We're well into "February Madness" with Face Off! We've held 21 events so far this season and have another 12 coming up over the next 10 days.
If there is one consistent thing we've seen it's that team preparation regarding their software is the key factor in team performance. Lot's of new stuff this year but if you keep these key things in mind you'll have a great event.
1.) Use the software templates
2.) Select the teleop program before heading to the field. Using LabVIEW or NXT-G this is done through "Program Chooser" on the brick. Using RobotC this is done at your pit computer, using the Joystick Control in RobotC, choose the right teleop file, close the window and you're set.
3.) Show up at the Field Management station at the playing field with your NXT battery out - connect the USB cable, pop in the battery, and connect.
4.) After you connect with the Field Management system at the playing field select and run your autonomous program - it won't start, the FMS will trigger the actual autonomous start
If you get this process straight you'll be ahead of half the teams we've seen so far. Teams that figure this out at the event typically waste the first qualification match ironing this out. There's also no reason not to download the FMS and try this yourself. Hold a local scrimmage in the garage or at your school. That experience will help you enormously at the event.
This weekend we have events in Florida, Wisconsin, California, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Washington State and Arizona. If you want to see an event this weekend you can check out the Tampa Florida event being webcast from USF at www3.DeepThunder.com starting at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard time Saturday, 2/28. Thanks to Raytheon Network Centric Systems for providing the webcast.
See you out there,
Ken
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
Weekend FTC Championships
This weekend FTC Championships were held in Texas and Delaware. In total more than 35 teams competed in these events and the designs seem to keep getting better.
Team 2945 Power Surge took top honors winning the Inspire Award and Captain of the Winning Alliance. Check out their autonomous skill - they were able to do this every time!
They were also pretty good in teleop mode:
A special thanks goes out to National Instruments. In addition to creating LabVIEW and NXT-G programming platforms, they also developed the Field Management System. They've put in countless hours and without their dedication and hard work the 2008/2009 FTC season would not have happened. They were recognized at the Arlington event this weekend.
Manchester FTC personnel were at each event and we continue to be amazed (and appreciative) of all the work local volunteers put into these events and this program. I got to see first hand how Joe Perrotto and his team in Delaware run these events, like old-pros. Carter Tiernan and her team at the University of Texas, Arlington are also FTC "originals" and put on a great event.
See you out there,
Ken
Team 2945 Power Surge took top honors winning the Inspire Award and Captain of the Winning Alliance. Check out their autonomous skill - they were able to do this every time!
They were also pretty good in teleop mode:
A special thanks goes out to National Instruments. In addition to creating LabVIEW and NXT-G programming platforms, they also developed the Field Management System. They've put in countless hours and without their dedication and hard work the 2008/2009 FTC season would not have happened. They were recognized at the Arlington event this weekend.
Manchester FTC personnel were at each event and we continue to be amazed (and appreciative) of all the work local volunteers put into these events and this program. I got to see first hand how Joe Perrotto and his team in Delaware run these events, like old-pros. Carter Tiernan and her team at the University of Texas, Arlington are also FTC "originals" and put on a great event.
See you out there,
Ken
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)