I think I forgot to tell you to bring your own food for these next four meetings or bring $5 for pizza for both Friday nights and for Saturday lunch. If we end up going late on Sat. night, we may do another pizza run, so you will need another $5. (OR, again, . . . bring your own food.) Also, those of you who still owe me money for pizza:  I really don’t mind loaning it, but I really do need you to pay it back. It’s my gas money to get to the meetings!  So, pay up or you may find the door locked! If you are unsure, come see me. Yes, I’ve learned to keep track.

Our schedule for the next 2 weeks is as follows:

• Friday, March 2nd: after school – 9pm
• Saturday, March 3rd: 10am-5pm (may go later)
• Friday, March 9th: after school – 9pm
• Saturday, March 10th: 10am-5pm (may go later)

www.firstsac.org

GO CIRCUIT BREAKERS!!

Ms. Lindborg

Hindsight:

I adopted the “80%” mentality this year. While working with the programmers, it is a build season rite to accuse each other of being wrong until red in the face. The “80%” mentality consists of one primary element, the admission that you might be wrong. After you have checked everything, double checked it, and checked it again you are only 80% sure you have your end correct. It leaves a margin of error for when the programmers are actually correct and everybody leaves the situation with their resolve (mostly) intact. It helped me remain at minimum to moderate stress levels, and as Mr. Donlon expressed, “I’m surprised you haven’t throttled anybody yet.”

Learn how to use your tools! A multimeter can be used in so many ways I cannot list them all. We have a quasi-fancy, compact Fluke multimeter that has all of the essential functions. For you future electricians, the essential settings include AC/DC Voltage and Current, and Resistance. If you can, get one with an audible continuity tester, it beeps when you touch things that are connected electrically.

If you are dealing with Spike relays and they are only firing in one direction, check that your signal cable is plugged in the correct direction. :/

Learning :

I learned a ton this year *gasp*, Mr. van Dyk was awesome! I learned how to use an oscilloscope, albeit 40 years old, I learned the benefit of having hook clips on the multimeter probes, and I learned more about the electronics and control systems than ever before. There is so much bouncing around in my head that I can hardly write it down.

More to come soon,

Torgeir Lindborg
Electronics FM
FIRST Team #3189

This is the post on the Controls of the Robot

The driving Controls consists of 2 Joysticks for the Driver and a Gamepad for the Shooter

One joystick contains 11 buttons (4 Buttons on top, 1 Trigger, 6 on the base), 3 axes (2 for X & Y and one throttle)

Logitech ATK3 Joystick Buttons

The Gamepad contains 12 buttons (4 on the top, 4 on the right base, 1 per joystick, 2 in the middle), 6 axes (2 for each X&Y on the thumbsticks and there are two thumbsticks,  and 2 for the D-pad but the D-pad is not a variable control)

Logitech DualAction Button Locations

For the Gunner the Left Joystick X-axis controls the rotation of the turret, the Right Joystick Y-axis controls the turret Shooter Speed if manual control is enabled.

Left Joystick Controls

Right Joystick Controls

For the Driver the Control system is split between two joysticks with the Cultivator Systems and Balance Systems on the Right Joystick, and The Funnel System on the left Joystick. The Drivetrain of the robot is a Tank drive system with each joystick feeding power independently to both sides.

GamePad Controls

Here is a full list of the Controls and Important Warnings (at the bottom)

Robot2012 Controls

Joystick 1 = Right Joystick     Joystick 2 = Left Joystick

Warning: Do NOT set “maxSpeed” variable over 0.____! (this could break our and other teams robots.)
Warning: Do NOT set “lowBalanceAngle” variable under 3! (may cause uncontrollable movement back and forth and make robot fall off bridge breaking the robot.)
Warning: Be sure the Bottom value in the editable values match the top! (if they don’t you could have wrong values and crash robot due to noncalibration.)
Warning: When resetting gyro (Leftstick Button #10) be sure robot is NOT in motion.
Warning: Do NOT Change field of view unless target distance is wrong by more than 5 feet.
Warning: Do not reset Camera unless corrupt camera feed.
Warning: Do Not use Kinect during Teleop .
Warning: Stop All System Should only be used in emergencies.
Warning: Do Not adjust turret speed too quickly.

• Drivetrain
• 2 Jaguars controlling 2 CIM Motors
• 1 Gyro (for balance)
• 1 Accelerometer (for balance)
• Funnel Arm
• 1 Victor controlling 1 Window Motor
• 2 Limit switches (to indicate ‘Full Up’ or ‘Full Down’ position)
• Collector
• 1 Victor controlling 1 Window Motor
• Elevator
• 2 Victors controlling 2 Window Motors
• 3 IR Sensors (to indicate ball presence)
• Turret
• 1 Victor controlling 1 Banebots Motor (for rotation)
• 1 Jaguar controlling 1 CIM Motor (for shooting)
• 1 10-turn Potentiometer (for Turret angle)
• 2 limit switches (for Turret rotation limits)
• 1 Axis camera (for targeting)

Now all we need is an assembled robot so we can test the code.  We can dooo it!!!

The design is in!

If we go to Practice Day at St. Francis, regardless of hours spent there, we will return to ROP-A and work feverishly until 10pm. Please bring Pizza money for Saturday night. There are quite a few of you who still owe me pizza money. May the Ghost of Pizza Past haunt you until you pay.

Woodie Flowers Award, by Michael Curtis
Chairman’s Award, by Josh Hopkins and Sam Sedgewick
Website Award, by Sean Leapley
Dean’s List Nomination, by Charlotte Lindborg

Way to go!!!!!!

Everybody keep reminding Avery to submit for the FIRST Innovators Award!! He has a few weeks still. Any of the rest of you that have inventions at home, this is your chance!! Go to FIRST and search for it. It is an awesome opportunity to see your invention come to fruition.

GO CIRCUIT BREAKERS!!

Ms. Lindborg