2011 Logomotion Mini Bots

[SuperS_5]

The NXT may be programmed in LabVIEW. There are libraries available, and it is easier to program then the cRIO. FRCmastery.com is the sister to FTCmastery.com. There are videos and help on both sites.

[Egg 3141592654]

I was thinking about this same issue. Wouldn't sapping power from the main robot to power the minibot eliminate the need to place batteries on the minibot? The rule people on our team are still looking this up, but still would be a good idea if legal (minimum code if at all, and super light).

[PSHRobotics]

Originally Posted by Egg 3141592654

I was thinking about this same issue. Wouldn't sapping power from the main robot to power the minibot eliminate the need to place batteries on the minibot? The rule people on our team are still looking this up, but still would be a good idea if legal (minimum code if at all, and super light).

How would you manage to have the minibot continue up the pole once it is disconnected from the main robot?

Also, LabView is pretty popular for FTC. The FTC section on CD has several teams that use it, including mine.
Now what I'm worried about is access to the libraries for FTC and FRC at the same time. My team has tried to install (last season, not this season) FRC's LabView directly over the version for FTC. The install always failed over three labtops. We had to completely remove everything related to FTC's LabView before installing FRC's LabView. Hopefully this will not be too big of a problem because an "FTC Toolkit" is released to use with LabView which should contain all the libraries for FTC. You can get the Toolkit off of USFirst.org's FTC Programming section in the "LabView Resources" link." Tomorrow, I will try installing the ToolKit over this FRC's LabView and then try to compile our most recent FTC code. I will post any problems or successes here.

[kamocat]

Originally Posted by PSHRobotics

How would you manage to have the minibot continue up the pole once it is disconnected from the main robot?

Also, LabView is pretty popular for FTC. The FTC section on CD has several teams that use it, including mine.
Now what I'm worried about is access to the libraries for FTC and FRC at the same time. My team has tried to install (last season, not this season) FRC's LabView directly over the version for FTC. The install always failed over three labtops. We had to completely remove everything related to FTC's LabView before installing FRC's LabView. Hopefully this will not be too big of a problem because an "FTC Toolkit" is released to use with LabView which should contain all the libraries for FTC. You can get the Toolkit off of USFirst.org's FTC Programming section in the "LabView Resources" link." Tomorrow, I will try installing the ToolKit over this FRC's LabView and then try to compile our most recent FTC code. I will post any problems or successes here.

Interesting you should have this problem.
I know this was an issue for FRC 2009 and FTC 2008/09, but since then FTC and FRC have used different versions of LabVIEW.
I just yesterday installed FRC LabVIEW on laptops with the FTC LabVIEW.
Could you PM me with more details of your issue?

[Egg 3141592654]

To answer all those who questioned how i would keep power to the robot, our team would use a really long wire and tether it to the robot. I thought I could make it like those old rc car power systems (except with no manual control). Just a thought.

[kamocat]

Minibots must not exceed a 12" x 12" x 12" volume.
Rule <G41>

[Egg 3141592654]

Originally Posted by kamocat

Minibots must not exceed a 12" x 12" x 12" volume.
Rule <G41>

That is what i was afraid of. It is a grey area in my book. Does the wire count as a part of the main robot or the minibot?

[nighterfighter]

Originally Posted by Egg 3141592654

That is what i was afraid of. It is a grey area in my book. Does the wire count as a part of the main robot or the minibot?

That wire would count as both.

The MINIBOT has to come OFF OF the HOSTBOT.

[kamocat]

Oh, then you're looking for a different rule:
<G19> after deployment, minibots must remain completely autonomous

<G22> Hostbots may not contact their alliance's minibot once it has climbed above the deployment line.

In summary, your minibot can not be powered by the robot once it climbs above 18 inches; its sources of mechanical power is effectively limited to stretched surgical tubing, the Tetrix battery, or inertia.

[Egg 3141592654]

Yeah, those rules basically kill the tethering idea all together. This forces the minibots to have battery packs/other bulky energy devices which weigh them down. Thanks for the input guys!

[PSHRobotics]

Originally Posted by PSHRobotics

How would you manage to have the minibot continue up the pole once it is disconnected from the main robot?

Also, LabView is pretty popular for FTC. The FTC section on CD has several teams that use it, including mine.
Now what I'm worried about is access to the libraries for FTC and FRC at the same time. My team has tried to install (last season, not this season) FRC's LabView directly over the version for FTC. The install always failed over three labtops. We had to completely remove everything related to FTC's LabView before installing FRC's LabView. Hopefully this will not be too big of a problem because an "FTC Toolkit" is released to use with LabView which should contain all the libraries for FTC. You can get the Toolkit off of USFirst.org's FTC Programming section in the "LabView Resources" link." Tomorrow, I will try installing the ToolKit over this FRC's LabView and then try to compile our most recent FTC code. I will post any problems or successes here.

I was unable to install the FTC toolkit on the FRC version of labview. I am unsure what steps my team will take for the future, but at the moment it seems like we will just have our team laptops for FRC and our personal laptops for FTC.

[Carter12s]

I have programed several NXT controllers with Labview in the past. The process is fairly easy and requires the NXT Toolkit available here http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/4435 . This toolkit provide easy and intuitive functionality within Labview for controlling motors, and reading sensors off of the NXT brick. While programming should not be required for the Minibot if any team feels it would help them, then this toolkit is a great starting point.

Good Luck!

[j.cole]

Just have a pull tab on the minibot that is connected to the main bot so that once the minibot is a certain distance from the mainbot the tabs disconnect and the motors start.

[nighterfighter]

Originally Posted by Egg 3141592654

I was thinking about this same issue. Wouldn't sapping power from the main robot to power the minibot eliminate the need to place batteries on the minibot? The rule people on our team are still looking this up, but still would be a good idea if legal (minimum code if at all, and super light).

How is the minibot going to retain power? Super-caps?