The FIRST Tech Challenge a chronology Presented by: John Pilvines, founding coach for Team Unlimited, FTC0001 [ftc0001.org] We acknowledge the efforts and copyrights of FIRST, LEGO Education and LEGO. Without their generosity, the FIRST Tech Challenge would not exist! FTC Chronology

Challenges past... from FIRST Frenzy  First FVC season lasted one month, from challenge release and equipment delivery to the demonstration competition at the World Championships in Atlanta  53 team Invitational challenge, scaled down in size from previous season FRC challenge – FIRST Frenzy  Vex Development System steel and plastic hardware, supplied by Radio Shack, developed from the EduBot/Robovation system used to train rookie FRC teams  No autonomous – software not ready in time  Our team name became “Team Unlimited”  “Sharon Eagle Robotics Unlimited” too long for MC  We liked it, we kept it FTC Chronology

Challenges past... from FIRST Frenzy 2005 FVC Demonstration Field - 1  Key tasks – team members shooting whiffle softballs into goals, capping goals with doubling ball, robot hanging from bar at end of match

Vex Robotics Development System Introduced  Motors all servos (angle and continuous rotation)  PIC-based microcontroller  Square holes in steel structural pieces FTC Chronology

Challenges past... Half Pipe Hustle 2005/6 FVC Pilot Field - 2  Pilot Season teams competed  Gather balls from floor or wall feeders  Score in corner or center goals  Easy C introduced to enable autonomous coding Bonus for parking on center pads at end of period

FTC Chronology Challenges past...Hangin’-A-Round FVC Extended Pilot Field - 3  Extended Pilot Season  554 teams competed  Autonomous 20 sec, operator-control 2 min  Gather balls from floor piles  Score in low or high goals, control doubling ball  Bonus for parking or hanging at end of period

FTC Chronology Challenges past... Quad Quandary FTC Competition Field - 4  FTC now an official program  799 teams competed  Autonomous 20 sec, operator 2 min  Gather 3” rings from floor piles  Score rings on side or mobile goals, 18” & 24” posts  Bonus for moveable goals in alliance quadrant

FTC Chronology Challenges past... Face Off! FTC Competition Field - 5  986 teams competed  Autonomous 30 sec, operator 2 min  Gather 3” pucks from wall feeders  Score rings into center goals, low, middle and high  Double count for pucks scored in autonomous

Tetrix Robotics Development System Introduced to Replace Vex System  LEGO Mindstorms NXT as microcontroller  Secondary chained driver modules to control DC gear motors and servos  Aluminum structural components – light and rugged  LEGO components allowed as well  Some additional non-kit parts allowed (sheets of aluminum or plastic etc)  Tetrix system integrated by LEGO Education in USA  Bluetooth remote control from microcomputer  Robot C and LabVIEW introduced for coding FTC Chronology

Tetrix Robotics Design Platform FTC Chronology

Challenges past... Hot Shot! FTC Competition Field - 6  1111 teams competed  Autonomous 30 seconds, operator 2 min  Gather 3” whiffle balls from corner feeders  Score balls into center goals - low and high  Balls to outside boxes only during last 30 sec  Double score for goals with doubling balls, double score for balls scored during autonomous Double score for balls scored in autonomous, double score for goals with yellow doubling balls (last 30 sec)

FTC Chronology Challenges past... Get Over It! FTC Competition Field - 7  1606 teams competed  Autonomous 40 sec, operator-controller 2 min  Park above center divider, gather batons (including doublers) & move goals across center divider during autonomous  Gather batons from wall dispensers during operator control  Score batons into low & mid moveable goals  Score magnetic batons into high moveable goals Balance robots & goals during last 30 seconds Samantha Wi-Fi module added for remote control

FTC Chronology Challenges past... Bowled Over! FTC Competition Field - 8  Autonomous 30 sec, operator-controller 2 min  During autonomous, upright crates, park robots & bowling balls in parking areas  Gather racquet balls and place in crates or in low goal during operator control, then stack crates – the higher the better  Home Zone = low goal, stack without interference  Magnetic balls into off-field goal Bowling balls & crates on platforms only during last 30 seconds

FTC Chronology Challenge current... Ring It Up! FTC Season  More teams than ever!  More international than ever!  More fun than ever!

2011/12 Designing for FTC with Tetrix Workshop Challenges past... Partial list of potential tasks  Climb a step or ramp  Hang from a bar  Pickup and place objects, from/to various positions  Balls of all sizes, rings, batons, pucks,...  From floor level to above robot starting height  Small to large, light to heavy  Move structures to various locations on field  End with robot at a designated location  Have team member perform tasks  Have the robot “shoot” balls  Find magnetic or heavy objects  Detect IR beacon So far...

Questions?  Team Unlimited [FTC 0001] can be contacted through our website FTC0001.ORG FTC Chronology