Post RIDE / Pre NECMP - changes, repairs, replacements & improvements

[Louis L]

Just some random thoughts.

We don't get the 6 hrs of open bag time. Instead we have a few hours on the first day to make a few quick changes before practice matches start. There will be time in-between matches (more than in a District Event due to the larger number of teams).

Hardware / mechanical changes - There are a few very important things to fix. If we can do the first three, we'll be good to go.

   
• We have a few options all centered around making the pull-down mechanism of the shooter stable. Ideally we want to make it impossible to accidentally trigger. This would solve all our problems with loading the Boulder, going under the low-bar, misfires, accidentally loading the Boulder with the shooter up, etc.
• Another hardware fix we need is the strengthening of the chassis at the 4 locations where the shooter subassembly bolts onto the chassis. We already had to make one patch. Now we need to patch the other 3 corners.
• Finally let's replace the Axis camera with a USB camera. This will require some software changes as well. The axis camera has not proven to be reliable that few years so why do we keep using it? Both of our samples have issues. Let's cut the cord now.
• This one is less important - replace the gyro with one that works. This is important if we end up doing autonomous high goal shooting.
• Portculis & Cheval de Fris device.
• thing that helps robot go under low bar.
• prevent ball from falling into cradle.

Software - We've been running LabVIEW at both WPI and RIDE. We need to get Java and C++ up and running so that we can deploy one of them at NECMP. We can still deploy LabVIEW if needed but we should try to get one of the other 2 languages up if possible.

   
• Java - needs more work on the intake up/down. I'm not sure if autonomous has been fully tested.
• C++ - need to start with basic testing. Start with drivetrain, then intake, then autonomous.
• Labview - we can look at fixes but at realistically, let's not touch something that works ok.
• All - look at vision processing. For NECMP, vision becomes a big plus. We'll be playing with the big boys and any advantage we can get can be huge.
• All - add whatever update is needed to support any hardware changes including camera and hard stop.
• All - flush - drive both motors
• Dashboard - default switch to override autonomous.
• All - don't read autonomous switches; they no longer exist.
• change camera code to handle one forward facing USB camera
• Support AD gyro

Other random stuff -

   
• Safety - any giveaways? CPR certification? get fire extinguisher
• Buttons - I think we have enough.
• Drive Team - who does what?
• Pit people - any changes?
• Arcadia - finish the UI with HTML code