Finally the year?

[Hutch]

Oh well, my team also tried it... Coming back from the Black Expo in Indy, it started raingin with our robot in the back of pickup truck . Note that I wasn't a part of the we that were there . After letting it dry, it was no worse for wear.

[santosh]

Yeah, imagine the demos and outreach evnts with under water robots...

[dez250]

What if we were to have a game where there would be balls filled with water and there would be 2 different sized balls... Nah it would never happen!

[Ashley Christine]

It is 3:30 in the morning and I find myself trying to figure out some clues with Laura 1547. 1)I dont have a life and 2)This is killing me! I want to know whats going on next year sooo bad... only not. I guess we all will learn someday.

And deffinately stuck on what 66 could mean. Haha. Maybe I shud go to bed...

[Collin Fultz]

66 = 6 robots on the field (aka 3 v 3 allinaces will stay)

Hell, three kids + mentors in arizona did it, why can't FIRST teams do it?

However, if FIRST wanted an underwater challenge, then they would be have the include a lot of stuff in the kit to make it a little easier, an airtight frame and propulsion systems.

Testing would be an issue too beacuse people probably have to be in the water to handle the robot. Imagine during the beginning of the year when build teams are assigned; Drive, Frame, Electronics, Programming, SCUBA .

[CmptrGk]

I think i have an idea on why a water game would never happen. (floating boat robot idea)

It gives an unfair advantage to some teams. How would you test the robot without access to some sort of pool? Around here you couldn't test it in a pond or something similar due to the fact that everything freezes. Teams could spend the entire build season not being able to test anything until perhaps a scrimmage. At that point nothing will work, and the entire six weeks would have been an extreme failure.

Like it was mentioned before there could also be electrical issues. Some teams may not have the resources or the ability to be able to completely waterproof the robot. If there was one small problem the electronics could fail completely, or seriously hurt someone. Think about it, your in the pits and attempting to change the battery, the robot is still wet and now your hands are wet. Enough water drips into the connector to short circuit the battery and your part of the short circuit. I'm not exactly sure of what would happen to at least part of you, but i imagine it would not feel good. My guess is that it would result in some sort of burn.

If the robot were boat like, and had some sort of propeller on the back it would also be a safety hazard. Testing out the controls in the pits could be harmful, they are cramped and someone could easily get hurt by getting into the wrong spot. Or on the field, six weeks of work could easily be destroyed by the similar device.

Also you would need to make it float, which could easily fail if the chassis floats. But after you add arms and other appendages to it it increases the weight of the robot and then causes it to sink. You then spend too much time making the rest of the robot float. Only to find out that it really doesn't work all that well, and needs to be readjusted.

These are just my thoughts on an entirely water type game.

[mechanicalbrain]

ooooor.... you could stick it in a bathtub. plus teams can create their own water tight frames.

[CmptrGk]

Originally Posted by mechanicalbrain

ooooor.... you could stick it in a bathtub.

How are you going to test an entire field autonomus in a bathtub? How will your drivers learn how to drive it?

[mechanicalbrain]

im not proposing you could im disputing the statement that you cant test if its water proof. if you really need to test it most, note i say most not all, cities have some place where their is a indoor pool it could be a rec center or YMCA. but the main problem with water systems is you would need to see the robot and you cant do this without a camera to give a 3D view on aspects such as depth.

[Arefin Bari]

Originally Posted by CmptrGk

How are you going to test an entire field autonomus in a bathtub? How will your drivers learn how to drive it?

There is always a swimming pool.

[CmptrGk]

That is exacty my point not all teams have access to test the robot. You said it yourself mecanicalbrain, "if you really need to test it most, note i say most not all, cities have some place where their is a indoor pool it could be a rec center or YMCA." There will be plenty of places that dont have a pool for testing purposes. Low budget teams in remote areas should still be given a fair chance at completing the tasks in the game. If they are able to test it, i think that it would be fair.

How would you be sure it works without testing it? If it were not tested how would you know that the bugs were all worked out?

they could indeed test how waterproof it was in a tub, but it may not be the best thing to do. The robot might not fit in the tub, or it may not allow enough water to cover the componets of the robot.

[mechanicalbrain]

name a city that doesnt have a swiming pool where there is a FIRST team! and i guarentee that any robot that fits regulation sizes can be submersed in a bathtub. most note i say most cities have bathtubs.

[mechanicalbrain]

http://www.google.com/local?hl=en&lr...nG=Search&sc=1
also look up hotels.

[Arefin Bari]

See... what you have started Gary?

People have lost their sleep and posting here at midnight. BAD GARY.

The game doesn't come out for another 5 months. Let's go catch onto some sleep before the season comes flying at us.

... Why am I talking about sleep and not worrying about what the game is going to be next year?