Changes between Version 1 and Version 2 of ControlSystemsMentoring

Timestamp:

May 1, 2016, 12:43:11 PM (9 years ago)

Author:

David Albert

Comment:

--

ControlSystemsMentoring

@@ -3 +3 @@
   * The sensing systems that detect the robot environment (e.g. sonar, lidar, switches, encoders, gyroscopes, accelerometers, etc.)
   * Scouting software: typically an android/ios phone app used during competitions to track the performance of other teams and robots that is used by the Game Captain to help determine which other teams would form the best alliances.
-  * IT infrastructure - maintaining this wiki, software version control, a trouble ticketing system, etc.
+  * IT infrastructure - this wiki, software version control, a trouble ticketing system, etc.
 
-Control Systems and Mechanical are the two largest sub-teams and each should have several regular mentors.
+Control Systems and Mechanical are the two largest sub-teams and each should have several (3-4) regular full-time mentors as well as several part-time mentors.  Full-time mentors must know Java well.  At least one of the mentors must be well versed in embedded systems and digital interfacing to help students understand the sensors they will use and how to connect them to the control computer.  In the past, Arduino and Raspberry Pi microcontrollers have also been used for auxiliary sensor processing such as processing data from 9-degrees-of-freedom (9DOF) sensors or to perform machine vision.
 
-* Training- Control Systems students have widely varying levels of software development experience ranging from never having written a line of code to remarkably sophisticated (like a strong undergraduate CS student).  During the pre-season, mentors should work with the student leads to divide the team into groups based on their experience levels and map out the pre-season training activities that will best help each group.  For example, new students need to learn Java, learn about sensing/sensors, and learn about the basic robot development environment (RoboRio, WPILib).  Students focusing on sensors should learn to read datasheets, the basics of digital interfacing.  More advanced students should learn PID control and build skills with machine vision, autonomous navigation, targeting, etc.  Training should be '''overwhelmingly''' hands-on with as little power-point/chalkboard as possible; the students have spent all day in classrooms and respond much better to activities (and they are more fun).  Activities:
+'''Robot Software Development''': An FRC robot consists of a battery, a power distribution system, a RoboRio + software, wifi bridge, sensors, motors and motor controllers, and mechanisms.  The robot is remotely controlled (like a radio-controlled car) via WiFi wireless link from a "Drive Station" which is a laptop with joysticks and game controllers.  Team 2537 uses Java to develop its robot software because it is consistent with the HCPSS computer science program.  The software runs on a National Instruments [http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/213308 NI RoboRio] single board linux computer, available at a large discount (but still expensive) from !AndyMark [http://www.andymark.com/product-p/am-3000.htm here].  The Java software runs in an environment developed by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) known as [https://wpilib.screenstepslive.com/s/4485 WPILib].  WPILib provides a rich but rigid environment to facilitate robotics in the FRC competition environment; it is essentially the OS within which the robot code runs.  
+
+The !RoboRio/WPILib environment is complex and requires a considerable investment of time to learn.  New mentors should spend some time with the FRCSim simulator (see below) and with the [https://wpilib.screenstepslive.com/s/4485 ScreenStepsLive tutorials] to get comfortable with and understand the environment.  Although the Electrical team installs and connects other system components such as the [http://www.andymark.com/product-p/am-2856.htm Power Distribution Panel] and [http://www.vexrobotics.com/217-8080.html Talon SRX] motor controllers, the Control Systems mentors should have a good understanding of these components, their capabilities, and their interfaces.
+
+'''Training'''- Control Systems students have widely varying levels of software development experience ranging from never having written a line of code to remarkably sophisticated (like a strong undergraduate CS student).  During the pre-season, mentors should work with the student leads to divide the team into groups based on their experience levels and map out the pre-season training activities that will best help each group.  For example, new students need to learn Java, learn about sensing/sensors, and learn about the basic robot development environment (RoboRio, WPILib).  Students focusing on sensors should learn to read datasheets, the basics of digital interfacing.  More advanced students should learn PID control and build skills with machine vision, autonomous navigation, targeting, etc.  Training should be '''overwhelmingly''' hands-on with as little power-point/chalkboard as possible; the students have spent all day in classrooms and respond much better to activities (and they are more fun).  Activities:
      * Arduino/mini-bots - there is a lot of existing training material on this wiki that uses inexpensive Arduino single-board computers to teach basic programming (in C), electronics and sensor interfacing.  There are also several mini-robots that use Arduino controllers and can be programmed  used to explore autonomous robotics.  These exercises were well received by students, but because the competition environment is very different (Java, RoboRio, WPILib), these exercises have limited transferability to competition robot skills, but they are better than nothing if more suitable hands-on training platforms are not available.  The mini-bots are small and safe and the students can use them without supervision.
      * Competition-bot trainers - there are (or should be) several cut-down robot platforms from prior years that are great environments for training.  These robots include a RoboRio (the standard linux single board computer required as the robot controller for competition) and the same electronic subsystems and mechanical drive bases used for competition.  Competition bot trainers allow students to train in the same environment used for competition which is ideal, but the competition bots are large and can be dangerous; they should only be used by experienced students and generally require mentor supervision.