Floor pickup Vs. feeder station

[Chris is me]

If you have floor pickup, can't you just human load off the floor?

Autonomous is the main reason to have a floor loader. Human load only robots will still be great this year, probably better than 2011.

[TheMadCADer]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

If you have floor pickup, can't you just human load off the floor?

Autonomous is the main reason to have a floor loader. Human load only robots will still be great this year, probably better than 2011.

There's one major problem I see with that, mostly time. From what I can see of most teams' designs, they'd have to back up after picking up a disc to let the feeder drop another one for them. Having to back up and then line back up for each disc will take far too long. It's possible to avoid this, but I think most teams will simply have a dedicated loading device.

[MooreteP]

Here is some video of two floor pickup systems.
Team 1493, The Falcons, had one of the most amusing systems.
Team 20, The Rocketeers, had one of the best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EX_oYPh8kI

[Koko Ed]

We do feeder station exclusively.
Shouldn't this be a poll?

[45Auto]

There's one major problem I see with that, mostly time. From what I can see of most teams' designs, they'd have to back up after picking up a disc to let the feeder drop another one for them. Having to back up and then line back up for each disc will take far too long.

Why wouldn't the human player just push 4 frisbees through the slot while the robot is on it's way there, so they're sitting on the floor waiting for the robot to drive across them and pick them up when the robot gets there? Seemed to work pretty well for 2056 in Toronto.

[DanielCH]

Originally Posted by 45Auto

Why wouldn't the human player just push 4 frisbees through the slot while the robot is on it's way there, so they're sitting on the floor waiting for the robot to drive across them and pick them up when the robot gets there? Seemed to work pretty well for 2056 in Toronto.

While this is a completely valid strategy that my team (and I'm sure many others) discussed, there are a few issues.

-- When you're dropping them onto the ground, it's quite doubtful they will fall in a nice line for pickup. They might flip upside down, be stacked on top of each other, etc. This could be a problem.

-- Since you're dropping them from the edge of the field, they'll be right next to a wall. Some teams have trouble picking up right next to a wall, but this might work fine for others.

-- Say the robot that's going to receive the four discs is just finishing their current shots (let's call this Robot A), and about to head back for more. The Human Player begins dropping them on the ground, so that all four will be there and ready when the robot returns. The Human Player finishes, and the robot is nearly to the feeder station, but suddenly an opponent robot appears from under the pyramid (let's call this Robot B), and pins Robot A to the wall. Robot B can only hold the pin for a few seconds before a penalty, but in that short time frame, another robot with ground pickup on Robot B's alliance (Let's call this Robot C) drives over, and grabs the Frisbees. Robot B releases the pin, Robot C scores 12 easy points, and Robot A is now forced to wait for four more Frisbees.

-- On a similar note from the previous point, you really don't even need Robot B in the equation. Assuming the Human Player starts dropping discs before Robot A arrives, Robot C could just run over and grab a disc or two before Robot A gets to the feeder station. Robot C gets easy points, and slows down the other alliance, killing two birds with one stone.

If your pickup is really really fast, defense is sparse, and your human player is competent, it would probably work. Otherwise, it's a safe and easy bet to just design a ramp to intake discs directly.

[JosephC]

Ground pickup > Feeder pickup

My proof? Go ask 2056.

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by JosephC

Ground pickup > Feeder pickup

My proof? Go ask 2056.

It was a shallow week 2 regional. I would ask them after Waterloo.

[JosephC]

Originally Posted by Gregor

It was a shallow week 2 regional. I would ask them after Waterloo.

Regardless; they hold the highest score in FRC; but your right, we'll see in Waterloo.

Teams with ground intake have been doing well (2056, 1986, 70, etc.), but then again so have teams without a ground intake (610, 1114, 862, etc.) As Paul Copioli said previously; there will be exceptional teams in both categories.

[Botwoon]

Originally Posted by JosephC

Ground pickup > Feeder pickup

My proof? Go ask 2056.

2056 also won GTR paired up with 1114, who was a star human-loader. 118 and 148 won at lone star with an identical arrangement.

Having more than a single fast floor loader is almost a waste, for lack of a better phrase, as a single robot on par with 2056/118/254 in terms of pickup speed is going to clear the field extremely rapidly. This is especially true in eliminations, where the majority of disks aren't ending up on the floor.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by Botwoon

2056 also won GTR paired up with 1114, who was a star human-loader. 118 and 148 won at lone star with an identical arrangement.

Having more than a single fast floor loader is almost a waste, for lack of a better phrase, as a single robot on par with 2056/118/254 in terms of pickup speed is going to clear the field extremely rapidly. This is especially true in eliminations, where the majority of disks aren't ending up on the floor.

Not true. It can give you a 12 point advantage in autonomous.

[Jeffy]

Originally Posted by Cory

Not true. It can give you a 12 point advantage in autonomous.

I expect teams like 1114 and 610 to have a counter for that as well.

[NotaJoke]

Originally Posted by Jeffy

I expect teams like 1114 and 610 to have a counter for that as well.

They do. Both teams had planned on floorloading this season.

Edit: didn't mean to start a debate, I do not know the inner workings of these teams, only rumors from unreliable sources.

[JosephC]

Originally Posted by NotaJoke

They do. Both teams are planning on adding their own floor loading system at some point during this season.

Do you actually know this or are you just speculating?

[roboracer]

Ground pickup, totally.

For proof, ask Bellarmine, Team 254. They're at the top in California ranks and they have it.