Robot Driver?

[Badflea]

What do you think are the requirements for a robot driver?

It is very hard to explain what it's like to be in a driver station. I've tried explaining that anyone on the team can drive in our shop and score (unload) moon rocks but not everyone can drive during a match and stay under control.

Got any ideas on how I can explain what its like to be a driver? and maybe add a list of requirements that you think we should take a look at?

We are one driver short this year because of graduation. So we're looking at possible members to replace him.

[nathanww]

Our team's criteria were something like:
Knowledge of Lunacy rules and strategy
Maturity/ability to control emotions
Good at listening to directions
Good at controlling robot

[Enigma's puzzle]

see this thread

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...requiremen ts

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by Badflea

What do you think are the requirements for a robot driver?

First and foremost, be available for competitions. A driver who can't attend a regional isn't very useful.
Also high up on the list: be among the best students on the team at making the robot go where it needs to go. Skill and practice are both important.
A good driver needs drive (not an intentional pun, but I like it anyway). It has to be focused appropriately, though. A student who really wants the team to win is more of an asset than a student who just wants the prestige of the position.
The hardest attribute to measure is one of the key things to worry about: the "cool" factor. You need someone who can keep his/her head when the situation starts getting intense. A driver who freaks out under pressure can't do a good job.

(Then you need to make sure the entire drive team can work together. Communication is important, and practice is imperative.)

[gregsanCHEVY121]

We have a rules test that is setup by one of our mentors. In order to qualify to be a driver, operator, or human player (including backups), you have to pass the test with a certain grade. We also do "try outs" where we have to do a task such as the possible human players having to shoot into the goals while moving, stationary, and from different distances. This allows the drivers and the human players to get a better idea of what it is like and also see who is the best or find the people who stand out. One major thing is communication. Your drivers need to communicate with each other and the coach. You want your driver and operator to be able to talk to each other during the match and relay information back to the other and to the coach.

[thefro526]

Most people look at driving and just think you need skill to do it. Yes, skill is one of the most important parts of it but you also need a lot of other things.

1) Charisma - This is very important. People should be drawn to your driver's and be willing to have them as leaders.

2) Maturity - Driver's need to be mature and make good decisions both on and off the field.

3) Concentration and Drive - For me these two go hand in hand. You need to have the ability to go out to every match and do your best and not worry about the world around you. For those 2 minutes and 15 seconds all that exists are 6 robots, 6 trailers, and a field.

4) Confidence - Driver's like any athlete should be confident in both their abilities and the abilities of their robot.

Etc...

[Herodotus]

I've found that the single most important thing for a drive team to have is mutual respect. A drivers that respect each other will do infinity better. It is important to look at the drive team as a collective unit, not just the various positions individually. Along the same lines they need to have respect outwards towards other teams. If your drive team is not respectful of both alliance partners and opponents there will be issues.

Second in line is time to practice. Even someone who seems to be a bad driver at first can become good through practice. I think this is especially important this year on such a strange surface, and because the robots are essentially always moving.

Third in line for me would be motivation. An unmotivated driver will not find the willpower to push themselves and become better. They will not drive as hard as they can.