pic: Team 148 - Robowranglers 2010 - Armadillo

[Aren_Hill]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

Hey everyone, you don't have to try to beat teams like 148 and 217 (and teams like 67, 1114, 45, etc. - whatever they come up with).

aww but thats the fun part

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

Hey everyone, you don't have to try to beat teams like 148 and 217 (and teams like 67, 1114, 45, etc. - whatever they come up with). All you have to do is be good enough that they want you on their alliance.

You've seen this; now think of what can you do to complement them, not try to oppose them. And give a few compliments along the line too.

Shh, you're spoiling my backup plan.

Every set of fingers needs a thumb...

[Racer26]

Agree. If you can't beat them, join them!

This year's tournament structure (with the weird seeding points none of us are used to), could yield a very different outcome than we're all used to.

It means that someone different could end up on top of the standings, and pick one of these powerhouses (148,217,1114,910,67,45,2056,etc) and upset their normal balance (for instance, the 1114/2056 perennial duo).

[Kims Robot]

Originally Posted by Dmentor

I’m progressing well this year through what I think of as the FRC equivalent of the Kübler-Ross model (commonly known as the five stages of grief). I imagine that there are many other folks going through this as well and hopefully we won’t dwell too much more on the negative aspects.

I think I did the exact same thing!!

But then I had thought's similar to Travis's

Originally Posted by Travis Hoffman

Don't cry [even virtual tears!] - everything's relative. 148 maximizes the output they get from the plentiful input resources they have, including human. If the output your team generates relative to your team's available inputs is near the same ratio as theirs, be proud of that achievement, as your results are no less impressive.

And Finally I went to look at the "older" robots from 148 & 217:
http://www.robowranglers.com/history/
http://www.thunderchickens.org/ (click on robots)

And realized that looking back to their first few years, they had silly little aluminum bar and PVC robots like the rest of us... 148 has been building & learning since 1992, 217 has been building & learning since 1999, thats 29 years of experience combined!! Why do I mention this? because they are doing what we all should... CONSTANTLY strive to be better every year. You can see it in the progression of their robots, and they came up with the idea of sharing that experience across teams. You can do infinitely better if you dont try to take on all of the work yourself and if you learn from other people's successes and mistakes as well as your own. I'm not saying all teams should co-operate, but for any of you that get that hit of jealousy that I did, just sit back and realize that we ALL can do this too... if we just strive to be better every year. Don't have the resources? GO FIND THEM!! If 1114 can get parts made in Texas, why cant an MD team get parts from CA?? Find resources, find really good engineering mentors, find money, constantly try to do better and do more, have patience, PRACTICE, and you CAN be 148 or 217 Use your jealousy as inspiration if you must!

But before you get stuck in the depression stage realize we are all inspiring kids... I bet those kids that took forever to mill a keyway will remember that for the rest of their lives, and are no less inspired. They may not have gained the depth or breadth of experience that a 148 student does, but our point is to get them to WANT to... to head off to college wanting to be THAT good.

Congrats to 148 & 217 for setting a really high bar for the rest of us

[nikeairmancurry]

Quick question Paul.. I was looking at the dates in which 148 and 217 are competing. Does this mean that for 5 straight weeks your going to be right in the middle of inferno of this game?

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by nikeairmancurry

Quick question Paul.. I was looking at the dates in which 148 and 217 are competing. Does this mean that for 5 straight weeks your going to be right in the middle of inferno of this game?

There's another Copioli behind the glass this year.

[galewind]

Can anyone from 148 get this up on Google video or put it on your site directly? Youtube is blocked from our school.

[Racer26]

Paul has historically joined us Canadians in Wk 4 at Waterloo Regional... I wonder if we're going to see him there paired up with Karthik as our emcees.

[Coach Tom]

Pinching a 9 inch soccer ball at two points within the allowable 2/3 portion is very tricky indeed. Just holding a soccer ball with two tacky parallel cylinders is not easy. We found balancing the "dynamic" forces is very difficult (air pressure in the ball, static and rolling friction, etc.). Although I do not have a PhD in Physics, I am convinced that simple force diagrams will not capture all the variables - especially when the robot is moving. Experimental confirmation is key here.

During our prototyping, we could not find that delicate (favorable) force balance required for an approach like yours. It appears that you found the sweet spot. Congratulations.
-- to all other teams, "there is another". Looking forward the NJ.

-------

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

With regards to the ball magnet, think of it this way:

If the normal force between the ball and the floor is less than the normal force generated between the ball and the "magnets", then the ball will stay possessed by the robot. This doesn't mean the normal force between the ball and the floor is zero.

The instance you see in the video near the goal was an implementation issue that has already been resolved. The ball will always be touching the floor when the magnet is on.

I can tell you this: we (148 + 217) created the ball magnet concept using only 9th grade geometry and 11th grade physics (1st semester).

[Redo91]

Very nice robot. I am glad I will get to see it at the Dallas Regional.

Seeing that drive train brings back memories from Rack n' Roll.

[darkangel]

Wow...just, wow...

You just put a good portion of a rookie team into shock and awe. I'm really impressed. A killer robot and a killer drive team, and that hanging mechanism is brilliant. The amount of work and teamwork this took must be astounding. I can't wait to see this in action, either over webcast or if we qualify for and go to Atlanta. Wonder how many teams are already making strategies against you guys.

[Paul Copioli]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

There's another Copioli behind the glass this year.

Yep. My brother Mike will be behind the glass for 217 this year. He has coached at IRI for the last two years so he has a lot of experience behind the glass. 217 historically practices every day after ship with the practice bot (think like a sports team here) so it was not fair to this year's drive team to not have that practice time with the actual drive coach. Besides, Mike is a better coach than I am as he keeps his cool much, much better than I do.

Originally Posted by nikeairmancurry

Quick question Paul.. I was looking at the dates in which 148 and 217 are competing. Does this mean that for 5 straight weeks your going to be right in the middle of inferno of this game?

I will be at FLR with 217 on week 1, Cass Tech with 217 week 2, Dallas with 148 week 3, week 4 off, and week 5 with 148 in Dallas. I am really upset that Michigan State Championship is not week 6 this year.

Originally Posted by 1075guy

Paul has historically joined us Canadians in Wk 4 at Waterloo Regional... I wonder if we're going to see him there paired up with Karthik as our emcees.

Not this year. I have this little thing called the VEX Robotics Competition that we have in 20 countries all over the world. Week 4 I have to be in New Zealand (yep, the country) for their country's championship. During week 4 this year I will miss my first team 217 match in 11 years. It will be a very somber day for me...

[roboticWanderor]

looks like some hefty machining went into the arm joint, no doubt donated by the thunder chickens? it looks similar to the hinge on their 2008 robot.
as for the drivetrain, the pnumatics dropping down the middle "strafe wheel" as you pull up your traction wheels gives this robot some fierce adaptability. don't expect to be able to pin 148 anyway similar to lone star 2009.
yet again, the robowranglers seem to make use of almost every motor in the kit, while still maintaining an elegant design. good work.

[Bochek]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

Not this year. I have this little thing called the VEX Robotics Competition that we have in 20 countries all over the world. Week 4 I have to be in New Zealand (yep, the country) for their country's championship. During week 4 this year I will miss my first team 217 match in 11 years. It will be a very somber day for me...

Possibly the wost news of my day... We will miss your play by play's!

[Jonathan Norris]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

Not this year. I have this little thing called the VEX Robotics Competition that we have in 20 countries all over the world. Week 4 I have to be in New Zealand (yep, the country) for their country's championship. During week 4 this year I will miss my first team 217 match in 11 years. It will be a very somber day for me...

That's too bad Paul, I've enjoyed giving you ideas to 'spice' up the announcing at Waterloo the last couple years. You and Karthik, plus some webcast input, was a dangerously fun combination. Not even sure yet if I'll be getting up to Waterloo for long this year.