FIRST Mentor Opinions

I'm donating an FRC micro:bit Scouting Tool for the Charity Auction at the 2022 Indiana Robotics Invitational. Proceeds from the 2022 Auction will benefit Riley Children’s Mental Health and Behavioral Health program and help provide services to young people in need.  The FRC micro:bit Scouting Tool makes it easy to collect scouting data from the spectator area. The following are some key features to this tool: The compact design makes it easy to carry into the bleachers and use while watching matches.  The hard plastic case makes it easy to pack with other team equipment.  It leverages advanced HOTAS design philosophy originally developed for fourth and fifth generation fighter jets.  The tactile physical buttons allow the Scout to collect data without taking their eyes off the field.  The micro:bit pocket-sized computer can be easily updated with a new app for next season’s game. Details about this scouting tool design are available in the project guide at http...

[Update: You are bidding on a full set of custom built bumpers with your team number on them for an upcoming season. The bumper on the table is just an example to show the craftsmanship, method of attaching the numbers, and how they are reversible with a horizontal flap that cannot bug on the ground and interfere with the drive system. -jr] [Update: The top three bidders will win this auction. As of Saturday night, one of the bidders will receive a full set of competition bumpers for one dollar. If you are willing to pay someone more than a buck  to build your robot bumpers, add a bid to the sheet. You don't have to out bid the highest bid to win a set of bumpers. -jr] I'm donating three sets of Reversible Bumpers for the Charity Auction at the 2022 Indiana Robotics Invitational. Proceeds from the 2022 Auction will benefit Riley Children’s Mental Health and Behavioral Health program and help provide services to young people in need. There is one bid sheet for the bumpers so the...

I just started planning my trip to the 2022 Indiana Robotics Invitational (IRI). This year it will be held in my hometown, Columbus, IN. To help teams traveling to the event I have posted a short guidebook with more information about Columbus and other things to see while you're there. It is available at  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S9MPqsJQuDJeNvRmPCwBw3sL2liMf5WVQvECOkro8o8 .  Details for the event are available at the official website:  http://indianaroboticsinvitational.org . The teams have been selected. Volunteers are organized. It promises to be a great event. IRI always selects a charity to support from the event. They ask spectators for a donated backpack with supplies for elementary age students. They are also looking for donated items as part of their Charity Auction. This year I'll be donating three sets of Reversible Bumpers. I use the design outlined in this project guide:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uw5eNlRrA46mTpt6AEXgEAwaTSo1M8Y5zvqx...

 Check out this Pit Writeup on Chief Delphi: https://www.chiefdelphi.com/t/team-4414-hightide-pit-writeup/411862.  This provides a great example of how to design and improve a pit. I've been interested in road cases for use with pits since I volunteered at my first event and saw that this is how FIRST transports the field from venue to venue. The High Tide team has worked with a road case company and developed a great pit. The pit is your home when you're at an event. There are enough other things going on during an event, so you want your pit to be familiar. I recommend setting up the pit every meeting at your home workspace. You may have more equipment or additional work tables at your home base, but you should keep your tools and parts in your pit during regular meetings. This way everyone knows were to find things when you load in your robot and are setup for an event.

I was recently at the Indianapolis Children's Museum (https://www.childrensmuseum.org). It is like no other museum. You have to check it out. The good news is you don't need children to enter. I grew up in Indiana and have fond memories of going to the top floor to the Science Exploration exhibit. Unfortunately all the cool physical science experiments which were there when I was a kid have been replaced with an Agriscience exhibit. I'm not taking away from the importance of Agriscience, and it makes sense that a museum in Indiana needs to highlight this critical area. I just wish it could live in harmony with the old science hands on area that I remember. Ah-ha! Why did Dean Kamen choose robots when he wanted to inspire kids to pursue careers in science and technology? The reason was because robots cover everything. There are mechanical parts, electrical parts, pneumatic parts, and software. There are small robots for young kids and big robots for kids and adult mentors. W...

I was recently at a Dave and Busters. It wasn't like I remembered. I was expecting video games and pinball machines. Neither of these were available. They did have the venerable Skee-Ball. There were half a dozen versions of Pop-A-Shot, including one that played Connect 4. There was a Hatchet Throwing game with foam hatchets. There was a baseball throwing speed and accuracy game. They did have the tickets with the redemption center offering spider rings for 5 tickets and a Play Station 5 for 50,000 tickets. As I was walking through, I realized that these days they wouldn't have video games. With console games and smartphone games, people can play much better video games at home. The draw to a Dave and Busters is a physical game, which is something you can't do easily in the family room at home. I'm hoping schools still have a spring carnival or seniors day. These are filled with booths that have things like a Wheel-of-Fortune or a dunk tank. Many of the booths are fundr...