(replying off the syndicate thread) (I lost my link to the wiki, so I'm going to assume this is an okay place to post)
Whoa, there is also a lot more to learn, in case anyone is still bored (please don't let this distract for crazy FRC prep!). I'm finally getting around to building my own robot (after 6 years, haha) and there is So Much Stuff to Learn. So in case any one else is in my position...
See this 30 minute video snapshot of my professor trying / building a stair-climbing robot (it's actually entertaining)*
http://techtv.mit.edu/videos/10523-what ... an-example "A video of a person designing a machine from start to finish, warts and all."
* I mean, it was like MOVIE when you expected a lecture. Yes, college kids still get super excited when we get to watch movies in class! ** and not write papers on them!
General reference:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robot_tutorial.shtml
http://makeprojects.com/Area/Robotics
?? Somehow I entirely missed/forgot how to attach things to servos. Well, outside of Vex's snap-on clutch thingy.
Most of our course materials are openly accessible. http://stellar.mit.edu/S/course/2/sp11/ ... rials.html Of course, it's this giant hairball of links and we're only 1/3 into the semester, but :/ I can't do anything about it. (p.s. we use solidworks so the CAD tutorials are SW)
(for previous years, see http://stellar.mit.edu/courseguide/course/2/sp11/2.007/index.html)
Physics [aka scary math! but not actually anything you can't do. see http://www.societyofrobots.com/mechanics_statics.shtml if you want a more friendly page of physics]
For understanding motors (motor curves? max power? huhh? I just want to know if this motor will do the job), I especially recommend skimming: http://stellar.mit.edu/S/course/2/sp11/ ... ors_v1.pdf
Also, for understanding drivetrains, see "BTW, if you want to know how to figure out if your robot will turn, read this." http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/1443
Not Applicable
Also, not so much immediately applicable (at least for the 80-20 style), but see:
How To Build Your Robot Really Really Fast. http://www.etotheipiplusone.net/stuff/htbyrrrf_03122010.pdf (First time I ever thought of mechanical modularity)
From the same person, http://www.etotheipiplusone.net/stuff/caliper_abuse.pdf .
Do we have machine shop access nowadays? I recently came across Build Your Own Metal Working Shop From Scrap which is actually just awesome. Using just scrap Aluminum, some charcoal, some sand, and other easy materials. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_J._Gingery . See instructables and http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/index.html.
More entertainingly, read blogs with lots of details about the build process. For instance, I follow my crazy upperclassmen:
http://www.etotheipiplusone.net
http://scolton.blogspot.com/ (I like this post, where he reflects on FRC: http://scolton.blogspot.com/2011/02/200 ... wdbot.html)
Yea, just thinking about exactly why each part is there, and how it was put together... o.o I totally agree that staring at a robot for 30 minutes is the way to go.
Well, I suppose one thing is that during FRC I mostly learned how to work with 80-20 and the kit parts, and actually having to CAD and design from scratch is a steep learning curve for me right now. Thankfully I have lots of people to ask for help though! And I'm more ambitious than a lot of my classmates, and I realize that everything will take about 4x as long as I estimate it will o.o
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also, yes, stalk alumni now. So you don't have to type up 1000 pages worth of membership forms in a few years. x_X merrr
Mediawiki has security features (view access), I think? Don't know how secure it is actually.
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I am going back to work now. Waugh. why is there no time ever?
Also, Hi, for those people who I never met!
it's hard to wrap my head around time passing and things changing.
