FRC Blogged - The 2015 Control System Request for Proposa

[Jon Stratis]

Reading through the RFP, I had a couple of possible concerns:

Preferred but not required support for 3D-Gyroscope and 3D-Accelerometer

Doe this mean it would be integrated into the robot controller? This would place a limitation on robot design, as the gyroscope needs to be as close to the center of rotation as possible to avoid drift.

6.8 User-Programming Language Support
The next generation RCS must support at least two programming languages (but not require that teams use both). One language must support a graphical programming environment (e.g. LabVIEW, EasyC). The current RCS supports LabVIEW, C++, and Java. It is preferred that the new RCS support as many of these currently used languages as possible. Installation and update times must be kept to a minimum for library, language updates and for software development tool installation.

In other words, we could end up with a control system that doesn't support current languages. How many teams would struggle learning a new language or interface if the one they're familiar with isn't supported?

Wireless Robot Control (WRC) modules facilitate wireless communication between the DS and the MRC over a secure network – both “at home” and at competition events. The wireless functionality may be integrated into the system or as a separate component.

How would an integrated solution work? For example, can you imagine the design challenge if the radio was integrated into the cRio? My team's design this year, with the cRio buried in the middle of the robot directly between the 4 CIM motors for the drive train, would not have been very effective.


Of course, all of these are very specific to the solution they end up going with. It's entirely possible that none of these are an issue.