, we may go digital and use a database. I am creating a website with a branch just for FRC and scouting (local copies of the branch will be made). The site will hopefully be available to all teams to utilize a week before the first set of regionals.

P.S.
I couldn't think of a better name when I made the site: FIRST Chat
Attached is a preview of the site.

[vikram31291]

I just posted up 1086's VCU Regional Scouting, Its an online database/form. http://scouting.bluecheese1086.org We are going to update the information ourselves, but other teams can enter information also. Because this is online, and we might not have internet connection at the regional, we will have a local network setup so teams at the regional can view it and it will have match stats also.