1114 Launcher

[Racer26]

I doubt it will happen... 6wd is just too versatile... Although I'd love to watch any of their 6wd bots outpush our treaded monsters. I have yet to see any robot or human be able to stop our continually perfecting drivetrain in lowgear. Of course, for this year, thats mostly useless.

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by Brandon Holley

I have a question for you karthik.

What is 1114s set up for driver practice/drive training/driver choosing. Obviously you guys have built an incredible machine. However, as many others have said, sometimes a good driver can take a team to the next level. How do you guys handle this part of the team?

In terms of driver selection, most of it is outlined here:

http://simbotics.org/files/first-rob...ns/runteam.pdf starting on slide 25.

We look for three main qualities in our drivers, in the following order: Maturity, Communication, Skill/Talent. Having a mature driver who you know you can always depend on and who can handle the immense pressure is critical to a team's success. In addition good communication with the rest of the drive team, especially the field coach is an absolute must. Our approach on driver selection is very different than most teams, but we've found that it works very well for us.

In regards to practice and training, our driveteam practices for at least two hours a day, often more. Early on in the season they focus on the basics of gameplay, and 2:00 runs. As the season progresses, the sessions shift towards drills involving specific situations.

Originally Posted by 1075guy

Well, I can't say how their driver training etc goes, but I know that Niagara region's school board has given 1114 (and 1503/1680/2056/2166) the keys to a closed elementary school in the area, and they set up a complete field in the gymnasium of the school.

This year the field was only used by 1114, 1503 and 2056. 2166 tried to make it down to practice with us, but the scheduling just didn't work out. We make our field open to any team who wishes to use it.

[Racer26]

Ah, well, I knew the NiagaraFIRST alliance was sharing that field, my mistake.

Say Karthik, do you guys have like a machine shop set up in that school, or do you do all the work at Gov.Simcoe, and drag the robot to the field to practice?

[Alex Cormier]

Originally Posted by Karthik

In terms of driver selection, most of it is outlined here:

http://simbotics.org/files/first-rob...ns/runteam.pdf starting on slide 25.

We look for three main qualities in our drivers, in the following order: Maturity, Communication, Skill/Talent. Having a mature driver who you know you can always depend on and who can handle the immense pressure is critical to a team's success. In addition good communication with the rest of the drive team, especially the field coach is an absolute must. Our approach on driver selection is very different than most teams, but we've found that it works very well for us.

In regards to practice and training, our driveteam practices for at least two hours a day, often more. Early on in the season they focus on the basics of gameplay, and 2:00 runs. As the season progresses, the sessions shift towards drills involving specific situations.



This year the field was only used by 1114, 1503 and 2056. 2166 tried to make it down to practice with us, but the scheduling just didn't work out. We make our field open to any team who wishes to use it.

Hmm, I have to try some of that next year. The link you have doesn't work with me right now and I am using firefox. Could it just be the school's network I am on that doesn't allow me to open it?

[Racer26]

I just read through it... it was fairly slow to load... its an adobe acrobat file. I too am using firefox.

[Alex Cormier]

Originally Posted by 1075guy

I just read through it... it was fairly slow to load... its an adobe acrobat file. I too am using firefox.

I get a few pop up errors.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Originally Posted by Karthik

http://simbotics.org/files/first-rob...ns/runteam.pdf starting on slide 25.

How have I never seen these workshops!?!?

Great resource!

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by 1075guy

Say Karthik, do you guys have like a machine shop set up in that school, or do you do all the work at Gov.Simcoe, and drag the robot to the field to practice?

During the build season, all work is done at Governor Simcoe, and the robots are dragged back and forth. Once build season is over, the practice robot lives at the practice facility (dubbed LB2 by 1114), and we bring everything that we would bring to compeition, along with some other tools to LB2. At times it's a bit of logistical hassle, with LB2 being 20 minutes from Governor Simcoe. Prior to this year, our practice facility (LB1) was within walking distance of Simcoe.

[Racer26]

Eh, I'd still take a 20 minute away proper facility over the pathetic mockups we make every year.

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by Tom Bottiglieri

How have I never seen these workshops!?!?

Great resource!

ditto, thanks again karthik.


did you ever find those videos of your '04 bot in action ??? I love that bot

[JesseK]

A huge thanks Karthik AND Ian. I read Ian's strafing paper for an FTC prototype but for FRC we wanted to try a high speed shifter instead of omni drive train.

There are a lot of words in all of those documents that communicate the way I've been thinking for a while but have been unable to concisely put into words for the team I mentor. These documents will be a most invaluable resource for the rest of this year and all of next year. See you guys in Atlanta!

[Protronie]

Originally Posted by ReaperGoat

oh man...for coffee, it's dunkies (dunkin donuts) all the way!
(i love the holy trinity of New England...you can't go far in any city without being in viewing range of a Dunkin Donuts (or coffee shop), ATM, or convenience store)

YES!!!!!!! Ohhhh how I miss Dunkies coffee!
And Cumberland Farms, and Hot Dog Charlie's.....

All I can say about 1114... awesome robot. Its going to take a powerhouse to beat them... I hope they team up with 1024 @ Big A cause them two playing against each other.... whooooo what a battle!

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by Karthik

This year the field was only used by 1114, 1503 and 2056. 2166 tried to make it down to practice with us, but the scheduling just didn't work out. We make our field open to any team who wishes to use it.

Practice, practice, practice. I know of at least one team that wore the traction tread off its wheels at 1983's practice field in Seattle. The team I'm thinking of had a fairly modest robot, but it worked as designed the full 140 seconds of every match, and had a very smooth, competent drive team. I'm starting to think that a full-sized practice field is one of the five or six things a team NEEDS to be successful.

[Kate00]

I was just looking through the schedule for the FIRST Robotics Conference, and saw that Karthik is doing a presentation on Effective Strategies for FRC Robots on Wednesday night at 7:00. If this is the presentation (or close to) the presentation of his that I've seen, it's possibly the best use of 45 minutes your team could ever spend. If you want an inside view into how 1114 functions, this is your chance.

[AustinSchuh]

Originally Posted by Kate Mosley

I was just looking through the schedule for the FIRST Robotics Conference, and saw that Karthik is doing a presentation on Effective Strategies for FRC Robots on Wednesday night at 7:00. If this is the presentation (or close to) the presentation of his that I've seen, it's possibly the best use of 45 minutes your team could ever spend. If you want an inside view into how 1114 functions, this is your chance.

Will this presentation be online in any format for those of us who can't make it?