Robot in 3 Days 2017

[MooreteP]

Originally Posted by Joe G.

Ri3D is a small step in taking this element as both a skillset and a learning experience as applied to FRC from "absolutely mandatory" to "optional depending on what your goals are," and that bothers many people.

Put another way: would FRC's educational and inspirational value would be unchanged if the game stayed the same every season, but the rules required us to build a new robot every year? Or is the fact that every team gets the experience of solving a previously unsolved problem an integral part of the educational and inspirational process, connected strongly to what we hope our students gain from the program?

I appreciate your clarification KSPRUL's point of view. I am in agreement, however, change happens.

Getting a new game every year is the one constant that keeps my interest in FRC.
The problem is new and the competitions are still about scores of Robots competing for the best solution.

"Absolutely mandatory" works for many teams. For rookies or teams that are struggling to maintain their existence, the options demonstrated by Ri3D can be a godsend.

I still miss the old days before students were given the advantage of a Game Animation, instructional videos on the details of the playing field, and a bandwidth that required you to economize your inputs.
All we basically received was a "spec sheet" of game details in the Manual.
Back then, we were really teaching engineering inspiration the way it was meant to be.

Ri3D is a signpost of how creativity may now be crowdsourced. Patent lawyer is a valuable vocation nowadays.

A team can choose not to watch Ri3D and their intent of preserving the problem solving aspects sans outside inspiration will remain intact.

Originally Posted by Richard Wallace

My slide rule is patinated. Like those sophomore physics tests several decades ago at Georgia Tech, during which electronic calculators were not permitted, and points were deducted for failure to show work, include correct units, express results to the required number of significant figures, etc.

The Ramblin' Wrecks had a great weekend.
I find myself reminiscing about the old days when using a slide rule, showing your work, SigFigs, and units mattered to engineers.
I am teaching the new AP Physics curriculum now and these details are not considered as important anymore.

Ah, nostalgia.