idealtech.xyz

Has your team been crafty with sensors on your robot? Apply for the Control Award! Does your robot have a complex or unique autonomous program? Apply for the Control Award! Is your robot reliable during autonomous program? Apply for the Control Award! Does your robot have multiple autonomous programs? Apply for the Control Award! Is your driver-controlled robot movement enhanced with an autonomous routine? Apply for the Control Award! Want to show off what you have programmed your robot to do? Apply for the Control Award! In FIRST Tech Challenge , Teams are eligible and considered for MOST FTC awards simply by attending an FTC competition. There are a few exceptions, and those exceptions only exist because more information is required. The Control Award is one of those Awards.   However, applying for the Control Award is easy and open to every FTC team. Fill out the Control Award Content Sheet (one for each autonomous or driver-controlled program) and at your event, ask the Pi...

You know the feeling when you finally program your robot to autonomously move forward, turn left, locate a CASCADE EFFECT ball, and then pick it up all on its own? Then you travel to your next FTC competition and your robot is off! Without a hitch! Have you ever wondered how this amazing skill you now possess will benefit you in the future? The Deep Phreatic Thermal Explorer (DEPTHX) is basically a very, very advanced FTC robot constructed with the goal of creating a vehicle that could travel and explore the underwater oceans of Jupiter�s moon, Europa.    The Deep Phreatic Thermal Explorer (DEPTHX) is an autonomous underwater vehicle that was designed and built by Stone Aerospace, an aerospace engineering firm from Austin, Texas. It was designed to autonomously explore and map underwater sinkholes in northern Mexico as well as collect water and wall core samples. The DEPTHX vehicle was the first of three vehicles to be built by Stone Aerospace, which were funded by NASA with ...

by Bob Howard, Coach Team #4997, Masquerade ; Paul Bresnan, Coach Team 6433, Neutrinos ; Caroline Bresnan, FTC Alumna, Team #2868, Smoke and Mirrors   Scouting is the art of gathering information about your fellow FIRST Tech Challenge teams and their robots. Knowing your opponents� strengths and weaknesses is critical for a team�s success. The following simple tips are designed to help your team begin the scouting process. Tip #1 � Visit the Inspection Field As a part of inspection, all teams are required to test their robot on the field. Watching these test drives is a great way to gather information on a team�s autonomous programs and scoring capabilities before the tournament has even started! Be sure to take detailed notes. The practice field is also a good place for pre-tournament scouting. Tip #2 � Print Out the Field Diagram Field Diagrams are great for scouting. Print our several copies per page and use them as a way to draw out autonomous paths. They also come in handy ...

A big crowd at Rethink Robotics checking out Baxter in August 2013. Ever wonder who the people are that come up with the annual FTC Game? Chaired by JoAnn Halloran, FTC Program Manager, the Game Design committee (or GDC) is made up of select volunteers who meet every week over the course of the year to plan and refine the Game before and after Kickoff in September. They research real world robots, up-and-coming technology innovations, and then design a game that can be accomplished by rookie and veteran teams with multiple scoring options. It is no easy task, but these hard-working volunteers truly love the challenge. The planning for the CASCADE EFFECT challenge started in September 2013 with a trip to Rethink Robotics to explore Baxter the manufacturing robot, as well as the Baresearch robot. The next day the GDC brainstormed four ideas which were developed a little, then reduced to three, then worked on more, then reduced to two, and then fully-developed before a decision was mad...