The Robonauts 118 - 2013 Video

[Nathan Streeter]

Originally Posted by makahn64

If you had to build this robot in the real world it would cost a lot more than $4K.

I doubt the BOM for this robot would be excessive at all - and actually may be quite a bit less than many teams'! FIRST says donated parts (sheets of aluminum laser cut and bent to shape by sponsors) don't count in the cost roll-up... In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Apex had a lower total at the bottom of their BOM than most teams that buy more parts, gearboxes, etc....

FIRST encourages teams to partner with companies and individuals to spread FIRST and elevate the quality of robots and level of play. If you disagree with this, feel free to find one of the dozens of threads about "FRC team philosophy" and take your side... this thread isn't the right place.

[barn34]

Originally Posted by makahn64

I guess I'd like to see a bill of materials. If you had to build this robot in the real world it would cost a lot more than $4K. IMHO it's about time FRC started leveling the playing field for teams that don't have a NASA facility to build the robot for them.

I'm sorry, but I am so sick of this crap. It's obvious these students and mentors put in a lot of work designing and building this incredible machine. They do it every year. There's no doubt the students have been inspired by this creation (not just 118s, but obviously students from every team that's seen this amazing video...just look at the last 128 comments for proof). And it's not just the students that get inspired by them either. I'm a professional engineer and I'm inspired by this. It's not just this year either, it's year after year. In that respect, 118 embodies everything this entire program is supposed to be about: INSPIRATION. Respect that. Acknowledge that. Support that.

[ttakashima]

Originally Posted by makahn64

I guess I'd like to see a bill of materials. If you had to build this robot in the real world it would cost a lot more than $4K. IMHO it's about time FRC started leveling the playing field for teams that don't have a NASA facility to build the robot for them.

I see a lot of parts on 118's robot after watching their video 10 or 15 times that could be considered cheap or free..... Pneumatics-Donated (3), Sensors PDV+Andymark FIRST Choice, Their White plastic material could probably bought for under 200 bucks, sheet aluminum 1/8 wall 4x12 ft for us in hawaii is only $470, manufacture time does not count into their BOM because NASA is a recognized sponsor, electronics can technically mostly be FIRST Choice/KOP, motors FIRST Choice and VEX donation.....

$4000 now looks like a lot doesnt it?

A great usage of KOP items imo....

I would like to add that 118s robot is probably cheaper than our bot and we had a build budget of only $2000 + KOP parts/electronics...

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by makahn64

I guess I'd like to see a bill of materials. If you had to build this robot in the real world it would cost a lot more than $4K. IMHO it's about time FRC started leveling the playing field for teams that don't have a NASA facility to build the robot for them.

... Seriously?

Originally Posted by R14

The BOM cost of each non-KOP item must be calculated based on the unit fair market value for the material and/or labor, except for labor provided by team members (including sponsor employees who are members of the team) and shipping.

By your logic, there is no team in FRC that would be able to field a legal robot. Assuming a team purchased nothing to build their robot, then they would be left with $4,000 to put towards man power. Even at federal minimum wage, this works out to ~550 man hours... I'm confident that every machine that you'll see on the field this year has more time into it than that.

Even if we ignore man power and consider the machines used, I'd say that you'd still be hard pressed to find a machine that didn't have more than $4,000 in billable machine use/time. (Seems like even smaller/newer teams have a minimum of $2k-3k in tools)

[coalhot]

Originally Posted by makahn64

I guess I'd like to see a bill of materials. If you had to build this robot in the real world it would cost a lot more than $4K. IMHO it's about time FRC started leveling the playing field for teams that don't have a NASA facility to build the robot for them.

Can we not have this discussion here? It's a topic that's been beaten to death already, do a quick search on CD and you'll see. Plainly, I'm quite sick of it. How can you draw any conclusion without actually looking at the robot? 3 minutes of video isn't really much to make conclusions off of. Please. Make another thread if you want to gripe about it.

Props to 118. I've followed their robots over the years, this is the most impressive one I've seen to date. However, I'm predicting there will be robots that can match it. I'll be watching the webcasts intently.

[nathannfm]

I don't care who built this robot, It's still amazing and should be an inspiration to us all.

[xSAWxBLADEx]

Originally Posted by nathannfm

I don't care who built this robot, It's still amazing and should be an inspiration to us all.

that's my opinion too! Every year, 118 inspires our team to dream for the stars, and land on mars. If 118 wasn't there we wouldn't be off the ground. Think about it every superstar has critics. Keep doing what you do 118.

[dcarr]

My cousin lives minutes from the Robonauts in Texas and I'm urging her to do whatever it takes to join this team in high school.

118 packs more inspiration into one video than practically anyone else.

[AllenGregoryIV]

Originally Posted by xSAWxBLADEx

*built
that's my opinion too! Every year, 118 inspires our team to dream for the stars, and land on mars. If 118 wasn't there we wouldn't be off the ground. Think about it every superstar has critics. Keep doing what you do 118.

I've been playing against a 118 robot every year for the past 11 years. Some times we come out ahead but most of the time we don't. However they are always fueling us to do more. My team spent more time this year than ever on our robot, we learned about new technologies and yes we spent more money. Part of the reason we did these things is we knew that we had to compete with the likes of 118 and 148 and that's a good thing. They don't set a bar for others to meet, they prove that there is no bar.

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by dcarr

My cousin lives minutes from the Robonauts in Texas and I'm urging her to do whatever it takes to join this team in high school.

118 packs more inspiration into one video than practically anyone else.

FYI, there's a fair number of other teams in the Houston area that aren't too shabby. Just in case she can't, you know, move to an entirely different school district just to be on 118.

[Jrat47]

wow!!!! you guys are going to be awesome!!!!

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by sdcantrell56

You should check out the cost of raw materials. If you make all your own components, robots become quite inexpensive.

This +1.

We did our own WCD this year. Since we did it ourselves from stock components (except the gearboxes, wheels & sprockets) it costs less than the kit bot drive train.

[Hjelstrom]

All I can say is wow! We've learned to anticipate 118's reveals and it definitely did not disappoint once again. Seemingly effortless full-court shooting, shooting from anywhere on the field, climbing, floor pickup, picking up 2 side-by-side discs, it seems to do almost everything extremely well. WOW!

[dcarr]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sevcik

FYI, there's a fair number of other teams in the Houston area that aren't too shabby. Just in case she can't, you know, move to an entirely different school district just to be on 118.

Haha, 57 would be good too Know what team Clear Lake High School would be part of?

[AllenGregoryIV]

Originally Posted by dcarr

Haha, 57 would be good too Know what team Clear Lake High School would be part of?

That would be the 118 system, as far as I know.