2012 FRC Team 1717 Uncut

[MichaelBick]

Originally Posted by JamesTerm

Thanks for the heads up and this was an idea we considered for last year's game (especially since most of the time the robot was facing you), but given what is said here... I feel there is a missing piece to the puzzle... A gyro can give delta's of angular acceleration but what can ensure the robot's heading is calibrated? Is there some point of reference that can be sensed dynamically while rotating?

I'll be anxious to hear how/if they solved that problem.

Yes magnetometer. But it lags, so you have to run it through a filter.

1717 has inspired me. They are truly one of the best teams in FIRST, and I am so glad that they have finally found the spotlight(if they had not already by showing up on Einstein in 2009). The quality of each and every robot they make is amazing.

Swerve is a very hard drivetrain. They make it look very easy. However, even if they do not release their CAD, I highly recommend to any teams looking into swerve that you look at 973's Emperor Swerve. I feel that it is mechanically equal to 1717's drivetrain. You should furthermore look at 973's CADs regardless, because they are an example of how to make a competitive robot.

Again, to all teams looking into swerve: it is a very hard drivetrain. Adam has even said that they are likely not going to compete with a swerve again next year. The amount of driver practice, programming, and build time required just to get a competitive swerve, is unachievable than 95% of teams, and furthermore not worth the return on investment those teams. Prototyping in the offseason is a must, and don't expect to compete with it after only a year of prototyping. 6/8 wheel drive is an absolutely competitive drivetrain, that I and many other teams, including powerhouses, will recommend.