Difference between revisions of ":2009-09-16 Parent Introduction to Downingtown Robotics"

Latest revision as of 12:37, 9 September 2009

Parent Night 2009 Agenda

Entire Group

• Overview of Robotics at Downingtown
• Team history
  • Started in 2004 by Paul Sabatino - First Robtotics Challenge Team 1640
  • Vex team started in 2007 as First Vex Challenge team 3155
  • Vex team grows to teams 81,82 in 2008 and to teams 81,82,89,1640 in 2009
• Introduction to First Robotics Challenge
• Introduction to VEX Robotics Competition
  • Standard set of components - like Erector Set
  • Limited metal (cutting and bending, no welding)
  • Robots limited to 18" cube, 10 motors and one battery
• Introduction to First Lego League
• Standard code of conduct/responsibility for roboteers

We should have our code on a different page in the wiki

• Schedule for the upcoming year
  • FRC
    • FRC Fall Meetings
    • FRC Fall Events
      • Duel on the Delaware
      • Ramp Riot
    • FRC Build Season
    • FRC Regional Competitions
      • Travel event (ie Fingerlakes)
      • Local event (Drexel)
  • VEX
    • VEX Build Season
    • Local Competitions
      • Penn State Abington - December 5, 2009
      • Christopher Dock High School (Lansdale) - January 23, 2010
      • Eastern Pennsylvania Regionals (Downingtown) - March 13 2010
        • We host this competition as a fund rasing event
    • Travel event
      • Mid Atlantic Championships - 26,27 February
        • Held in Westminster Maryland
        • Drive down Friday morning, return late Saturday night
        • Parents must attend with their roboteer
  • FLL
    • FLL Build Season
    • FLL Events
• Fundraising / Sponsors
  • Money to sponsor the team comes from donations from sponsors and from Muffin sales.
• Mentors
  • VEX mentor training - can tell "left" from "right" and can button a shirt - we teach the rest
  • Adult mentor training Tuesday nights 6:30-8:30

Individual Groups - FRC

• FRC tour, tools, etc

Individual Groups - VEX

• VEX Robotics Competition Goals
  • Inspire roboteers
    • Basic mechanical skills
    • Basic design skills
    • Communications
    • Working in a team
  • Have fun
    • Everybody participates (builds, drives, etc.)
  • Learn
  • Everything done safely
    • Hand tools only
      • Mentor supervision
    • Eye protection when doing metal working
    • Eye protection when competing
• Overview of VEX robot system
  • Mechanical parts (nuts/bolts/plates)
  • Motion (motor/servo/gears/chain/bearing blocks/axle)
  • Chassis (wheels, legs, tank tread) and drives (2,4 wheel; omni, etc)
  • Grippers (claw, protobot grip)
  • Sensors (light, switches, sonar, rotation)
  • Microcontroller
    • Programming using RobotC
    • Two Modes - Autonomous and Driver Control
    • Make the robot (motors, servos, sensors) work with the driver
    • Programming ranges from simple (little interaction) to complex (robot is making key decisions)
  • Transmitter
  • Battery

• • See http://www.vexrobotics.com/product-accessories.shtml for more details
• Clean Sweep game details
  • Two teams (red and blue) two robots per team
    • Three roboteers per team (driver, operator, coach)
    • Team rotates per match
  • Move balls from one side of a 12*6 field to the other
  • Limited physical contact with other robots
  • 20 second autonomous period
  • 2 minute driver period
• Process
  • First 5 weeks robot skills training
  • Next 3 weeks game design and build
    • at the same time there are classes on Programming
    • Mentor directed and focused - ideas and suggestions from the roboteers
  • Rest of the season - design and build
    • Roboteer directed - suggestions from the mentor
    • After week 8 the mentors do not work on the robot
      • Oven mitt rule!
  • Three / four competitions
    • Two - 1 hour drive
    • Eastern Pennsylvania Regional - home event
    • Over night trip to Westminster MD
• Demonstration - Parents drive the robots

Indvidual Group - FLL

• Overview
  • Inspire kids to learn while having fun
  • Develope team mentality and skills
  • Develope critical thinking process
  • Define goals and problem solving strategies
  • Have lots of fun!