Even though it is the off-season, I still can not stop thinking about robotics. I was thinking about what I thought was the best robot of all time. I still can come up with a clear answer. Does anyone have their idea of the best robot of all time? Meaning the best robot that has ever been seen in FIRST? A picture and an explanation of the robot will be helpful.
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20055&highlight=best+robot
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29843&highlight=best+robot
I’ve seen a few of these “Best Bot of All Time!” threads now, and I just don’t get it. I’m aware that those of a technical persuasion have a penchant for quantifying/sorting their world, but honestly, I think these questions are meaningless. Believe it or not, there is a competition each year to rate these robots, and all the stats are on line! Want to compare bots from different years? Too bad, they’ve got different parameters, and therefore any comparison would be arbitrary. Is that a bad thing? Not inherently, but I have a strong suspicion this thread will quickly be a wasteful rehashing of past “popularity contests”.
Oh, 1418’s bot this year is definately the best of all time, followed closely by last years bot. Yeah. No question.
I agree so would it be considered hijacking this tread if I suggest that we open the discussion to robots in general? What robots in the history of robots from TV bots to space bots to manufacturing bots to lawn mowers and vacuum cleaners do you think are the best or worst and why? Do manufacturing robots take peoples jobs or do they build higher quality products faster and more cost effectively? Do robotic vacuum cleaners take the drudgery out of daily living or do the make us lazy? (For that matter do they actually work?) What do you consider a robot? This may have been beaten to death on CD before but technology advances and opinions change and I don’t remember seeing a thread like this so I’ll start.
My vote right now would have to go to the Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. Why? I guess because they are superbly designed and built machines that keep going and going and going and were built solely for the quest of knowledge. I am also simply amazed by the autonomous programming of the Deep Impact spacecraft so I will have to give them a close second. I would consider them robots for sure!
DeepWater has a point. Why limit yourself to FIRST robots? There are many other robots out there. If you have a car, robots were used to put it together. If you see a picture of Mars, that’s one of Dave Lavery’s toys (or his other car 
). There are robotic vacuums and lawn mowers. And of course, there are FIRST robots, but those aren’t nearly as complex as any one of the robots mentioned above. And with all those choices, I can’t decide which is the best!
Ok heres an idea
-Best Robot in a Movie: R2-D2
Can’t go wrong with Artoo
-Best Scientific Robot: Mars Landers, I like Opportunity in Particular
-Best Consumer Robot: Roomba
-Best Military Robot: Predator, it was revolutionary thats why i like it
-Most Human Like Robot: Too many to call
-Best FIRST Robot: One the Makes it to Competition
All robots are the Best and are created equal in some way.
Yeah, they all weigh 120 (formerly 130) lbs. 
i agree i agree… good choices 
If the question is redefined as above, then you may find some interesting answers in the Robot Hall Of Fame.
-dave
Thank you for the link. I found it interesting that a large number of the robots in the Robot Hall of Fame and the current list of 2005 nominees are actually science fiction robots. I didn’t find Spirit and Opportunity in the list of 2005 nominees so I took the liberty of submitting their nomination. I also noticed Wildstang was on the list.
So may I be so bold as to ask what robot (science or science fiction) most impresses the great Dave Lavery?
theres no such thing as the best robot…cuz every robot is the best
IT IS NOT IN FIRST BUT I THINK THE BET ROBOT EVER IS CALL ASIMO AND IS MADE BY HONDA, IT TRUELY TAKES MY BREATH AWAY…
111 in 2003 and 254 in 2005 blew my MIND. Those two I will never forget…
Gotta agree with that. the combo of StangPS and the wings gave Stang most of the bins before anyone got near the top, and virtually guarenteed them a spot on top the ramp at the end of the match.
254 2005 and 2004 are two of my top robots, but I’m not sure which one to put at the top. 2005 was absolutely awesome at what it did, and was basically the same as 2004’s, but refined and with fewer functions. 2004 did everything, and did it really well, which I think makes it all around a better robot even though 2005 performed better.
My personal favourite robot from this season would have to be team 1305’s. Most of the American teams probably don’t know who these guys are but I guarantee every Canadian team knows how fast, efficient, and powerful this robot was.
I only wish we could have had the chance to be allied with them!
i don’t think that “best” would be good usage you leave it open to best what. how about robots with cool and unique features
“best” and “cool” or “unique” are three separate concepts. Something that is cool or unique can do absolutely nothing on the field and never work right. The best robot could be something completely normal and mundane–except it rocks on the field.
I don’t see what’s wrong with a “who has the best robot thread?” as it doesn’t single out teams for having bad robots, so it’s generally good vibes all around.
If you want to discuss the most unique or cool functions of robots, there’s multiple threads on that topic–just recognize that it’s something completely different than the best overall robot(s).
$0.02
There are also multiple threads on this topic.
$0.02
Probably better to make a new one now that 2005 is done, rather than revive a year old thread.
I guess the same is true of the others though, too