Easiest way to program autonomous?

[GreyingJay]

Originally Posted by Heber Hooper

We are running short on time and as a rookie team we need help with programming. Any help is great thanks.

Last year I was surprised at how few robots at two regionals even tried to do autonomous. You got a few points just by moving yourself into the auto zone, and this year's game is similar - if you can get yourself to reach a defense, you will earn points. Reaching a defense can be as simple as "drive forward 6 feet". This should not be beyond the grasp of any team.

The simplest way is something called dead reckoning. Your software just fires the motors blindly for a set amount of time. For example, if you fire the drive motors at, say, 50% speed for 1.5 seconds, your robot should travel X number of feet. I say "should" because you have no sensor feedback to confirm that the robot moved where you hoped it would. It's like driving blindfolded. But it's a starting point. Measure how far it actually travels and adjust the timing and power levels to hit the speed and distance that you want.

[TJP123]

Originally Posted by GreyingJay

Last year I was surprised at how few robots at two regionals even tried to do autonomous. You got a few points just by moving yourself into the auto zone, and this year's game is similar - if you can get yourself to reach a defense, you will earn points. Reaching a defense can be as simple as "drive forward 6 feet". This should not be beyond the grasp of any team.

2014 might be a better example. Last year, you got 0 points just by moving unless both of your partners could do the same. With teams stealing canisters and the need to stay out of the way of 3-tote autons, it often wasn't worth it. We had a number of different auton programs that all worked, but I believe we ended CMP with exactly 0 auton points.

[team-4480]

We are planning on using a NavX, ultrasonic sensors, and some very basic vision to try and score a goal in autonomous. Will this be enough to have it consistently score a low or high goal each time? We haven't messed with encoders so we really don't have enough time now.

[rich2202]

Originally Posted by team-4480

We are planning on using a NavX, ultrasonic sensors, and some very basic vision to try and score a goal in autonomous. Will this be enough to have it consistently score a low or high goal each time?

IMHO: "Basic Vision" - No.

Except for the low bar, crossing a defense introduces a lot of uncertainty on where you end up. You will need more than "basic vision" and NavX to figure out where you are to shoot a high goal.

NavX can get you close (+/- 0.5 meters after 7 seconds). Who knows how much NavX will be thrown off by all the bumping over the Defense. Then use Vision to find the goal and figure out what you have to do to get to a shooting position.

If you want to score the low goal, then you need to drive up to the wall (note: the ultrasonic sensor has a minimum distance of 12 inches), turn, and then drive some more. I have no idea how easy it is to find the low goal with the ultrasonic sensor (low goal may be at an angle, and has a big hole in it).

[team-4480]

Originally Posted by rich2202

IMHO: "Basic Vision" - No.

Except for the low bar, crossing a defense introduces a lot of uncertainty on where you end up. You will need more than "basic vision" and NavX to figure out where you are to shoot a high goal.

Well that means we have a chance because we(as well as 90 percent of the CD community) are going under the low bar. I don't expect to hit the high goal every time, but if we get at least three or four in a regional, I would be satisfied.

[rich2202]

Originally Posted by team-4480

Well that means we have a chance because we(as well as 90 percent of the CD community) are going under the low bar. I don't expect to hit the high goal every time, but if we get at least three or four in a regional, I would be satisfied.

What happens if you have an alliance where all the robots can only do low bar for autonomous?

[Brian Michell]

I agree with GreyingJay about just "blind firing" your motors. Simply follow the template provided in the autonomous independent.vi that is generated by default. There are still about 19 days left until bag 'n tag, plenty of time to write a quality autonomous program. Even after bag 'n tag if you have a second chassis built that runs similarly to your robot in the bag you can program it. Just add weight to that second chassis until it is about equal to your competition robot.

If you need anything feel free to PM me, I would be glad to help.

[team-4480]

Originally Posted by rich2202

What happens if you have an alliance where all the robots can only do low bar for autonomous?

If that is the case, I would see who has the best shooter autonomous and let them go through the low bar. Our robot would then try to just get over a different defense without trying to shoot.

[GreyingJay]

Originally Posted by team-4480

If that is the case, I would see who has the best shooter autonomous and let them go through the low bar. Our robot would then try to just get over a different defense without trying to shoot.

Yup, let the most reliable guy go for the tower shot, and everyone else can try a reach or a cross on another defense.

You could also start one of them as the spy bot, for potentially a second shot at the tower.

[Doug Frisk]

Originally Posted by GreyingJay

Last year I was surprised at how few robots at two regionals even tried to do autonomous. You got a few points just by moving yourself into the auto zone, and this year's game is similar - if you can get yourself to reach a defense, you will earn points. Reaching a defense can be as simple as "drive forward 6 feet". This should not be beyond the grasp of any team.

The simplest way is something called dead reckoning. Your software just fires the motors blindly for a set amount of time. For example, if you fire the drive motors at, say, 50% speed for 1.5 seconds, your robot should travel X number of feet. I say "should" because you have no sensor feedback to confirm that the robot moved where you hoped it would. It's like driving blindfolded. But it's a starting point. Measure how far it actually travels and adjust the timing and power levels to hit the speed and distance that you want.

Yep, this is going to be a good bet for a lot of teams. Drive forward into the defense and if you make it over you get points and if you only hit it or straddle it you still get points. Sit there like a potato and you get nothing. Don't be a potato.

It's ded (short for deduced) reckoning by the way.

[Caleb Sykes]

Originally Posted by GreyingJay

Last year I was surprised at how few robots at two regionals even tried to do autonomous.

Autonomous points were negligible last year unless you could do everything yourself. Also the auto zone was very small so getting completely in the zone reliably was difficult for many teams.

This year we will see more attempts at auto because it is worth more and teams will be able to score points independently of partners.