Team #237 The Sie-H2O-Bots - Update

FIRST General Forum
#1

Posted by Jessica Boucher at 03/05/2001 9:32 AM EST

Student on team #237, Sie-H2O-Bots, from Watertown High School and Eastern Awning Systems & The Siemon Company.

I have been asked by certain members of my team to post about the status of Team 237 at the moment after placing 34th at the UTC New England Regional.

To my fellow members of 237 who read/post, if anything I have posted is contradictory to what we are actually doing (for I have not seen the machine in about 24 hours), please feel free to correct me; it is better that we give correct information in multiple posts than incorrect info in one post.

I personally think the reason why I am so adamently against the silence after a bad match was because we experienced quite a few low scoring rounds. Because of it, we have decided to make a few major changes.

The 19’6" ramp is now part of history; the machine was taken back to Watertown and gutted, leaving only the base / drive system.

We are now working on a system to manipulate the goals. It should be finished sometime today.

One of the problems that we have noticed might be a problem for all of CT is that Governor Rowland has issued a tractor-trailer ban throughout the state of CT because of the snow. If it stays through tomorrow, there will be a lot of teams (for example, almost all of the UTC teams) with a robot still in their hands come the deadline. If anyone has info about how that has been cleared up, please let us know.

I think that this regional has helped us swallow the large pill of reality and made us realise that we have nowhere to go but up at Nationals.

We can’t wait to see everyone in FL, and thanks to all the teams and individuals that have voiced their faith in us for Nationals.

Again, to my fellow 237 members, if anything I have said is false, please feel free to correct me.

-Jessica B, #237

#2

Posted by Anton Abaya at 03/05/2001 11:31 AM EST

Coach on team #419, Rambots, from UMass Boston / BC High and WHO NEEDS SPONSORS WHEN YOU HAVE DETERMINATION!.

In Reply to: Team #237 The Sie-H2O-Bots - Update
Posted by Jessica Boucher on 03/05/2001 9:32 AM EST:

i know this is actually for the best and i even recommended my former team 97 (MIT team) to forgo their mechanism to lift a goal on their back to hooks…

but wasnt their some rule in here saying u couldnt change strat? or something.

well, it’s all good though. if we all made good bots, then we would have higher scores! :slight_smile:

-anton

#3

Posted by ChrisH at 03/05/2001 2:30 PM EST

Engineer on team #330, Beach 'Bots, from Hope Chapel Academy and NASA JPL, J & F Machine, Raytheon, et al.

In Reply to: Team #237 The Sie-H2O-Bots - Update
Posted by Jessica Boucher on 03/05/2001 9:32 AM EST:

I belive the rule is that the robot has to be in the crate and OUT OF YOUR CONTROL by the deadline. Not necessarily in the hands of the “shipper”.

One solution would be for your team to lock your box with the robot in it and then hand box and keys over to another team. The other team could then issue you a document to the effect and you could use that as proof of shipping. The other team is then responsible to see that the box gets to the appropriate place (like the shipping company) when the roads open.

One advantage would be that if there was any question in Florida then you would probably have eyewitnesses on site to help clear things up.

Maybe teams close to each other could swap boxes. I know we have transported robots for other teams, though as I recall they were delivered to storage before the deadline.

Of course you would want to use another team you trusted to act in the spirit of Gracious Professionalism. I’d volunteer us but if you could get it here you wouldn’t have a problem.

Chris Husmann, PE
Team 330 the Beach’Bots
Hermosa Beach, CA

: One of the problems that we have noticed might be a problem for all of CT is that Governor Rowland has issued a tractor-trailer ban throughout the state of CT because of the snow. If it stays through tomorrow, there will be a lot of teams (for example, almost all of the UTC teams) with a robot still in their hands come the deadline. If anyone has info about how that has been cleared up, please let us know.

: -Jessica B, #237

#4

Posted by Kevin Sevcik at 03/05/2001 3:43 PM EST

Other on team #57, Leopards, from BT Washington and the High School for Engineering Professions and Exxon, Kellog Brown & Root, Powell Electrical.

In Reply to: Possible answer to shipping problem
Posted by ChrisH on 03/05/2001 2:30 PM EST:

I wouldn’t plan on anything without talking to FIRST. While handing a locked box over to another team, even one you trust, sounds like a good idea, there are all kinds of things that could go wrong. Like the robot not getting to the regional on time. That is, of course, the main reason the robot has to be out of your hands by the deadline. FIRST is mainly concerned with getting your robot to the regional on time and in one piece.
I don’t really know what a tractor trailer ban is, but it sounds like it’s just a ban on 18-wheelers. if that’s the case, then all you have to do is get your crate to the shipper by the deadline, and let them worry about getting it to the comp on time. Crates may be big, but they should still be able to fit in a normal half-ton pickup. If it’s a ban on all cars, then I don’t see what you could do, cause you wouldn’t be able to get the robot to another team in the first place.
So to summarize that long winded post, if you can move the crate, then take it to the shipper, and let them worry about getting it there on time. You could probably call first and ask them to hurry the shipper up, since FIRST is paying them anyways.

#5

Posted by ChrisH at 03/05/2001 8:09 PM EST

Engineer on team #330, Beach 'Bots, from Hope Chapel Academy and NASA JPL, J & F Machine, Raytheon, et al.

In Reply to: Word to the wise…
Posted by Kevin Sevcik on 03/05/2001 3:43 PM EST:

The intent was to carry on responsibly in a difficult situation. If the trucks aren’t moving the shipping offices may well be closed too. If that is the case then the team wouldn’t have anyplace to deliver the robot to.

Contacting anyone at FIRST to resolve the issue, get extensions etc. may be difficult as they are on the road setting up for next week’s regionals.

As I understand it this method was used before as I saw something about it posted here a few months ago.

Personally I wouldn’t use the method myself if I had another way, but I belive it would be in compliance with the letter and spirit of the rules. Kind of like having a parachute in an airplane. You sure hope you don’t need it, but nice to have if you do. Besides what does it cost to set up, a few phone calls.

#6

Posted by Kevin Sevcik at 03/05/2001 9:18 PM EST

Other on team #57, Leopards, from BT Washington and the High School for Engineering Professions and Exxon, Kellog Brown & Root, Powell Electrical.

In Reply to: Re: Word to the wise…
Posted by ChrisH on 03/05/2001 8:09 PM EST:

I saw the post you’re talking about. It was a request by Team A for another team (B) to lock their crate and take the key/combination with them. That way, Team A could say that the robot was out of their hands, so that they, Team A, could drive the bot to the competitions themselves.
I’m not certain that they ever found someone to take them up on the offer, but that’s not the point. My whole point is that it’s much, much safer for all kinds of reasons if you can get the robot in the hands of a shipper.
If you get it in the hands of a shipper, you don’t have to worry about transporting the robot, you don’t have to worry about arguing with FIRST about a rules interpretation, you don’t have to worry about other teams accusing you of anything.
If you don’t believe that last one could happen, I’ve seen it. A local team haggled with FIRST so they could keep their robot to show it off on a TV program, except to show it, of course, it had to be uncrated. Accusations and cries of “Not fair” were definitely heard, despite the much touted Gracious Professionalism.

#7

Posted by Kevin Sevcik at 03/05/2001 11:02 PM EST

Other on team #57, Leopards, from BT Washington and the High School for Engineering Professions and Exxon, Kellog Brown & Root, Powell Electrical.

In Reply to: Team #237 The Sie-H2O-Bots - Update
Posted by Jessica Boucher on 03/05/2001 9:32 AM EST:

Ok, this is straight from the LoneStar Regional Coordinator herself, so you know it’s good advice. And I quote:

About getting the robot out of your hands by the deadline, you should contact Lori Ragus or Ericka Smith. An emergency phone number was emailed by Lori to the team leaders last week. A clarification from FIRST is definitely needed here. Any plan involving not leaving the robot with a shipping company needs to be preapproved by FIRST. Team #57 did this for another team at the KSC regional but it was all prearranged by the team with Lori and a letter of verification was written and signed by the two teams. Team #57 has the letter and the combination to the lock and must present both at the regional that the requesting team is attending. The BOTTOM LINE is to ensure that you are legal and can compete, VERIFY and don’t ASSUME.

So there you have it, advice from a real FIRST official.

#8