We're looking for a scouting system

[BitTwiddler]

Originally Posted by Citrus Dad

Thanks for the compliment. If you can't find a link to our slides from last year, message me and I'll send them. I'll also get our website team to post links to the slides on our website www.citruscircuits.org (as well as for other workshops).

Here's the link to the 1678 slides "Moneybots"
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/3153

[trumpthero786]

Originally Posted by BitTwiddler

Very cool! It actually meets our main requirements and seems simple to use.
I notice that the scouting data points are hard-coded into the user app. Am I correct in thinking that your programmers will configure it for the 2016 game shortly after kick-off? Is the source code open or closed?
What data analysis tool(s) do you guys use for your team pick lists?
The use of QR codes for data transfer is brilliant . No pesky cables to trip over, no on again/off again Bluetooth reliability issues. Just need to ensure that the devices are kept charged up for use.
Any plans for importing match schedules into the user app prior to the qualification matches in order to help the scouts select the teams to watch?

I do believe that we have the intentions of configuring it to the 2016 game as soon after kick off as we can. Unfortunately the code for the app is not open YET. I'm not sure why, as we release all of our robot code. I can check on that with the programming team once we start meeting up again. As far as data analysis, it's not very complicated. It would be just like if you had all the data on paper, but instead it's nice and neat, organized and available. I'm not on the scouting team so I'm no expert in what they do. However I know that the hassle of tons of papers has been relieved from our team, and has simplified the picking of teams that we would want to work with us.

Your final question is very intriguing. It is a great idea that I can pass on to those in charge of the app and scouting in general. I can see them working that in using TBA's open source. We will definitely consider it.

If you PM or (even better) send an email to our Lead Mentor, I'm sure that he can find a way to get you guys the source code for the app. This is his profile page. There is a link for sending him an email.

I hope this helped! I can gladly answer other questions if you have any!

[Citrus Dad]

One consideration that we discovered after implementing our tablet system: being able to push summarized data to smart phones helped our drive team in planning for match strategies. Keeping your data only for the draft and not having an effective way to get data to your drive team quickly are mistakes to avoid.

[Monochron]

Originally Posted by Citrus Dad

We've been able to use Bluetooth and a couple of cell phone connections (for reliablity.)

Yeah, Bluetooth is a great alternative. Just make sure you have enough Bluetooth devices on hand.

[Billfred]

4901 hasn't used any devices for scouting (yet...), but one thing I can recommend personally: Anker battery packs to keep them topped up. I bought an Astro E4 before my trip to IRI this year, and made it from arrival Friday to on the train home Sunday morning without having to plug it into a wall--and my iPhone was never in danger of going dead despite using it a lot for work and despite the notoriously bad reception in Lawrence North that makes the phone use more juice to connect. They have also nailed down talking to the phone for the fastest charge it will take, which lets you top up quickly. I paid $30 for mine, but obviously a team wanting to charge a fleet of them might go for something bigger still. (The new PowerCore 20100 trumps my 13000 mAh for 20000 for $10 more, for example, or the three-port Astro E7 has 26800 for $70.)

I'm also a fan of their PowerPort line if you have access to wall power or wanted to charge everything up overnight in the pits or hotel. They've got four-, five-, six-, and ten-port versions that should give everyone the juice they require.

I'm nothing but a very satisfied customer--their stuff is well-built and a great bang for the buck.

[ShotgunNinja]

Originally Posted by Jalerre

A scouting system that I have looked into but never used is Tableau. I have heard good things about it. From what I seen, its very powerful and customizable.

That looks amazing! Why didn't we have this when I was in FIRST?

[BitTwiddler]

Originally Posted by ShotgunNinja

That looks amazing! Why didn't we have this when I was in FIRST?

Tableau is indeed an awesome data visualiztion tool to slice and dice the data in myriad ways to extract inferences from but it is not a scouting system per se. Not sure it's worth the learning curve associated with it. I think we'll want to keep it simple and focus on the important data to collect.

Mark Twain is often quoted as saying, "Data is like garbage, You'd better know what you are going to do with it before you collect it.". Now Mr. Twain may have never really said it but it's a good quote.

I'm still looking but I'm really impressed with what I'm seeing from some of you. You all have some truly awesome programmers on your teams.

[fovea1959]

Our students took Wildstang's Wildrank from 2014 and reworked it for the 2015 game. No dependency on internet (data gets around on a USB drive plugged into tablets). Need to streamline that, and figure out how to get the stuff to the drive coach easily.

Wildstangs did a good job of separating the data plumbing from the data items, changing it to record different metrics was pretty straightforward, I hear.

[logank013]

Originally Posted by BitTwiddler

Tableau is indeed an awesome data visualiztion tool to slice and dice the data in myriad ways to extract inferences from but it is not a scouting system per se. Not sure it's worth the learning curve associated with it. I think we'll want to keep it simple and focus on the important data to collect.

Mark Twain is often quoted as saying, "Data is like garbage, You'd better know what you are going to do with it before you collect it.". Now Mr. Twain may have never really said it but it's a good quote.

I'm still looking but I'm really impressed with what I'm seeing from some of you. You all have some truly awesome programmers on your teams.

My team is in the same situation. I have heard all about tableau but I'm not really sure what it's capable of. Is it just graphs or is it more? I can do many types of graphs in excel and sheets so I was just curious. Thanks

[solopilot]

Tableau is powerful, but you still need a system to gather and organize data. Try looking at http://gms.pejaver.com/UserGuide-Team.htm. It will soon get updated to use the 'new' v2 FRC API.

[jkoritzinsky]

I just wanted to chime in. I'm working on a modular scouting system for this season (and future seasons). I'll be a mobile app (for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone) combined with a desktop program (Windows only for now) that allows integration with either Excel or Tableau. I'm about 2/3 of the way done, and it'll be done by kickoff for sure. Each team will be able to define what data they want to collect for each season (or competition if they change what they want).

[Doug Frisk]

Originally Posted by jkoritzinsky

I just wanted to chime in. I'm working on a modular scouting system for this season (and future seasons). I'll be a mobile app (for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone) combined with a desktop program (Windows only for now) that allows integration with either Excel or Tableau. I'm about 2/3 of the way done, and it'll be done by kickoff for sure. Each team will be able to define what data they want to collect for each season (or competition if they change what they want).

Ohh, we should talk.

[BitTwiddler]

Originally Posted by jkoritzinsky

I just wanted to chime in. I'm working on a modular scouting system for this season (and future seasons). I'll be a mobile app (for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone) combined with a desktop program (Windows only for now) that allows integration with either Excel or Tableau. I'm about 2/3 of the way done, and it'll be done by kickoff for sure. Each team will be able to define what data they want to collect for each season (or competition if they change what they want).

I'm interested. Please keep us up to date on your progress.

[jkoritzinsky]

Will do.

[teku14]

Originally Posted by jkoritzinsky

Will do.

That seems really cool. I'd be interested in this kind of a system when you're done with it. Can you PM me with some details as to like a general over view of how it works?