Does your team use Laptops for Scouting?

[Kims Robot]

I wanted to get a feel for how many teams use Laptops for scouting.

This has happened to us before, but it came up this last weekend in Boston. We were told on Saturday that we were NOT allowed to use arena power to run our scouting anywhere in the stands. They were gracious about it (Thursday we were on a table, and they told us that was ok Thurs, but said they would need that area for VIPs so we could use power in the stands on Friday, Friday we ran all day from seats just below the power drop).

However, it was sad, especially because we had so many students that really like scouting this year, and they are happy to be a part of providing the team data, they feel involved & helpful. Since we hadn't planned for it, we didn't have a paper method available.

There used to be a rule in the events section that said "no power cords" can be run in the stands. This year it just talks about scouting, but no real regulations surrounding it. We understand that different venue's have different rules, but I would like to gather some data and write a letter to FIRST suggesting they implement something like Mikell's suggestion, putting in the rulebook that teams can work with the event, and/or FIRST can ask all of the events to arrange for a "scouting section". Or at least have it in the event documents.

So if you could, take a minute to reply to the poll and reply to the thread with which Regionals you have/haven't had problems with getting power.

For us I know:
Finger Lakes - allowed to use power, as long as cords are run into the stands.
Boston - not allowed to use power "technically" though were able to Thurs/Fri.
Chesapeake (old venue) - limited area semi-far from field had power available

[Drivencrazy]

Like you said it is almost completely dependent on the facility and where you are therein. At some regionals there are outlets in the stands and in others there aren't.

Our team runs scouting by having several scouts gather data on paper. The paper is then given to one person on a laptop. The person with the laptop enters the data into a spred sheet and we do what we wish with it.

With this setup we are able to run the laptop on its battery and then when we need to charge it we have a power inverter with one of our practice robot batteries.

This is a way to cope with a lack of power but a designated area for scouting with power would be a fantastic idea.

[BrendanB]

Our team has had no issues with power at GSR for the one laptop we use to compile data from paper scouting. We experimented with a bunch of netbooks at GSR and used our traditional paper scouting because the netbook program wasn't done and was only being tested at GSR to compile data. For NCR and Atlanta we are planning to switch to full laptop scouting with paper ready as a backup. What is harder for us is that our laptops have no batteries and need power (but they were inexpensive without a battery)!

[Chickenonastick]

We use laptops for compiling the final scouting data of the day.

[Jon Stratis]

We use a hybrid paper/laptop system - everything is entered on paper, then copied from there into a scouting program. We'd like to get away from paper entirely, but don't have 6 laptops to use for input (we find that one person per robot is needed, maybe more depending on the game, to get good data).

We haven't had a problem with this system in Kansas City, St. Louis, or 10000 Lakes. The laptop we use can last almost a full day on battery power, which helps in the stands as we usually can't find outlets. But we can set up in the halls behind the stands (usually 1+ laptops out there, plus a printer) without a problem.

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by eagle33199

We use a hybrid paper/laptop system - everything is entered on paper, then copied from there into a scouting program. We'd like to get away from paper entirely, but don't have 6 laptops to use for input (we find that one person per robot is needed, maybe more depending on the game, to get good data).

We haven't had a problem with this system in Kansas City, St. Louis, or 10000 Lakes. The laptop we use can last almost a full day on battery power, which helps in the stands as we usually can't find outlets. But we can set up in the halls behind the stands (usually 1+ laptops out there, plus a printer) without a problem.

Our got a ton of these on ebay and sorted out ones that had issues and the ones left over work great for the individual scouts and the compiler machine is a bit more advanced! And they are very low costing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/COMPAQ-ARMADA-M3...#ht_500wt_1182

[XaulZan11]

In the past we have asked the venues ahead of time if we would have access to power in the stands, under the impression that it is better to know for sure than be told we cannot without a backup plan. I believe none of the events (Wisconsin, Midwest, and Atlanta) said we would for sure have access to power. Some said no, citing that extension cords running to the stands are not safe. It is always frustrating to see teams still do this...

This year and back in 2007 and 2008 we have scouted on paper and then input all the data into a single laptop.

[Joe Ross]

We use a single laptop, powered by an inverter run off of old robot batteries.

[Graham Donaldson]

1676 uses 6 laptops for scouting (one scout to a team, each with a laptop) that are hardwired (no wi-fi ) to a router.That in turn is connected to the central "admin" computer, where someone double-checks basic information (who won, who lost, score, etc... - it's crazy just how often scouts mess up the simple stuff) and ensures each scout has submitten their record.

Scouts input data into a web page (coded in PHP) local to the server computer, and each record is submitted to the central database (which can print out the records for up to 3 teams on one form - perfect for gathering alliance data). These sheets can be printed out on the printer we have with us.

Additionally, this year we used a 900 MHz transmitter to send the data between the stands and the pits (no, it doesn't violate any rules, that's why we chose it - it's really useful when a team sponsor's company sets up wireless networks ) so that we could access the database on the computer and monitor down there.

It's definitely quite an elaborate setup - we do require power cords in the stands, and have never had problems setting them up at regionals we've attended (NJ '07-'10, Palmetto in '06 and '09, Buckeye in '07, GTR in '08, VCU in '10, and Champs '07-'10). We're always very careful about taping the cords down to the corners of the wall & floor so no one trips on them, and only use one of the arena outlets. At least at NJ, I can attest that we're not the only ones using this setup - multiple other teams have scouting desks in the stands.

[shameless plug] If anyone is interested in using our intraweb scouting system (it can be run with just one laptop - the admin comp woud just input whatever was written down onto paper sheets by the scouts), PM me and I'll help work with the team to get you set up with it. [/shameless plug]

[Dancin103]

Our teams scouts for the longest time have done everything by hand on paper. This year they wanted to give their hand in the laptop program for scouting. They picked it up for about fifteen minutes and said they did not like it and went right back to the good old paper and pencil method. I could understand them completely. That's what I would do.

[Meredith Novak]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

We use a single laptop, powered by an inverter run off of old robot batteries.

Ditto that. One of our events wouldn't let us use power because it was "unsafe." I wonder what they would have thought of the old 12v and inverter.

[Kims Robot]

Originally Posted by Dancin103

Our teams scouts for the longest time have done everything by hand on paper. This year they wanted to give their hand in the laptop program for scouting. They picked it up for about fifteen minutes and said they did not like it and went right back to the good old paper and pencil method. I could understand them completely. That's what I would do.

Haha we feel exactly the opposite. The first year one of our mentors developed this beautiful labview frontend that fed into a database. Once we realized that we could so easily manipulate the data in a database we were hooked. It made pre-match strategy and alliance selection analysis soooo much simpler. Plus the students love computers, so it was an outlet that let them use computers. If we made them use an excel sheet or something I'm sure it wouldn't be the same.

We like 1676 use 6 laptops and a master (though our master is for data collection & analysis only - for getting data for our pre-match strategy sheets)

[kirtar]

What we had planned to do is have 6 laptops connected to a server. At Boilermaker, we somewhat cheated because we had access to Purdue Airlink, and therefore could go through the internet without technically breaking any rules (we did not establish any networks, but rather accessed an existing one). We did not get power there as power is not allowed on the bleachers (fortunately, three people on the team have laptops with identical batteries).

At Buckeye, we were able to run power which was taped down to prevent tripping. We ran a server and three laptops as well as a camera.

At the Championship, I am not planning on having power although it would certainly be welcome (often the outlets are hard to come by). In addition, because of the limited number of people that we are taking, the system we used in the previous competitions is not viable. What will likely happen is just text comments being entered onto a computer for sorting purposes (and battery switching or use of an inverter).

[Koko Ed]

My team is using a Wii with their laptops for scouting this year.
I heard the kids love it.

[rulesall2]

We use the scouting system developed by 842 in the stands. The Wii motes are preferred over paper by all of our scouts. Unfortunately, during the course of the WPI regional our laptop battery ran out quite a few times, however we just bought an inverter to prevent this.

I know that team 20 developed an iPhone/iTouch app to scout and the data is transfered to a master computer at some point using a standard USB iPod cord. That is by far the coolest system I have seen so far. I also know that 1726 writes a program for the Nintendo DS that is also very effective in collecting data.

I find the best method is a method your scouts find painless and is easily assembled based on your budget and willingness to develop a system for you. Personally 842's system is simple and reliable, so thanks to you guys. I am interested in knowing how to get data straight to the pits.