Driver Station

[slijin]

Originally Posted by mikegrundvig

I know there is some driver dashboard software but I know nothing about it.

The bulk of this software is provided in the Kit of Parts; WindRiver is used for C++, Netbeans for Java, and LabView for, well, LabView. This is the computer's control interface for the robot, and is the only GUI you're allowed to use in competition to control the robot.

Originally Posted by mikegrundvig

I know we get a joystick but what else do we get?

What controls you use are purely up to you. Many teams use a dual Attack 3 setup for driving, in conjunction with a separate controls set for the robot's other functions. Others use Xbox joysticks, Logitech Gamepads, twist-axis joysticks, etc - it all depends on the team and the driver.

Originally Posted by mikegrundvig

Can we add custom controls and where is the line drawn? Can we use an Arduino or other microcontroller if it's doing nothing but interfacing controls with the computer? I don't want to break the rules, but I feel a custom control scheme and HUD could make for better drivers and I know our students could do it.

At the moment, the Cypress First Touch and CCI (available from E-Stop Robotics) are the most common interfaces used by teams for custom control schemes. There are alternatives - last year, one team used a touch screen interface to hang tubes - but if I'm not mistaken, interfacing with the First Touch and CCI are the simplest for the DS (Driver Station) to deal with.