Controlling Two Robots at Once

[Richard McClellan]

Since this is our second year, our team now has two driving robots and two operator interfaces, but we cannot control them both at the same time because the team number on the OI is the same. We turned on one OI, and both robots, and it controlled both of them at the same time, which was not very good.

How do other teams work with this? Do you change your team number just to avoid the interference, or is there another way to change the channel?

[Otaku]

I would change the team number on the OI, yeah. Our team's never run two robots simultaneously (however this is a very plausible situation, to run as a demonstration for sponsors), so if you would like a more adamant answer I would wait for a team that's done this to respond. Or just put a post-it note on the OI with the changed team number stating this, so that if it DOESN'T work, you can revert it.

[Jack Jones]

Change Channels:

[JanTM1191]

yea, u should change the team number, this happend to us once, our team was showing off two of our robots to the incoming freshmen to our school , one from 2007 and 2006 and we had the same problem, the robots were being controlled from one OI, we tried changing the channel buit that didnt help, but then we changed the team # and it worked

[Dylan Gramlich]

You could always just use a tether for one of the bots. But i am not sure of the situation so that may not work.

[joshyboy9987]

I think when we do it, we just use different radios. Use one of the 04 radios or something.. That way they don't even send the same signals.

[The Lucas]

Originally Posted by joshyboy9987

I think when we do it, we just use different radios. Use one of the 04 radios or something.. That way they don't even send the same signals.

That would work but they are a second year team so I would assume they only have the new version modems. Change both the Channels and Team Number.

Be very careful using any powering any OI that you are not accidentally controlling the other robot. Tether robots when you can. I have seen incidents where one sub-team is trying to test one bot and ends up controlling a different bot another subteam is testing. Very Dangerous!