pic: IRI Prank #1

[GaryVoshol]

You know you've been involved with robotics too long when you see a remote-controlled traffic barrel coming up behind people and honking - and it doens't faze you.

[jtdowney]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

You know you've been involved with robotics too long when you see a remote-controlled traffic barrel coming up behind people and honking - and it doens't faze you.

And you have been in way to long when the fact that the same barrel ended up saran wrapped to a bench doesn't faze you either.

[AndyB]

I heard 1114 had their robot saran wrapped during the alliance selections. Never saw a picture though.

[RyanN]

Originally Posted by AndyB

I heard 1114 had their robot saran wrapped during the alliance selections. Never saw a picture though.

It was. It was right near our pit. I was scared to start packing everything up because we had a large roll of saran wrap to pack everything up with. It was not us though.

[Karibou]

Whenever they need a steady supply of traffic barrels, they're welcome to come to Grosse Pointe and take all of ours =]

But why Saran wrap it to a bench? Of all the other things that it could be wrapped to (Andy Baker ( ), a trackball, etc), you had to choose a bench.

[Dan Petrovic]

Originally Posted by Karibou

Whenever they need a steady supply of traffic barrels, they're welcome to come to Grosse Pointe and take all of ours =]

But why Saran wrap it to a bench? Of all the other things that it could be wrapped to (Andy Baker ( ), a trackball, etc), you had to choose a bench.

Well, the bench wasn't occupied. It wasn't busy, like Andy Baker. It wasn't difficult to work with, like a track ball.

It also made it really easy to carry it to 1024's pit when we were finished.

[Andrew141WOBOT]

I wondered why it was stuck to a bench. That thing hit me coming back from a match

[JVN]

Originally Posted by AndyB

I heard 1114 had their robot saran wrapped during the alliance selections. Never saw a picture though.

Yes, I saw the result of this. Personally I believe this was way out of line. Pranks are all well and good, but in my opinion you should NOT be messing with another team's robot without their permission. ESPECIALLY right before eliminations.

Not funny.

-John

[Cory]

Originally Posted by JVN

Yes, I saw the result of this. Personally I believe this was way out of line. Pranks are all well and good, but in my opinion you should NOT be messing with another team's robot without their permission. ESPECIALLY right before eliminations.

Not funny.

-John

I agree. I walked by while looking for some parts to fix our bot with, and saw some people wrapping it. I would not be happy if random people took my robot out of it's pit and started screwing with it.

[IndySam]

Originally Posted by JVN

Yes, I saw the result of this. Personally I believe this was way out of line. Pranks are all well and good, but in my opinion you should NOT be messing with another team's robot without their permission. ESPECIALLY right before eliminations.

Not funny.

-John

I'm with you John. If that had been my robot someone would have had a stern talking too.

[Lowfategg]

Originally Posted by JVN

Yes, I saw the result of this. Personally I believe this was way out of line. Pranks are all well and good, but in my opinion you should NOT be messing with another team's robot without their permission. ESPECIALLY right before eliminations.

Not funny.

-John

I agree. No one should be playing with other peoples robots unless the team that owns the robot is asked first.

[Ryan Dognaux]

I'm glad someone wrapped up that cone, it was funny for about the first ten minutes and then I was just annoyed the rest of the weekend by it.

[Qbranch]

Wow... I'm amazed at how much exposure Albert the Road Barrel got...

Sorry we didn't have his fully autonomous mode done in time for IRI... eventually he's getting an array of eight or more ultrasonic sensors around his base... plan is to either give him a route to follow and just stop if somebody comes up to him (using our 2008 robot's championship-rockwell-automation-innovation-in-control-award-winning autonomous navigation software... had to throw that last part in there ), or just have him run away from people.

Originally Posted by InfernoX14

Well, the bench wasn't occupied. It wasn't busy, like Andy Baker. It wasn't difficult to work with, like a track ball.

It also made it really easy to carry it to 1024's pit when we were finished.

Oh gosh... if you all tried to saran wrap it to any baker he'd probably just order his '05 kitbot transmissions to stop... however the trackball is interesting...

...and yes, I thought it was hillarious when Albert showed up on a bench.

I didn't really think the LED display getting saran wrapped was too funny though... it had a pretty penny worth of parts in it...

Originally Posted by Andrew141WOBOT

I wondered why it was stuck to a bench. That thing hit me coming back from a match

Sorry, but we didn't give albert a keyed switch to turn on, so it was pretty easy for anyone to grab the controller, unplug the charger, and go. Unfortunately, some of the people that drove Albert were very obnoxious. Sorry, but not much I can do about that.

As far as I know, I think I'm clean at least... I don't remember hitting anyone.

Originally Posted by Ryan Dognaux

I'm glad someone wrapped up that cone, it was funny for about the first ten minutes and then I was just annoyed the rest of the weekend by it.

Again, sorry some people layed on the horn... but yes it is a good tool to pull off a gag... you should have seen when some 1024-ers took it over to a road construction site (on Keystone, I believe) and put it in the row with the rest of the road barrels... they say they got somebody to do a U-turn just by spinning it in circles and honking the horn while operating it from behind a new jersy barrier. Before you ask, yes I've asked for a video many times... if I get one, I'll be sure to post.

-q

[JaneYoung]

Again, sorry some people layed on the horn... but yes it is a good tool to pull off a gag... you should have seen when some 1024-ers took it over to a road construction site (on Keystone, I believe) and put it in the row with the rest of the road barrels... they say they got somebody to do a U-turn just by spinning it in circles and honking the horn while operating it from behind a new jersy barrier.

That sounds like a Candid Camera moment.

Talent Show, Q, Talent Show. Albert could assist the master of ceremonies. or...Fishboy and Albert the Road Barrel, Taking It On The Road....

Or.... Albert, The Latte Barrel.

Or ... if only Albert Had A Hammer

ok, I'll stop. Well, writing but not thinking. I can't believe I missed seeing this little guy. *sigh*

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by Lowfategg

I agree. No one should be playing with other peoples robots unless the team that owns the robot is asked first.

1114 was already pranked that weekend on Thursday night by professional pranksters.
Saturday was just amateur hour IMHO.
The difference between the Thursday night pranking & the Saturday pranking was that members of 1114 were in on the prank (aka: bot-napping) on Thursday, & obviously were asked before hand.

Pranking is funny but only to a limit of course.

The cone prank (which I didn't see but would have liked to in person) was just great! There's a HUGE difference in pranking a side project & a competitive robot while at an event as well.
That's just funny right there what they did to the cone-bot. lol