21-04-2009 17:29

Herodotus

Re: pic: Team IFI

Put any three of those bots together and you have yourself a scary alliance. Awesome picture.

21-04-2009 17:32

chaoticprout

Re: pic: Team IFI

Wow, 5 of my 10 favorite teams. Awesome picture, and telling of IFI as a whole

21-04-2009 17:33

hayleybayley217

Re: pic: Team IFI

i love that as you look down the line...
you go from straight faces... closer to a smile... then super cheery smiles from the Thunderchicken drive team

21-04-2009 17:43

David Sherman

Re: pic: Team IFI

I love this picture! This picture has some of the best minds in FIRST all together, not all of the best but quite a few. All these teams and their robots are examples of excellence in FIRST. I hope IFI uses this as a promotion, these teams choose the best and use the best. I hope IFI continues this kind of successful backing of FIRST teams.

21-04-2009 17:53

s_forbes

Re: pic: Team IFI

mmm... sheet metal....

It's cool to see these top teams sharing a sponsor; their robots are all beautifully designed and built, and it makes IFI look awesome (not that they didn't already). I wonder if we'll get to see more teams join the IFI Team in the future?

(and when is Team AndyMark going to start up? )

21-04-2009 17:59

Rick TYler

Re: pic: Team IFI

If I were running an FRC team that photo would make me afraid.

Is that Jason Morrella in the shades behind the Cheesy Poofs?

21-04-2009 18:01

Boron + Z

Re: pic: Team IFI

What's required to have IFI as a sponsor?

A mentor on the team who works for IFI?

21-04-2009 18:11

JasonV

Re: pic: Team IFI

Now this is a sweet background for the comp. Thank you IFI.

21-04-2009 18:15

EricH

Re: pic: Team IFI

I don't think so. I'm pretty sure that Jason has less hair than that. Whoever it is is wearing a Pink shirt and blue safety glasses.

21-04-2009 18:17

AdamHeard

Re: pic: Team IFI

Looks like Cory to me.

21-04-2009 18:19

hayleybayley217

Re: pic: Team IFI

yeah i believe thats Cory, some of the cheesy poof members were wearing pink shirts on thursday!

21-04-2009 18:26

Karthik

Re: pic: Team IFI

IFI has been a great sponsor of Team 1114 for the past two years. The Simbots have many great sponsors, but IFI is by far the "coolest". All of our successes over the past two years were made possible by the support from IFI. One of the neatest things about Team IFI is the support shown for each other by all the teams. When 217 was on Einstein, the other Team IFI members rallied together to provide strategy and scouting advice for the Thunderchickens. It was definitely a cool dynamic.

21-04-2009 18:28

Brandon Holley

Re: pic: Team IFI

5 very ridiculous robots and 5 very awesome teams.

21-04-2009 18:30

AlexD744

Re: pic: Team IFI

This is really really scary to look at. All these robots are so beautiful. (And the people look nice too). And what exactly is IFI?

21-04-2009 18:31

santosh

Re: pic: Team IFI

I just have a couple questions for yall. Do you guys each build 2 bots by chance to practice during the time between build and competition. Not only were your machines great, but all of your drivers were phenomenal! How long does it take for you guys to finish off your robots? The whole 6 or earlier?
I just figured I would ask since yall are 5 of the top teams in the world.
Congrats to all of yall

21-04-2009 18:33

Vikesrock

Re: pic: Team IFI

http://ifirobotics.com/

They make various robotics components including the control system used prior to this year as well as the Victor speed controllers and Spike relays.

21-04-2009 18:37

AdamHeard

Re: pic: Team IFI

Remember the control system with pretty much no boot up time?

That was IFI

21-04-2009 18:59

R.C.

Re: pic: Team IFI

Scary Alliances, not to mention Einstein Alliances.

21-04-2009 19:02

chaoticprout

Re: pic: Team IFI

No knock on 67, 111 and 971, but any 3 of these robots (even though the chances they would be allied is 0 until IRI possibly) would have won it all in my opinion.

21-04-2009 19:02

AlexD744

Re: pic: Team IFI

Now it makes sense.

Disclaimer: I am a freshman this year and no almost nothing about last years system.

21-04-2009 19:09

Greg Marra

Re: pic: Team IFI

Team 177 was also sponsored by IFI this year. They supplied 177 with some jumbo-size VEX-style frame elements.

21-04-2009 19:12

Lowfategg

Re: pic: Team IFI

We noticed.

Great group of robots and teams right there. Every team should work towards there example.

21-04-2009 19:27

MrForbes

Re: pic: Team IFI

My wild guess is that the first step would be to ask IFI if they would sponsor your team.

21-04-2009 19:33

EdwardP

Re: pic: Team IFI

I know 254 does, and I'm sure the others do as well.
If you have the resources to build a second robot, you really should. This is the first year 971 did it and it helped us immensely. I don't know that we would have won our regional without it.

21-04-2009 19:37

Andy L

Re: pic: Team IFI

or you know... nationals

21-04-2009 19:39

EdwardP

Re: pic: Team IFI

That too

21-04-2009 19:46

Chris Fultz

Re: pic: Team IFI

way cool.

sweeeet.

21-04-2009 20:49

Adam Freeman

Re: pic: Team IFI

When I saw this picture forming, I attempted to stop it before the nightmares could form in my head (and that was before 217 and 1114 showed up).

All of these teams and robots are incredible. I know friends on most of the teams (1114, 148, 2056, and 217). I need to meet with the 254 guys, b/c I love their designs. Their 2006 robot was the inspiration for our 2009 robot.

Anyways, to the quote above....before we formed our Championship alliance I would have agreed with you, but after working with 111 and 971...I'd have to disagree.

It would be one crazy match though.....

21-04-2009 20:54

EdwardP

Re: pic: Team IFI

That would have been something...

21-04-2009 20:58

Arefin Bari

Re: pic: Team IFI

Scared? Pffffffffttttttt... I would take on Karthik, Derek, Tyler, John, Cory, and Paul anyday...

... in my dreams.

21-04-2009 21:25

hayleybayley217

Re: pic: Team IFI

Yeah we have a practice bot as well so our drivers can stay up with strategy and get ready for the next competition. I believe 148 and 1114 do as well.

21-04-2009 21:33

waialua359

Re: pic: Team IFI

Yeah! WE certainly could see that from the halfway point of the Einstein field on the upper deck.

21-04-2009 21:35

waialua359

Re: pic: Team IFI

You mean 4 robots in all. Two red and Two blue ones.

21-04-2009 21:37

waialua359

Re: pic: Team IFI

I had heard that you folks practice on the Las Guerillas practice field from their team.

21-04-2009 21:44

EdwardP

Re: pic: Team IFI

Of course (I've never seen the red ones though) 254 was really great to practice against on their practice field at NASA. We couldn't have done it without them.

21-04-2009 21:47

waialua359

Re: pic: Team IFI

Just playing around. EJ had corrected me also at SVR.
By the way, congrats on winning. You must be STILL floating around in the clouds somewhere.

-Glenn

21-04-2009 21:50

Akash Rastogi

Re: pic: Team IFI

Forget about the robots for a second, if I could meet all the mentors standing there at that moment, I think it'd make my entire FIRST experience so far so worth it.

I look forward to learning more from you all in the future, until then, have fun in the offseason.

21-04-2009 21:54

EdwardP

Re: pic: Team IFI

No i know what yo are talking about 968 from San Diego's identical robots, that are red.

About the mentors, I have only met 254's, but I can say you are definitely right.

21-04-2009 21:57

ChuckDickerson

Re: pic: Team IFI

Team IFI is impressive by any measure. What sort of support does IFI provide to the sponsored teams? I spent a few minutes in Team 2056 pit in Atlanta on Saturday morning looking closely at their machine in awe of the beautiful orange polycord conveyor system. I noticed some very nice gusset brackets and asked if the team made them themselves and was told they got them from their sponsor IFI. I asked if they were a standard part or if they were custom designed for them. The students thought they were standard IFI parts and said they thought they were available on the IFI website. I have looked at IFIRobotics.com but don’t see them.

Here are pictures of the gussets I’m talking about:






Does anyone know if these are standard IFI parts or if IFI will or plans to sell them?

I ask because they look like they would work perfectly with the ever popular 80/20 10 Series T-Slot but may be a lighter and less costly solution than similar 80/20 brand parts. 80/20 10-Series T-Slot extrusion itself isn’t terribly expensive but 80/20 is very proud of their connector plates or so it seems to me. Teams can make their own but without the proper equipment homemade brackets aren’t always as precisely made. I think it would be pretty awesome if IFI would come out with some standard stamped/punched angle brackets and gussets similar to these that would be compatible with the 80/20 10 Series T-Slot at a reasonable price for teams that don’t have the equipment to manufacture them as nicely in house.

IFI, are these beautiful brackets on the 2056 machine a hint of great new thing to come from IFI?

21-04-2009 21:59

2056Durfey

Re: pic: Team IFI

This year our entire frame was designed by Tyler Holtzman and was sent to IFI to be punched out. So to my knowledge they are custom parts that we had made for us this year.

We also build two robots each year so we can practice after ship. We didn't do this our first year do to lack of resources, but it has helped us immensely during the last two seasons to develop new strategies and get a feel for the robot and that years game.

21-04-2009 22:45

MrForbes

Re: pic: Team IFI

Sponsors are considered to be part of your team, and can make custom parts for you, although you have to report the cost of raw matierals in your BOM.

Apparently IFI has some nice sheet metal equipment! The robot parts that come from them are beautiful.

21-04-2009 22:52

Raul

Re: pic: Team IFI

I am lucky to say that I do have good friends from all 5 teams. And it was a little scary to see them all on Paul's side helping with strategy. Why do you think we had our strategy huddle for so long trying to figure out every possible move the 217 alliance would make. But I do want to say thank you to EJ for the scouting info from his division.

21-04-2009 23:06

roboticWanderor

Re: pic: Team IFI

Yea, I could see JVN's white hat bobbing around behind the thunderchikens on Einstien and knew it was gonna be a great set of finals matches. having a great set of sponsors, mentors, and students supporting each other from around the nation is a wonderful dynamic of these "teams" of friends and competitors, bringing some of the most innovative minds of FIRST together. (if that makes any sense)

22-04-2009 01:27

JVN

Re: pic: Team IFI

The real powerful story here doesn't involve sponsorship or robots. Over the past few years, 148 has been fortunate enough to form a strong bond with several teams; 1114, 2056, 254, & 217 just being some of them. These incredible friendships with other teams represent to me the coolest part of this program.

Also "magical" are the relationships that develop between mentors and students from different teams. I'm thrilled that our students have the opportunity to work with role models from other teams; these outside mentors have as much of an impact on the Robowrangler students as I do. This impact is the real benefit we get from our close collaboration and friendship, and I'm extremely thankful for it.

-John

22-04-2009 01:29

Akash Rastogi

Re: pic: Team IFI

I remember the good old days when the only couple partnerships you had to worry about were the Niagra FIRST triplets and Poofs/RAWC

I miss those days. haha

I can only strive to achieve the level of these teams with the 11, 1323, 1771, and 816 alliance. We look up to you every day.

22-04-2009 01:31

EricH

Re: pic: Team IFI

You forgot the West Coast "nightmare" of the Bionic Poofs (60/254) in 2004, which gave way to the 254/968 collaboration that has sent teams to Einstein three times (2005, 2006, 2008).

Without the precedent set by the Bionic Poofs, the Triplets might not have happened. When it did, the ground rules were already laid.

22-04-2009 01:35

Akash Rastogi

Re: pic: Team IFI

Has 330 ever worked with anyone? I'd love to see a 294 and 330 collaborative project one year. Sick designs.

22-04-2009 01:40

EricH

Re: pic: Team IFI

330 has talked about it on rare occasions (read: once during my 5 years as a student), but has not.

Besides, you wouldn't have passed up seeing the psuedo-crab design this year, would you?

If we ever did collaborate with anyone, you hit on the logical choice. They're close geographically (at one point, practically just up the street), and at one point in the far distant past we were the same team (1997). There are also a number of others, but 330 prefers to surprise everyone with their designs, including neighbor teams.

22-04-2009 08:34

Pjohn1959

Re: pic: Team IFI

I would like to say THANKS to everything that IFI has done for FIRST and VEX. Without their support, FIRST would not be where they today. I missed them on the fields this year.

22-04-2009 11:25

Vince lau

Re: pic: Team IFI

wow must be a lot of blue banners between these 5 teams and other awards

22-04-2009 12:03

R.C.

Re: pic: Team IFI

I agree with Akash on this one. This team is really inspirational. Well, can't wait for the 2010 season.

22-04-2009 22:45

Mike Schreiber

Re: pic: Team IFI

Well word certainly gets around. 469 provides their field at Android Industries to many local FIRST teams. I've seen 27, 33, 217, 910, and 2337 there, I also saw orbit balls with quite a few other team numbers written on them implying they'd been there at some point. 27 was there 6 out of 7 days over our spring break before nationals and the practice really paid off. It's also very fun to drive around their old robots and try to avoid getting scored on by the veteran drivers, especially on the regolith . Huge thanks to 469 and Android Industries for this opportunity.

23-04-2009 09:22

Nuttyman54

Re: pic: Team IFI

I don't believe the 254/968 collaboration started until 2006 (254 worked with 22 in 2005 and won SVR together that year).

23-04-2009 14:04

EricH

Re: pic: Team IFI

I forget who they worked with in 2005, partly because 968 had what amounted to a red version of the blue and orange robots that 254 and 22 fielded. Almost like a 3-way collaboration, but I don't think there was one.

23-04-2009 15:56

AdamHeard

Re: pic: Team IFI

IIRC, they had similar concepts in that they both had west coast drives and a similar looking arm, but that's where the similarities ended. IF you looked at the details 968 had an entirely different robot.

23-04-2009 17:13

RobJ

Re: pic: Team IFI

We did not collaborate with 968 until 2006. In 2005 we worked with 22 and 968's robot that year was their own concept. I think that was the year they did a 4 speed transmission.

23-04-2009 17:19

AdamHeard

Re: pic: Team IFI

I should have been more clear in my post, I was saying you didn't collaborate and merely looked similar.

24-04-2009 17:25

Matt704

Re: pic: Team IFI

148 y'all had a great run this year winning in Dallas and then making it to the quarterfinals in your division! That's awesome!! I had a great time getting to know y'all! Good luck next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

24-04-2009 21:55

ginosoprano09

Re: pic: Team IFI

1. right-click on image
2. click on "save as desktop background"
3. drool

24-04-2009 21:57

Lil' Lavery

Re: pic: Team IFI

If you (or anyone else) wants a more appropriate resolution to use as a desktop background, let me know what resolution your monitor is and I can post an appropriate scaled image.

24-04-2009 22:04

IKE

Re: pic: Team IFI

This picture reminds me of looking at a giant demolition machine. Really cool and yet oddly terrifying.