pic: Exploding Tick Tigers

[dodar]

Originally Posted by Doug Leppard

We talked about 1251 and 408 coming to Connecticut regional. 1251 lead mentor/teacher was talking about joining us in Connecticut as part of the 1902 team. 1251 could not get away from school to come to Connecticut.

And yes, all of us are broke. 1902 is sending only a small team to Connecticut. I can not make it because of work.

But see you all at Champs.

lol. We too are sending a smaller team than usual. I believe we are sending something like 26 people TOTAL from our team, thats including mentors, students and alumni mentors

[Barry Bonzack]

Picking up moon rocks

Shooting ranges


Shooting a poofball

More video will be up in the future, click "more video from user"

[Akash Rastogi]

I'm really glad you got such amazing bots accomplished. In conversations with various members of the triplets, I really got the point of the whole idea of collaborations for the first time and really got the sense that all these teams gained so much from the experience.

I now want to break the MORT ideals and form a collaboration with some team(s?) in the near future.

[Jmrandmax]

Originally Posted by dmellich

David hit the nail on the head with this. Alot of people worked very hard to get these machines ready and if I were to use a cliche it would be "too many to name". However, there are 3 students in our robotics program I would like to mention.

As you can imagine, there are many hours (dozens) of manual/CNC lathe/mill work in these robots. These students were asked to make the parts for 4 machines. They were asked to machine parts to very tight tolerances. They are required to maintain their grades. They even had to put up with my shenanigans (although I'm not sure that's how they would characterize it ).

Of the students that did this work, 2 are juniors in first year machining and 1 is a senior in his second year. Yet, despite their limited experience and enduring many long hours in the shop, they pulled it off.

I want to say publicly that I am very proud of these young men - Kyle Williamson, Jonathan Parriera and Sean Magley.

Woo! You go guys! You three are some of the most of important people on the team!

[Doug Leppard]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

I'm really glad you got such amazing bots accomplished. In conversations with various members of the triplets, I really got the point of the whole idea of collaborations for the first time and really got the sense that all these teams gained so much from the experience.

I now want to break the MORT ideals and form a collaboration with some team(s?) in the near future.

It was a good experience that is not over yet. We will continue working post ship and at the Florida regional.

Though I have heard other collaborations have blown up in past. I think the main reason we did so well was people were flexible and ready to bend on their own desires.

[Jmrandmax]

Awesome! That worked alot better then I thought it would.

[Gaurav27]

Reminds Me of the Niagara Triplets of '06: 1114 (Simbotics), 1503 (Spartonics), 1680 (FESSTronics)!
Looking good! Oink Oink Rawr!
Good Luck @ Competition!

[wsansewjs]

I am just curious about the collaboration. What are the elements that is involved to keep the effort together, and what did something that brought all of you together specifically?

Fantastic outcome for the robots and team effort. I cannot wait to see all of you and share the fun! ^_^

-Josh S.

[Doug Leppard]

Originally Posted by wsansewjs

I am just curious about the collaboration. What are the elements that is involved to keep the effort together, and what did something that brought all of you together specifically?

Fantastic outcome for the robots and team effort. I cannot wait to see all of you and share the fun! ^_^

-Josh S.

In 1902's short four year existence, we have collaborated two years. Our best year 2007 is when we collaborated with 1369, hopefully 2009 will even be better.

1902 is a college mentor driven team. The heart is the college mentors working closely with the high school students. We adults jump in as needed and add stability.

It was the college mentors that started the discussions in collaboration. It starts with a mutual admiration of each of the teams. 1251 is very strong in mechanical and CADing, where 1902 does not CAD or very little and is not as strong mechanically.

1902 is very strong software wise, always having a good autonomous mode and large use of sensors. 1251 had little software abilities. So in a post season game the college mentors discussed the possibilities of collaboration. I then discussed it with 1251 adults leaders, we all agreed if the college mentors were for it and it made sense then we supported it.

We started by coming up with our own game design and desires, met independently from each other. Then we met to see if we were compatible enough. We saw we could combine our designs and each side was willing to compromise.

Then we started the design process, it was a give and take process, no different then doing it with one team. 1251 took the lead in CADing the design and we had many reviews.

Why this worked was because people were flexible, enjoyed working together and had mutual respect for each other. We treated each other on the various teams as being on the same team.

1251 asked if 408 could join with us, since in the past 408/1251 had built together, we agreed.

We split the costs for the three robots (really four since we are building a practice robot). Different teams did different parts of the build in producing parts machining etc. It was crazy at times and confusing and you had to work at communicating.

We had several telephone conference calls to make sure we were coordinated, since the teams are 2-3 hours apart.

We fell behind in building not because of the collaboration but because of machining parts problems. Finally all the parts came and where brought to Orlando home where we built the three robots together, what a crazy three days.

Team 1902's robot was generally built first and tested and we found out what worked or didn’t, so the robots built after that would adjust their design.

Principles we used:

1. Mutual respect.
2. Much communications.
3. Written and CADed design. Software needs were written out.
4. Identical hardware setup to learn from one another.
5. Identical electrical wiring and port assignments. This is so we had one set of software for all three bots.
6. One software for all three bots, so we didn’t have to have conditions set for each robot thus causing possible problems.
7. Driver’s stations wired the same. Again for software compatibility.

I wish we could have finished sooner, but I would not have traded this experience. I personally learned a lot working with 1251 and 408.

[bigbeezy]

thats really great how you all were able to use your strengths and put them together to make some killer robots. my first thought were the Niagara triplets of 2006. i cant wait to see them in action at Florida.

I was really surprised to see the three of you together especially bacon since they are pretty far away, but you guys made it work. Congrats and Good Luck at Florida, Connecticut, and Atlanta

[Pokechop]

This robot was really fun to make, we had some ridiculous times, but all in all it was a good experience and i would do it again any day. and i really cant wait till UCF so we can unleash this monster xD

-Kyle W

[gorrilla]

Originally Posted by Pokechop

i really cant wait till UCF so we can unleash this monster xD
-Kyle W

1557 will see you there


it going to be so super crazy...


a bunch of good looking rookie teams this year too, ey?

[Pokechop]

Originally Posted by gorrilla

1557 will see you there


it going to be so super crazy...


a bunch of good looking rookie teams this year too, ey?

lol ill say, although so far i havent really seen a team that doesnt look good, this year looks promising in the way that everyones got a really awesome bot, and that it will be a challenge more so this year than before. Cant wait xD

[DarkFlame145]

Less then 2 weeks and we get to see the Trio in action. I am very excited, not only for my first Florida Regional (and first Regional with 1902), but my best friend and fellow Alumni of 145 is coming down and will be here for it.

[sxysweed]

I have a few action shots from Saturday, I'll get them loaded asap...