Post on 18-Jan-2018
description
Driven For Success
Drive Team Strategies for Competitive Robotics
Feroz Balsara & Eric Bryce
Team 1325
What Will Be Covered
• Drive Team Roles• Choosing Your DriveTeam• Match Timeline
– Pre-Match– Match– Post Match
• Driver Training
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Drive Team Roles• Coach
– On-field “commander”– Responsible for on-field the success or failure of the team
• Primary Driver– Controls the drive base (sometimes 1-2 secondary controls)
• Secondary Driver– Controls the manipulators/scoring mechanisms
• Human Player– Responsible for the human aspect of the game
• Backup Driver(s)• Backup Human Player/Human Player Coach
Team 1325
Choosing Your Drive Team
Your drive team is not a group of people driving a robot, they are representative of your team.
“I can train a monkey to drive a robot, but I cant train it to be a leader” - JVN
Team 1325
Choosing Your Drive Team
• Field Coach– The field coach has the most difficult job in the
whole team– Mentor vs. Student debate
• Doesn’t really matter• Choose the most experienced, responsible,
mature, dedicated member of your team to be the coach
• Former drive team experience is crucial to success
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Choosing Your Drive TeamDriver• Should be chosen based on their character traits rather then
competitive ability, age or rank• The drivers should be chosen at the same time• Keep in mind the “chemistry” between drive team members
When choosing drivers, use criteria like:1. Communication skills2. Focus under pressure3. Ability to handle stress4. Strategic mind (not going to push the robot/team past its limits)5. Reaction time6. Driving skill (least important)
Team 1325
Choosing Your Drive TeamHuman Player• Is the most athletic of all the members and requires
excellent communication skills• Often has to resort to proprietary signalling or hand gestures
When choosing human players, use the following criteria :1. Communication2. Dedication3. Focus4. Task Skill5. Responsibility“I don’t need to throw tubes onto the field, I’m already a human player.” –
Graciously Professional Comedy (Team 781)
Team 1325
Choosing Your Drive Team
Backups• Unpredictable incidents can happen on the way
to and during FRC competitions, be prepared– Think “risk mitigation” and “redundancy”
• Depending on the skill and size of your team, have 1-2 backup drivers
• Limited drive time should be given to backups, with little to none at actual competition
Team 1325
Match Timeline
What should each drive team member be doing prior, in queue, during and after every FRC match (including practice ones)?
Team 1325
Match Timeline
Pre-match• Coach
– The coach should be working with other coaches, scouting crew and strategists (if applicable)
– Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of both your opponent and alliance teams
– View/talk to opponent and alliance robots to determine changes since scouting
– Meet with the other 2 coaches to devise a game plan
Team 1325
Match Timeline
Pre-match• Coach (cont.)
– Ensure all coaches understand the particulars of the strategy and convey the match strategy to the rest of the drive team
– Brief the drivers on what’s about to happen
Team 1325
Match Timeline
• Drivers– Drivers should not be engaged in strenuous
or stressful activities pre-match– When the coach leaves for the coaches
meeting the drivers should asses the condition of the robot to determine if the drive style needs to be modified
– Listen and understand the match strategy when briefed by the coach
Team 1325
Match Timeline
Queuing:• Coach
– Discuss any last minute changes or details• Drivers
– Circle Check– Have a physical checklist and a flashlight– “Kick the tires and light the fires”– Ensure everything is in standard starting position
• Human Player– Warm up
Team 1325
Match TimelineDuring:• Coachg
– Keep track of overall match strategy, time, score, opponents strategy, match objectives, alliance objectives and time, also the time
– Give constant feedback to the drivers about time, opponent/defender position and modification to the strategy
– Convey signals to the human player• Drivers
– Focus on the robot and its immediate surroundings, nothing else– Talk between drivers should be minimal and only when necessary
• (Drivers should be reasonably competent by this point)– Listen to the coach at all times, they are the boss during the match
• Human Player– Focus on the pre-match strategy and coach’s signals
Team 1325
Match Timeline• Post Match:
– Coach • Review scores, scouting data, and strategist
comments about the previous match• Hold a meeting with the drivers and human player
to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the previous match
– Drivers and Human Player• This is not criticism, it is advice; leave your ego at
home for 3 days
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Driver Training
Q: How do we turn a bunch of students into lean, mean driving machines?
A: Lots of work.
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Human Player Training
• Actually pretty important• Base training around specific goals
– Build/jury-rig field parts• Use all the resources
– Physical education is a good place to start• Ensure game rules are known & followed!
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Coach Training
• Know the game inside and out– Rules, strategies, other teams on the field– Watch other regional competitions
• Know your robot inside and out– Technical limitations and capabilities
• Know the other teams
… basically, know everything
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Driver Training
• Be involved in development & UI design– Should be able to make minor repairs on the
field– The programmer does not never knows best– Joystick vs. Xbox controller, tank vs. arcade
• Be familiar with limitations of other systems• Create a realistic training environment
– Carpet is a must!• Competition time is training time
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Secondary Driver/Operator/Co-pilot
• Know everything about your system– Have a “feel” for minor adjustments– Should be second nature
• UI is a big deal (ergonomics)– Code should work for you– Build the robot and code around the driver
Team 1325
Team1325.com
Bryce.Eric@gmail.comFeroz1325@gmail.com
Team 1325