RGB LED Light Strips

Many teams are now using Light Strips to decorate their pit area and/or their robot.  These go by various names, and some are slightly different technologies, but they are all based on having LED lights in a shape (usually a strip, sometimes a block or a ring).

Here are some interesting links:
Adafruit: 'NeoPixel Uberguide'
The "NeoPixel" string of LEDs are super, in that they are individually programmable.  A bit pricer, however.  Each LED is individually addressable by a computer signal, enabling each LED to have its own intensity in Red, Green or Blue (RGB).  These can be programmed by Arduinos, among other platforms.

SuperNight LED strip on Amazon
These SuperNight LED strips are cheaper, but, from what I can tell, can only be programmed by the whole string being one color and one color only.  You can make the color different, but it is still one color for all lights on the string at any one time.  And I don't know how to use an Arduino to program it.

Multiple vendors sell these strings.  To get them working, you'll need to read the directions pretty carefully.  I had to do a bit of soldering and a little Arduino programming.  Once I got all the parts in place, it took me about a day to get everything running properly.

Free Books!

Not comic books......Science and Technology type stuff.

Seriously, free digital books.  Mostly on programming, mathematics, software architecture, etc.!!

Electrical Wiring for 2015

As FIRST is introducing a new control system for 2015, we are also going to upgrade some of our electrical procedures.  For starters, we are going to be much more aggressive about using Anderson PowerPoles to wire our motors and other components.

Team electricians should closely read the following pages, so that they understand how to use the Anderson PowerPole system and how the Anderson PowerPoles function.

30 Amp PowerPoles 

Crimper and Manual

PowerPole Distribution Options
Third Party Tutorial on PowerPoles and assembly

Lavery Speech at 2014 Championship in St Louis.

Check out the YouTube video.

Pre-Season 2015: Software Downloads and Training

FIRST supplier Autodesk has released their 2015 software.  We use Autodesk Inventor Professional to design the robot.  Download the software and watch the training videos.

National Instruments has posted their 2014 LabView software for FRC on line.  Download LabView, and watch the training videos.

Pre-Season Training 2015--Second look at old links

For basic technical robotic concepts, these blog posts deserve a second look:
Design Process Resources--In particular, look at Team 234's business plan and business plan templates.
Robotics Tutorials

2015 Pre-Season Training---Lesson One

Firebirds,

Time to start training for the 2015 season. We each must know the fundamentals of the standard components of the FIRST robotics system.  At the very least, we must at least know the names and the basic function of the various standard components.  As the components for 2015 will be different from 2014, all of us need to take a few minutes to familiarize ourselves with the information.

Here is a two page lesson I've written up, with some links to videos and pictures.  Concentrate on the RED links.  Don't worry about memorizing all the details of these documents, just be sure to that you can recognize and name each component and briefly describe (in one sentence) what each component does.

Examples:
The battery is 12V and stores energy for the robot.
The main circuit breaker is the on/off switch for the robot and protects the robot circuits.
A motor controller regulates the power to the motors according to a signal from the robot controller.

We'll get into the systems more as we develop the training program more extensively.

Autodesk Inventor

Mechanical Information

I will use this section to post mechanical resources, especially those that give standard sizes, etc.

Boltdepot.com has a very good collection of fastener information.
SDP-SI has a good collection of belt and gear information.
Pipeline Industries has posted engineering calculations for force associated with latex surgical tubing at various elongations.
Free Technical Charts has...free technical charts!
Gates Belt Theory

Roller Chain measurements

White Paper on CD, belts vs chains


Drive Train Calculator

              

Robotics Tutorials

SparkFun has a lot of useful products, especially sensors.  They also have a lot of good tutorials.  They have just started up a video series on concepts in robots.  A few minutes each, they do a good job of explaining basic concepts.  The first video is a bit of a promo of their series and new products, but later videos concentrate on the concepts more.  I recommend that you go to the intro video, and subscribe.

Robotics 101
Intro
Angular Motion
Linear Motion
Transfer of Motion
Precision Motion
Mechanical Structure
Tools


As always, SparkFun has an extensive Learn section on their website, with tutorials and curricula available.

Related Video:
Mechanical Principles (1930) * by Ralph Steiner
Mechanical Video

Kickoff Links and Announcements for 2014

FRC Blog announcements

Key elements of this announcement

1)  FIRST has released the game manual.  Be sure to read the whole manual.

2)  Computer software, such as the National Instruments LabView program which we will use, are now available for download and installation on your computer.  Download the LabView DVD and the FRC update now.  The authorization code was issued in the Kit of Parts for 2014.

National Instruments has also significantly re-worked much of their training and software pages.

3)  Field tour videos  are posted on the FRC youtube channel.