Auxillary sessions at kickoff

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Posted by Joe Johnson.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 12/8/2000 10:05 AM MST



Hi all,

Is there any interest among the general FIRST population for a couple of auxilary sessions on the Friday before the kickoff?

FIRST has published their 'official' schedule.

The usual suspects are in the lineup (including the Rookie Camp that the Chief Delphi team has pulled together for a number of years now).

To my mind, there are 2 topics that could really used more thorough coverage.

Practical Robot Programming, and

Choose the Right Motor for the Job.

As to the first topic, this is tangentially covered by two topics that are already on the agenda: the Innovation First seminar and the Parallax seminar.

I have not attended either, but it is my understanding that the first one focuses more on the basics of wiring up your FIRST controller than on programming and that the second one focuses on PBASIC in the class room concepts.

What I am proposing are very practical issues like:
. feedback loops as means of obtaining smooth robot arm motion,
. the consequences of 16 bit unsigned math
. ways to conserve RAM and ROM space
. the dangers of Debug statements
. scaling potentiometer values
. scaling PWM output values
. 'MIN 0' and other useless statements
. timing issues -- ways to tell if you are close to the edge
. pot calibration and adjustment
. practical magic
. etc.

As to the motor selection seminar, FIRST this is a very important topic but it is not included in any of the FIRST seminars or other FIRST aids.

So...

Bottom line: If you are interested in either of these topics and would send someone to such a seminar, respond to the appropriate message below. If we there is enough interest, we will work on a place to have them. If not, we will not.

Joe J.

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Posted by Joe Johnson.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 12/8/2000 10:08 AM MST


In Reply to: Auxillary sessions at kickoff posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 10:05 AM MST:



Respond to this message if you are interested in a PRACTICAL PROGRAMMING seminar

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Posted by Mike Gray.

Engineer on team HOT from Huron Valley Schools sponsored by GM Milford Proving Ground.

Posted on 12/8/2000 11:37 AM MST


In Reply to: Respond here to attend PRACTICAL PROGRAMMING posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 10:08 AM MST:



Whose gonna teach it?

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Posted by Joe Johnson.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 12/8/2000 9:43 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: Sounds good to me. posted by Mike Gray on 12/8/2000 11:37 AM MST:



Whose gonna teach it?

Mike Gray if he wants to!

I am only an M.E. hacking my way through as best as I can. If you want to help out or teach it all, Mike, I will differ to the Master.

Seriously though, I had planned on teaching it, but I will take any help I can get. Are you interested?

Joe J.

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Posted by Mike Gray.

Engineer on team HOT from Huron Valley Schools sponsored by GM Milford Proving Ground.

Posted on 12/11/2000 7:41 AM MST


In Reply to: Mike Gray, if he wants to! posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 9:43 PM MST:



I'm happy to help wherever I can, but Dr. Joe is the Master!
You view the machine as a system, and I can learn from you.

I did a seminar on PBASIC and logical operators in Lordstown last year.
As usually happens, the computer folks gravitated toward programming while
others sat stunned, wondering why anybody would change the default code.

Your seminar is a great way to emphasize the importance of knowing the merits and limits of
PBASIC before designing a robot. The result will be better robots every season, and that means
a better experience for participants and spectators alike.

A tremendous amount can be accomplished in PBASIC, but we need to be very creative.
I look forward to the seminar.

Mike

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Posted by Lora Knepper.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Other on team #419, Rambots, from UMass Boston / Boston College High School and Seeking Sponsorship.

Posted on 12/8/2000 3:05 PM MST


In Reply to: Respond here to attend PRACTICAL PROGRAMMING posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 10:08 AM MST:



I'd sign up for this too as long as it was not at the same time as the motor one....assuming either happens.

~Lora

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Posted by S. Krussell.

Coach on team #349, Robahamas, from International Academy and Ford Motor Co..

Posted on 12/9/2000 6:57 AM MST


In Reply to: Respond here to attend PRACTICAL PROGRAMMING posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 10:08 AM MST:



Definitely interested in attending Practical Programming. Susan Krussell

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Posted by Ken York.

Engineer on team #476, Adidarons, from Ponca City High School and Conoco Inc..

Posted on 12/9/2000 1:42 PM MST


In Reply to: Respond here to attend PRACTICAL PROGRAMMING posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 10:08 AM MST:



: Respond to this message if you are interested in a PRACTICAL PROGRAMMING seminar

Definitely would be a big help..

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Posted by Jason Rudolph.

Other on team #459, , from University of Florida/Eastside High School and .

Posted on 12/10/2000 12:13 PM MST


In Reply to: Respond here to attend PRACTICAL PROGRAMMING posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 10:08 AM MST:



: Respond to this message if you are interested in a PRACTICAL PROGRAMMING seminar

VERY interested in this.
Jason

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Posted by Raul.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #111, Wildstang, from Rolling Meadows & Wheeling HS and Motorola.

Posted on 12/10/2000 1:40 PM MST


In Reply to: Respond here to attend PRACTICAL PROGRAMMING posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 10:08 AM MST:



Joe,

I cannot attend the kickoff and Dan is not arriving until late Friday. So would it be possible for you to post the slides you present at the seminar on the Delphi White Papers site?

Raul

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Posted by Joe Johnson.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 12/10/2000 2:41 PM MST


In Reply to: Slides as White Paper? posted by Raul on 12/10/2000 1:40 PM MST:



Raul,

We were planning on posting the slides.

I don't know that anything we discuss will be news to WildStang, but perhaps others would be interested.

Joe J.

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Posted by Clifford Cary.

Coach on team #95, Upper Valley Robotics Team, from Lebanon High School, Lebanon, NH and Lebanon School Board.

Posted on 12/13/2000 5:52 AM MST


In Reply to: Respond here to attend PRACTICAL PROGRAMMING posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 10:08 AM MST:



I think we would send at least one person.

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Posted by Joe Johnson.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 12/8/2000 10:09 AM MST


In Reply to: Auxillary sessions at kickoff posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 10:05 AM MST:



Respond to this message if you are interested in a MOTOR SELECTION seminar

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Posted by Ken Leung.

Student on team #192, Gunn Robotics Team, from Henry M. Gunn Senior High School.

Posted on 12/8/2000 12:13 PM MST


In Reply to: Respond here to attend MOTOR SELECTION posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 10:09 AM MST:



: Respond to this message if you are interested in a MOTOR SELECTION seminar

The motor section sounds interesting enough for me to spend the time in it, especially when couple of FIRST seminars are Animation related (not exactly my first choice for workshops)

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Posted by Lora Knepper.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Other on team #419, Rambots, from UMass Boston / Boston College High School and Seeking Sponsorship.

Posted on 12/8/2000 3:04 PM MST


In Reply to: Respond here to attend MOTOR SELECTION posted by Joe Johnson on 12/8/2000 10:09 AM MST:



I'd be more than interested in attending Motor Selection.

~Lora