Good Meeting Tonight

A few issues got resolved tonight at our NPO meeting. It really feels like starting the US STEM Foundation was a good idea. Decoupling STEM from a high school whose counselors and administration could care less may seem like a bad thing, however it is a short term temporary measure that will enable us to pull in extra support. We really need that kind of support to synergize the many fragmented initiatives that the county has undertaken in the last couple of years.

The cool thing is, no longer will one or two people be able to spear head random self-serving initiatives.

It is a LOT of work, but it will be worth it, I think.

To change the culture, we need to inspire kids. Yet we also have to remove the resistance to that change. Maybe this year Dean should assign homework for teams to submit essays outlining the red tape that prevents their local culture change.

"Get Over It" FTC Game Solution

Less than a week into the competition season, I believe I have a viable strategy for a successful robot. However, this is simply the first iteration of a full strategy, and will be used as an anecdotal study for how reverse engineering can apply to systems engineering.

These are functions, not forms. Know the difference!

Autonomous:

1. The robot shall traverse the field and get within alignment and range in order to acquire batons.
2. The robot shall then begin dispensing batons from the dispenser.

• For non-magnetic batons, the robot shall launch the baton back to its 'home' side of the field.
• For magnetic or doubler batons, the robot shall store the baton within the confines of the robot for further use.

Teleoperated:

1. The robot shall continue until it possesses 2 magnetic batons or until no more batons exist in dispensers:

• Dispense batons
• Store magnetic batons
• Launch non-magnetic batons to 'home' side

1. The robot shall traverse back to its home side.
2. The robot shall bypass the rolling goals, depositing the doubler baton into the low goal if the robot possesses it and no magnetic batons.
3. The robot shall corral as many batons on the floor on its home side into the floor goal as possible.
4. The robot shall push the rolling goals close to the same-colored balance bridge.

Endgame:

1. The robot shall lift at least one rolling goal off of the floor.
2. The robot shall then deposit all possessed batons into a lifted goal.
3. The robot shall then balance on the bridge.

Predicted Points:

• Autonomous: Traversal (10 pts) + 15 emptied batons (2 pts each) = 40 points
• Teleop 15 - 45 batons in low goal (1 pt each) = 15 - 45 points
• Endgame: 2 magnetic batons (25 each) + doubler (x2) baton in center chute of rolling goal: 100 points
• Balance of 3 elements on the bridge: 30 points

• Maximum score if the stars align: 215 points.
• More probable common score (1 magnetic, no doubler, 1 element on bridge, only 15 batons in lower): 90 points.

Not bad.