Wasn’t really too sure where to put this, and I couldn’t find anything else.
One of our members is really interested in making a nice driver station this year. Last year, we just showed up at the walls with our joysticks on the laptop and a bunch of knotted wires, while we saw a lot of other teams show up with really nice wooden frames for all their equipment, LED lights etc. So were just asking anyone who’s got a nice frame to post up a picture so we can see what others have done in the past!
So traditionally we’ve always had a nice fram with led lights and all fancy equipment, ( i’ll send put a pic when we go to the shop tommorow) but this year I’m considering usuing Saitek X52 Pro Flight Control System as the Joysticks ( we’ve gotten more funding this year than we expected). We generally have a control panel on the side where an electrical member wires basic functions and two joysticks for the driver. We’ve always used swerve drive, so we’ve only needed 1 but used the second for emergency tank. We are usuing six wheel drive this year.
What always stunned me when I see teams come up to my que line is how insanely large some teams make their drivers stations. I know alot of bells and whistles look cool but sometimes having something efficient and ergonomically sound is the coolest drivers station you can make. Remember your driver has to carry that all the way in the pit, to the field and hold it until it’s time to set up in the alliance station. That can be alot of strain on the back, shoulder, neck and arms. Never sacrifice common sense for the sake of looking cool.
We had a really nice driver station last year (in my opinion at least). We spent about 8 hours cutting, painting, and mounting everything. We had a fully enclosed black box with black-smoked polycarb as the cover to the box. I will post a picture the next time I use it, which will be on Thursday!
I agree with Mr. Ed. Our team has never had some impossibly huge, 44" max box with bells, whistles, lights, and everything else. Our Driver Station year to year has just been a snowboard we painted matte black with loop side velcro on the up facing side. Then we stick hook side velcro on a set of joysticks, the laptop we use as a driver station, and whatever operator boxes we fabricate for that year. Looks nice, easy to carry (Grip around the middle like you do a regular snowboard, also so you’re gripping the laptop) and simple to transport. We’ve gotten a few compliments for it too. I think this year, when we’re repainting the board, I might take my decal gun and paint some more color on it (Mainly blue and green for team colors).
Team 225 has used the same control board for the last 5 seasons- and thats literally what it is. We (this was back when i was a student, not a mentor) took a piece of plywood, around 18x36, sprayed on a couple coats of black matte spray paint, and used velcro for attaching controls and the laptop. the joysticks would occasionally get two screws in opposite corners, but the way we laid out the board the first year hasnt needed to change that much and we have just reused the holes for most years.
my advice, matching those above, is dont get fancy. or do it in the offseason. You just need something that will hold the controls while you travel, either to an event or simply across a room. We have had many comments on our board on the elegance in simple black. Then again, use your team colors to stand out a little more, personalize!
For the past couple of years a student would try for something better than our plain painted board, now 8 or so years old. Someday we will get one, though they are getting better. Koko Ed is right. Simple is better.
One suggestion I thought of whilst reading this thread: Build your driver station and carry it around all day at school, setting it up for each class. If you can move it down the hall and get it ready before the bell rings, you got a winner.
I agree with what everyone here is saying. We used to do a driver station that was so big and heavy that it was harder to move than the robot. Last year though I made this quick little 80x20 Lexan box that has a laptop on the top of it and two game pads inside of it. We put decals on it and now the computer has them as well. It has worked out really well for us and is super easy to carry.
For the past 2 years, 1126 has done something very similar (except we put the laptop inside of our box). We used PS2 controllers and everything was hooked up inside the box so it just unlatched and could be connected easily. When it was all folded up, we attached a shoulder strap so it could be easily carried around. We found that our “box of wonder” worked well for us (image below).
A few years ago we bought one of these and just repositioned the foam to fit around the classmate and 2 logitech game pads. We then added a small piece of lexan to hold an ethernet extension cable to tie into. Its light compact and quick to pack and unpack.
One note to add, if you’re going to make a box for your driver station, be sure to have ample space for both modularity (This year’s driver station is not next years) as well as some good airspace for your laptop to vent air.
In the past we’ve only had driver stations that look like yours, a laptop, joysticks, and jumbled wires, but this year we’re looking into ordering an arcade game box with a joystick and some buttons on each side and space to mount our laptop in the middle.
I made our O/I this year out of poly carbonate and aluminum angle. I turned out pretty nice and it is pretty flashy. It’s light and it fits all our stuff.
1732’s driver station last year looked like this. I really liked it. It was easy to build, had cool blue lights, and we’ll be able to use it again this year just by swapping off the button panel for a new one.
My all time favorite is definitely thisone, which we built in 2008. It is the most compact that I’ve seen in person, but it would be difficult to fit all of the newer OI components + controllers into that stylin’ box.
(or the pictures are sideways)
