http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090222-171505
Stopped at Seattle Fabrics yesterday and picked up some fabric for a "Target Vest". The heavy-weight fabric I had ordered for the vision targets was all out of stock, so I had to settle for a lighter weight fabric. Picked up a scrap of neoprene, too. It's interesting material. Very grippy! You never know what we might need it for!

I will try to make the target vest later in the week.

See you Tuesday night!

Dean]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090218-232334
I have to make a last minute trip to San Jose tomorrow. I won't get back until about 9:30, so I'll probably miss you all. If Kevin isn't too swamped with Senior Project work, he'll bring the bumper.

Dean]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090217-124559 http://www.2news.tv/news/local/39718902 ... HI&t=a ]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090217-103300
Yesterday was a fun day for most (software was very busy). We spent seven hours at our practice field. The team was able to spend an hour with some media from Micron and channel 2 news. This gave Sherwood and Ian some camera time (they are now television stars).

Team Tator showed up so we had a little scrimmage match that was a lot of fun to watch. It showed that both teams still had a lot of fine tuning that needs to take place. One of these seasons the team will be able to give software more than one day with a completed robot to work out bugs. We try every year it just hasn’t happened yet. By the end of the day the robot was able to track the target and shoot moon rocks into it. GREAT JOB software team!

To help with some shipping logistics the robot was brought to my garage and crated for shipping. Randy, Zach, Sandra, Daniel and I got the robot crated and ready to go last night at about 10:15 PM. :)
GREAT JOB TEAM BULLBOT!!!
]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090212-174311 http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090211-214418 we prototyped with carbors some steeper hopper sides with cardboard. :o
We also made 3 orbit balls (sort of) :(
]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090211-080045
Kevin came home concerned about the bumper color. Green was something the team had decided on quite early and the fabric was brought to a Saturday meeting about a month ago. This green is NOT the vision target green. It is a dark, forest green. I will bring it tonight for the team to approve. If we choose not to use this color we may have limited options. The only place that will sell us Cordura Nylon in town is Buck's Bags, and they have only a limited color selection. (Normally they don't sell fabric, but will make an exception for us.)

I will only be there for a short time tonight, as getting the bumpers finished is a priority.

Dean]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090210-084035
Last year we put logos on the bumpers, but with green bumpers this year that may not work so well.

Thanks.
Dean]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090210-075401 http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090210-004927 We lowered the brush wheel down 1/2" and moved it in toward the elevator assembly an 1". The brush relocation also required the drive motor mount to be relocated. Looking forward to testing tomorrow!]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090209-234310
Thanks for the bumper measurements. We will work on those tomorrow and Wednesday evening.

Looks like Friday is a school holiday. My schedule looks decent and I can probably work 1/2 day. Other mentors?

Note to Randy: I set the monitor out for Kevin to bring. It takes a 12V input at 3A. That's only 36Watts and is well in the range of the proposed batteries.

See you Wednesday!

Dean]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090209-193016 1- Move the camera so that it can't be damaged and so that it will fit the height requirements/ game rules/ height
2- Refine the groundhog so that it can feed the balls better
3- Put the chains on the wheels
4- Get sensors wired
5- Refine the electrical stuff
6- Add game light
7- Review the rules of the robot
8- Practice with the robot on the practice field
9- Chassis refinemet/dimensions
]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090209-143034

Another observation from Sat. As we reduced the range our RPM fell on the "spinny thing of dooooom!" and would actually jam up. This is another place where we need to look to adding the PID block to keep the RPM constant. We may need to play with it as the PID block will need to feed more power as we launch balls to keep the rpm up and not jam. Another task for us to get working tonight is the encoder feedback from the "spinny thing of dooooom!". ]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090209-142244

Well we ran the controls in manual mode with manual speed control. Suggestions were made about being able to revers the elevator and the ground hog. Software will need to look at some options to do this with the controls on hand.

James worked with Dean to adapt a PS2 controller to work with the drivers station. This still need to be tested to make sure all the buttons function. The axis controls need to be fine tuned as well.

Final dashboard designs need to be done so we can have mechanical and electrical look at constructing it for us as software team fine tunes the robot.

We also have an issue with the new camera code bogging down the control system. We need to do some debugging tonight (Monday) and see what may be causing it.

Lots of software work to do still!]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090208-194946
Tremendous effort from all teams culminated in a running robot last night. I think it was safe to say that all parties were pretty impressed by the initial capabilities and everyone is looking forward to the fine tuning we'll do this week as we wrap up the robot build.

This is not to say we're done with the build! Still need to machine more sprokets and clean up wiring. I will bring my label maker tomorrow night and it would be good for the electrical team to get labels on every wire running into the electronics package.

Several of us worked on a method of cleaning up the wiring from the turret. Randy had a good suggestion that we need to mock up. If we can make it work it is possible it will make things a little simpler. I will pick up a few parts to try. One of the possible implications would be that the camera might have to be moved slightly to one side. Stand by.

Keep on running! Only a week left! :)

Dean]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090206-215727 http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090206-214748 The groundhog team will be createing groundhog possibilties and will hopefully create the final design for the hopper.
The turret team is planning to test the turret shooting at a moveing target sooner or later.
The chassis team claims to be done so they will be helping all the other teams. :)
Good luck and let's get 'er done! ]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090206-113119

We made really good progress last night. We connected the turret and ran it on circles. Runs smoothly. We did have a gear slip on the encoder shaft so there is work to add a set screw. Looking to possibly test tonight with the encoder in place.

Manual turret control is done, needs to be tested fully. Once the camera is added we will work on tracking the targets and turning the turret.

Elevator motor control is in place and the groundhog motor reference is added. Need to set the control.

Look to add the automated tracking system and determine how we want autonomous to function completely.

Looking forward to making more progress tonight.
]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090206-102449 The floor is down and the corner station is built. Still need to work on the boarder and the middle human player station. Teams will need to take extension cords with them when practicing. There are lots of outlets just not where you will want to drive from. ]]> http://bullbots.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry090205-121456

Just sharing from the experiences digging through the blog code. Before looking through the code I had never looked at PHP before. What I wanted to express is learning multiple languages is a way to gain skills to be able to quickly look at a new language and be able to understand what it is doing, even if you never have programmed that language before. Almost all languages share common structures, styles of design, and operations.

So, moral of the story, learn as many programming languages as you can in your career as a software developer. Read, research and try languages on your own. With that background it will increase your skills and give you abilities to quickly learn other languages. ]]>