Suggestion: Abandon the term "tele-operated"

[GRaduns340]

I'm with Dave on this one. I like the use of the term teleoperated. I don't see why it shouldn't be used. On that line we should call autonomous no-control mode. Autonomous and teleoperated go together and they are the more professional terms. I think we should keep them, but I don't think FIRST would change it without an overwhelming turn against it.

[JaneYoung]

As a non-engineering mentor, I want to know the correct terminology for a variety of reasons.
One example would be, when we are in competition and the team has visiting guests, I want to be able to discuss the game with them using the correct terminology and explaining it if needed.

I don't have the FIRST booklet/program at hand that is distributed at the competition venues so I cannot check it it see if we are doing this already. One thing that would be simple to do would be to list the vocabulary words and definitions that will be used during the competition - such as the term, teleoperated.

AT UCF, a parent brought his 5 year old son over to the volunteer table to talk to me about the game. He wanted to know details. He also wanted to explain the game to me as much as he understood it. He didn't want to be dumbed down and he was 5. I was able to use words like teleoperated and autonomous with him and see what he understood. He got those, what he didn't get was how valuable the ramps were. He knew they were valuable and wanted to understand exactly how much, point wise.

Jane

[Eldarion]

I'm with Dave as well here.

Hey, maybe if we eliminate the teleoperated period altogether, there won't be any controversy over the naming of it!

[kawelch]

I am also with Dave on this. Use the correct word for the correct situation.

I subbed for a math teacher several years ago who taught Algebra one-repeater. She told me to call the numerator and denominator of fractions "the top number and the bottom number" because "it's not like these kids need to know the correct terms...they're not going to be mathematicians or engineers." I about fainted.