ausTIN CANs Programming Workshop

[Richard McClellan]

Team 2158, the ausTIN CANs hosted our first annual rookie programming workshop to teach our own new members, as well as Rookie Team 2468 from Westlake HS and Rookie Team 2583 from Westwood HS the basics of programming for FIRST. All three teams seemed to enjoy it and hopefully learned everything they need to be ready for the season.

We plan on using WPILib instead of the default code this year (assuming we don't find out about any drastic processor changes on Jan 5th of course) because of how easy it is to learn as well as teach. With three sets of Vex kits, the students split up into three groups with some students from each school on each team. Each group successfully programmed the robots for operator control with Tank drive and Arcade drive They were also able to use shaft encoders to travel a certain distance and line sensors to follow a line. The last project of the day, probably the most exciting of all was to hook up the IR sensor to the Vex robot so that we could drive the Vex robot with a TV remote control!

Pictures from the workshop: http://www.andersonrobotics.com/gall...g2_itemId=2598

Video of the IR Sensor on the Vex Robot! :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUx2w3J_jDk

[JaneYoung]

AWEsome Richard!

Where did you guys gather? It looks like a fun crowd!

[Richard McClellan]

It was definitely fun! We all met in the UT Robotics Lab/Trailer area on campus, which worked really well.

[Coach Norm]

Special Thanks to Team 2158 for hosting the programming workshop today. It was great for Team 2468 since we are a Rookie team. The students were very excited to get to program and watch their results.

I am glad you guys got the IR Sensor to work. The video looks great. I have forwarded on to the rest of Team 2468. They will be excited to see our part on your robot.

I am the sponsor/coach of Team 2468 and I cannot begin to thank Richard and David from Team 2158 for their help this year. I must also give a shout out to Team 418 for their help this year as well. Jane Young came over and worked with our team on communication, teamwork and Gracious Professionalism. Tony Bertucci, Team 418 Coach, brought one of their robots over and spoke to our team about FIRST and how they got started.

We are looking forward to the Kickoff more now than we were.

[JaneYoung]

It's really fun having more teams in the Austin area and great that folks are working together. What a blast. Thank you for your kind words, Coach.