Best Robot Ever 92-07 edition

[GMAdan]

i have to say 25's 2006 robot a record of up to 36-0 is amazing

[Rich Ross]

i wasn't around before 2003, so i cant really testify about any of the early games, but

The year was 2003, the robot was tie dye. WILDSTANG! I am willing to suggest that that robot was the best one ever.

[Guy Davidson]

I can only personally speak about 2006 and 2007, but in 2006 I nominate 25 and the alliance of 254/968 as the two most dominant design I've seen. The 25 design was almost flawless, with it's huge hopper, great turret, and outstanding driving. 254 and 968 had an even bigger hopper, also featured ground loading, and were absolutley amazing once they positioned (and later proved they can score even without their position).
For 2007, I say that 1114 and 330 had the best hybrids out there, followed by the 254/968 tandem. All four had the ability to put up massive scores by themselves, with or without defense, and all could also lift. As for ramp orientd bots, the machine out of 190 had the best engineered ramps I've seen. In fact, from my limited FIRST expeienced, those are probably the best engineerd FIRST components I have seen.

[Karthik]

If this question was on a test, it would be the easiest by far.

71 in 2001.

See these threads for my rationale.

[Steve Wherry]

#1) HOT in 2000.

The robot was awesome; could basically do forward and backward flips, and was very aesthetically pleasing. I went out of my way to watch every match that they were a part of and was amazed every time

#2) I'll agree with Andy Baker: Chief Delphi, also in 2000
It was the beginning of dominant crab drives...so smooth

[AcesPease]

A few more votes:

1997: 71 was truely amazing scoring faster and higher than most of us imagined possible.

1999: Our robot was pretty good that year

2002: 173 was harvesting balls so fast it was nearly impossible to keep up with them.

2006: I know they had some troubles in their regionals but 296 built a super bot and came through on the big field with some excellent partners: 217 and the best third pick of the year 522.

2007: The best year for alliances, no single robot dominated eleimination matches this year. Very Exciting for all of us.

[Dan Petrovic]

Originally Posted by AcesPease

2002: 173 was harvesting balls so fast it was nearly impossible to keep up with them.

95 harvested balls faster than anyone could have imagined

[JackN]

In every video I have ever seen, Team 71's 2002 robot looks completely dominate. It just blows my mind in terms of sweetness. But I was not around then, and the robots that I have seen that blow my mind are these

2005
233-This was the best robot that year. They did nothing wrong. Their speed, scoring ability and autonomous were amazing. Them not winning the championship that year was jaw dropping. The robot was truly unbelievable.

2006
25-The robot was a perfect machine. Never has any robot so dominantly played at regionals. Even Hammond didn't win two regionals in 02. The 25 bot was so good and effective at scoring that they went 36-0. Think about that, let it sink in. They won 36 straight matches. No one could do this ever again. This robot shocked me when I first got a chance to see it up close. It blew my mind

2007
1114-This was by far their best robot, even better than 06. They lost two qualifying matches all year. In a year that you could only win with two good partners, they beat everybody by themselves. I think they could out hang anyone in any match. No one could adequately defend them, thanks to their amazing quickness and strong drive train.

[Lil' Lavery]

I'm dead serious when I say, if it doesn't say 71 on the side, it probably shouldn't even be considered. Hammond's '97, '01, and '02 bots all come to mind as some of the most dominant ever. They haven't been to the national/championship semi-finals SIX times, FOUR times winning the event, by fluke. I'll break it down year-by-year for the past few just out of mercy for the others though.
While it may be too early to assess 2007 (IRI hasn't happened yet after all ), I think 330 put out the best machine this year. The Beachbot was as dominant as any team could be this year. Big useful ramps, powerful drive (with exceptional drivers), maneuverable, quick, could score through defense as well as anyone, lethal when left alone, semi-accurate autonomous (not bad for not using any sensors). And the results showed it, winning LA, San Diego, and Curie.
Raider Robotix in 2006 was dominant, but I personally like the 469 Aim High machine even more. Las Guerillas had the fastest rate of fire of any team, would hit a few in auto every round, an accurate turret, powerful drive, maneuverable with the drop-casters, ground loading, huge human loading hopper, and could score at will. They have a justifiable complaint that they should have AT LEAST been in the Curie finals if it weren't for a mistake by the refs (not counting an off-sides penalty against their opponents), and I personally believe they would have advanced to Einstein.
Triple Play is tough. So many teams put out great robots, with very few truly emerging from the crowd. I think the Pink machine barely edges out as the best from 2005 (sorry 217, 67, 254, 71, 118, etc.). 233 won Florida and Colorado (and IRI), and was absolutely spectacular. They could score as quickly and efficiently as anyone, had a killer autonomous that would load twice from the auto loader, could score very high, evade defense, and was just plain good.
So many good bots have graced the field over the years. The Killer Bees in 2004, the Poofs every year, the 2006 Triplets, Wildstang in 2002, Delphi in 2000, etc.
It's almost impossible to pick the best every, but if I had to, I'd say Beatty in 2002. That beast was just that, a BEAST. Team Hammond doesn't rack up the wins for nothing.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

...The Beachbot was as dominant as any team could be this year. ... semi-accurate autonomous (not bad for not using any sensors). ...

Let's see--2 continuous-turn pots on the drive and 1 10-turn pot for the arm, plus a gyro and (I think) 1-2 accelerometers. I think you mean no vision sensors. (Well, and no other really cool sensors.)

I think that the best robot overall is the one that works the way it is designed to. To further separate that is almost pointless, though I'll add that the best one is the one that inspires the most people.

[dtengineering]

Originally Posted by EricH

... I'll add that the best one is the one that inspires the most people.

Hmmm... perhaps we need to discriminate between the "Best" robot... and the "Greatest" robot of all time FIRST action. The Best Robot could be defined as the robot that was the most outstandingly dominant robot at the game it was designed to play, while the Greatest Robot would be the one that had the most lasting impact or influence and that inspired the most excitement and passion amongst those watching.

I can't help but think that someone... somewhere... brought the first mecanum drive machine to a FIRST competition... or the first two (or three or four) speed gearbox... and used those techniques to achieve competitive success.

I know that one of my all time favorites was 1241's rookie machine in 2004 that would position itself underneath the rack holding the balls, and then open up and catch 80% or so of them as they fell, deliver them to the human player and then... once the goal was filled up... cap it with the doubling ball.

In all-time FIRST action, no... not the best robot, perhaps... but as we were rookies that year too it really opened my eyes to the number of different ways that you could play the game (especially when an opponent stuffed a doubling ball into their hopper, blocking them from catching the balls). It has probably had as much of a lasting inspiration or influence on me as any other machine. (Although 33 was pretty darn good that year, too.)

Jason

P.S. As for the comment that 1114 "only lost two qualifying matches this year" earlier in the thread.... one of those was when their radio suffered an inexplicable glitch leaving them dead-on-the-carpet for over half the match.

[Cory]

My best list, from 2001 to present--

2001: 71, 254
2002 60, 71, 469, 173, 121, 16
2003: 111, 25, 469
2004: 254, 60, 45, 469, 33
2005: 67, 254, 217, 56, 330
2006: 1114, 469, 217, 111
2007: 330, 1114, 233, 148

Normally I wouldn't list my own team, but prior to joining 254 in 2006 they would have held the same position(s) on my list as they do now.

[MattB703]

I can't believe there hasn't been a single vote for 1114 in 2004. I know it wasn't the most dominant robot of the year, but it definately has my vote for the biggest "cool factor".

ps
I also have to agree with cheifdelphi 2000, and 71 in 2001.

[xzvrw2]

i was going to put them up there on my "if it wasnt for these teams" post but i only wanted to put up a couple teams per year. i could list all of the ones i think were like that but it would be a very long list.

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by MattB703

I can't believe there hasn't been a single vote for 1114 in 2004. I know it wasn't the most dominant robot of the year, but it definately has my vote for the biggest "cool factor".

That robot was definitely awesome, but i dont think it can take "best robot ever"....


Ive got to give it to Beatty of '02..

I choose not to give it to Beatty of '01 because Beatty of '02 competed against other robots (not saying what 71 did in 01 was not impressive).

What impressed me most about Beatty of '02 was not their robot (not that their machine was flawed, which it was nearly flawless)..but how they so perfectly heard the game and predicted winning was in the goals.

Its a very bold move to say ok, we want our robot to move 30 feet....the entire match, but we're gonna do it so perfectly no one can stop us.

Their strategy combined with amazing engineering wins them best robot ever in my eyes...71 in '02