pic: 5th Gear Teaser

[gblake]

loading photo ...

[gblake]

Here is where you can stay tuned:
The FIRST 5th Gear Forum is here: http://forums.usfirst.org/forumdisplay.php?f=1091
The CD 2010 5th Gear thread is here: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=79796

[Chris is me]

Awesome, something to do while waiting for parts to come in!

...octagonal robot? o_0

[Tanner]

Ahh... GDC hints, 5th Gear hints... *head explodes*

I see two bumps, though I'm not sure why one is bigger than the other.

Cheers
-Tanner

[fordchrist675]

I wish they could make 5th gear more available to more regionals.

[gblake]

Originally Posted by fordchrist675

I wish they could make 5th gear more available to more regionals.

Two replies
1) Yes, yes, yes - We agree!

2) Which Regionals will your team attend this year?

[fordchrist675]

Originally Posted by gblake

Two replies
1) Yes, yes, yes - We agree!

2) Which Regionals will your team attend this year?

675 is attending SVR and SAC

[gblake]

Originally Posted by fordchrist675

675 is attending SVR and SAC

We are expanding the number of locations where Lockheed Martin is sponsoring exhibits.

We can't promise yet, but one result might be that we (Lockheed Martin employees/volunteers) might be able to offer a 5th Gear exhibit to the SVR. If we are able to, then the Regional Director and the venue get to decide if they can accommodate it. Keep your fingers crossed.

Also, and this is a big "also", any team or other group can choose to set-up a 5th Gear exhibit anywhere they can scrape together 7 computers, an Ethernet hub/switch, and 6 Xbox controllers.

You get to download the executable. If necessary, you get to ask us as many questions as you like about how to set it up or use it, and when you are done, you get to brag in your next Chairmans Award submission about supplying a service to the public.

You can also think about doing this when recruiting new members, or when doing community outreach or fundraising (it's hard to install a field and 6 robots in a school or local mall, but it is pretty easy to set up a couple of tables and 7 computers there).

Hopefully, we will see you at SVR.

Blake

[fordchrist675]

Originally Posted by gblake

We are expanding the number of locations where Lockheed Martin is sponsoring exhibits.

We can't promise yet, but one result might be that we (Lockheed Martin employees/volunteers) might be able to offer a 5th Gear exhibit to the SVR. If we are able to, then the Regional Director and the venue get to decide if they can accommodate it. Keep your fingers crossed.

Also, and this is a big "also", any team or other group can choose to set-up a 5th Gear exhibit anywhere they can scrape together 7 computers, an Ethernet hub/switch, and 6 Xbox controllers.

You get to download the executable. If necessary, you get to ask us as many questions as you like about how to set it up or use it, and when you are done, you get to brag in your next Chairmans Award submission about supplying a service to the public.

You can also think about doing this when recruiting new members, or when doing community outreach or fundraising (it's hard to install a field and 6 robots in a school or local mall, but it is pretty easy to set up a couple of tables and 7 computers there).

Hopefully, we will see you at SVR.

Blake

I just have to say you are my hero for the day. So much good and helpful information in one post. I'm so STOKED!

[gblake]

Originally Posted by fordchrist675

I just have to say you are my hero for the day. So much good and helpful information in one post. I'm so STOKED!

And that is why we all love the hard fun of robotics - thank you, and you are welcome.

[fordchrist675]

Originally Posted by gblake

And that is why we all love the hard fun of robotics - thank you, and you are welcome.

Because there is no real reward in winning if you haven't done everything possible thing to make your team the best it can be. It's an awesome thing

[gblake]

Originally Posted by Tanner

Ahh... GDC hints, 5th Gear hints... *head explodes*

I see two bumps, though I'm not sure why one is bigger than the other.

Cheers
-Tanner

Yellow Robot (with blue "go-faster" stripes marking the front side of its top), surrounded by blue bumpers.

[Tanner]

Originally Posted by gblake

Yellow Robot (with blue "go-faster" stripes marking the front side of its top), surrounded by blue bumpers.

Seriously? Nifty.

Wish Inventor exported as FBX (or rather I wish I had SolidWorks and knew how to use it). Would be quite fun to practice driving before the robot is done being built even if it is 100% accurate.

Any plans in some-far off future to add ability for users to "plug-in" their own bots?

-Tanner

[gblake]

Originally Posted by Tanner

Seriously? Nifty.

Wish Inventor exported as FBX (or rather I wish I had SolidWorks and knew how to use it). Would be quite fun to practice driving before the robot is done being built even if it is 100% accurate.

Any plans in some-far off future to add ability for users to "plug-in" their own bots?

-Tanner

See my long-winded post #7 below.

Our hearts are in the right place, and our heads and hands are trying to keep up.

There are some tedious parts to setting up a sane user interface that can import models on the fly during an exhibit, and there are some complicating factors (like not slowing to a crawl when a model is too complex for the equipment trying to simulate it, and limiting users to single "part" models right now).

Like you guys, we are right now dealing with getting a useful 2010 product done before build season is over, while also adding a bell or whistle here and there. Importing users' models is one of those bells and whistles.

Even last year you could import an FBX file to get your imagery into the simulator (and you still can this year). The trick is automagically wrapping an accurate-enough, but not too complex, invisible physics-model around the graphics. That remains in our hands...

Stay in touch, and find a way to get your Inventor file exported (look for plug-ins) (FBX is definitely a format Autodesk knows and loves so there "must" be a way to do it); or download a student version of SolidWorks (search in Chief Delphi for instructions or contact mplanchard via a Chief Delphi PM), and learn just enough to import Inventor files and then save them as a SolidWorks part. I'll try to get the result into the simulator.

Remember to do the equivalent of creating a single part when doing your work in Inventor.

Blake

[Tanner]

Originally Posted by gblake

Like you guys, we are right now dealing with getting a useful 2010 product done before build season is over, while also adding a bell or whistle here and there. Importing users' models is one of those bells and whistles.

I know the feeling. Do what you guys can, but I think whatever you guys come out with will be something useful to teams. Figure out some strategy in real time against other humans.

[random thought]

Any plans on doing a multiplayer over the internet? That would be pretty neat , and allow for some "research" on strategy/fun without lugging over a few computers. Just something else to add to a probably already long list of "to-do's".

Originally Posted by gblake

Stay in touch, and find a way to get your Inventor file exported (look for plug-ins) (FBX is definitely a format Autodesk knows and loves so there "must" be a way to do it); or download a student version of SolidWorks (search in Chief Delphi for instructions or contact mplanchard via a Chief Delphi PM), and learn just enough to import Inventor files and then save them as a SolidWorks part. I'll try to get the result into the simulator.

A friend of mine asked for a FBX model of some models I made in Inventor, and the only way I could figure out how is to download this Inventor Studio or something of that sort (for like creating nice-pretty display pictures). I'll have to do some more research on it now that this opportunity is open. I'd be pretty neat. If not, I'll learn something new.

Thanks for the messages!
-Tanner