To all the Beta Testing Applicants,

[BornaE]

In 10 days or so we will know what teams are chosen to do the beta testing, but we can all help.

To make sure that all the aspects of testing and documenting will be covered, post what you would do if u are chosen to be one of the beta testers.
This way we can make a to do list for the teams that will be chosen so everything is covered.

Thank You,

[ttldomination]

Well, sure...I guess.

Well, Here's the list.
1. We are going to insert the new system into our old robot. Make sure it runs and develops properly.
2. We are going to release all of the code possible, to make sure that the entire community has an even playing field on which to compete.
3. We will allow teams to freely come in and out of our programming sessions, so if they want to watch or work with us, they are more than welcome too.
4. We are going to develop a place on our site dedicated to the development of the platform and a programmers blog.
5. Our programmers will post their findings on the FIRST forums as much as possible.
6. Our chief mentor and lead student programmer will be available to answer any questions that may arise.
7. We will review all instructional material with novice programmers. This will give the novice programmers a change to learn something new, and it will give the veterans to judge their knowledge and tweak the instructional material as needed.
8. We can also host seminars for the new system.

I think there was moer but that's all i can come up with off the top of my head.

[Schnabel]

I can't speak so much as for the software side of it, but I can say that the website is going to be upgraded.
1. We are thinking of putting our wiki back up for the new platform only.
2. All TechnoKats get an email address @technokats.org, which in turn forwards all email to their personal email addresses. This creates the ability to email a group of people with everyone being anonymous to each other and with the use of only one email address.
3. We have a forum on our website all ready, so getting it ready won't take too much.
4. Finally we have a wordpress blog that we will be posting on about all of our findings constantly.

Oh and one more thing, we use Google Calendar which integrates into our website, so our calendar of events is always visible.

[Kims Robot]

You can view all our brainstorming & Ideas here:
http://penfieldrobotics.com/forum/index.php?board=51.0

In order to see our final essay in one of the threads you have to login as all attachments arent viewable until you login. Feel free to create a login, the web admins are the only ones that see your email address.

[DonRotolo]

Here is some info from our application. Some comments follow.

TEST PLAN ITEMS: C++ for some items, LabView for others
a) Joystick control of a prior year robot, with tank drive and throttle stick/turn stick drive, using speed controllers.
b) Navigation using PI code with a gyro and gear tooth sensor (odometer), replicating the autonomous mode from 2008.
c) Navigation using a camera and PI code to autonomously go toward a cold-cathode light and stop at a predetermined location.
d) Linear motion control employing limit switches and a settable time delay, using relay-style motor control.
e) Smart gear shifting, based on wheel speed and/or motor current data.
f) Program the robot to avoid collisions using a sonar sensor.
g) Program the robot to operate a pneumatic system, including compressor control and piston actuation.

COMMUNICATION PLAN
Team 1676 will publish our test plan (with regular status updates) and work schedule (with an open invitation to all teams). Key accomplishments will be posted on FIRST Forums immediately, along with the bi-weekly summaries. Postings will also be available on our award-winning web site. Other testers’ postings will be studied so we don’t re-invent what we can replicate and to assure our work adds to the overall body of knowledge.

Formal information-exchange events:
a) Introductory live demonstrations and information sessions at our October 18, 2008 team-run event, Pascack Pandamonium
b) A December 2008 workshop, offering hands-on programming and wiring instruction
c) A workshop at the January 3, 2009 NJIT Kickoff
d) A build-season workshop in January 2009. This session will augment our in-season support.

Team 1676 has a history of being very open with our data, designs, and code. At regional tournaments, we routinely send help crews to aid other teams and share our scouting data via a wireless network accessible to all. During build season, we present workshops at the NJIT Kickoff, mentor other teams, and host a practice/help session at our school during the final weekend.

We have four robots on which we will be testing, each platform for some specific items. The first goal is to connect it up in place of what we had in our 2008 bot, and get the following functioning (in order): Drive code (with input shaping), Limit switches, GTS & Gyro, pneumatics. Camera will be the 07 platform (where we had got it working), and sonar and the rest will be Team 637's '08 bot. The '08 test mule will be to verify some of the code on different hardware.

We expect to make our meeting schedules public, all are welcome.

Two of the beta test team are dedicated to documenting everything, that's all they'll be doing.

Our web site will have everything, there'll be a lot of activity on CD - not sure if NI or FIRST has other ideas to add to that. All the code will be posted, we plan to maintain archives of all the versions (LabView has a facility for that), and I'm going to enforce commenting on our programming staff.

One of our agreed-upon goals is to deliver 'default code' that will, with only tweaks to acocunt for hardware, be useable by any team much like the current RC default code. Debugged and commented, of course.

At each 'event' (Pandamonium, early December, NJIT Kickoff) we'll have breakout groups for the programming folks, the wiring folks, and the rest (Pneumatics, sensors, etc).

Sounds ambitious, and it is. Team 1676 is up to it.

Don

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