Competition

1. Competition

2. Karthik Kanagasabapathy 8 Years FIRST experience Co-General Manager for Team 1114 in 2004, winning 8 FRC awards Specific Areas of Mentorship Strategic Design, Competition Strategy, Field Coaching, Team Administration 5th year Math Major at the U. of Waterloo Current member of the Waterloo Regional Planning Committee

3. Ian Mackenzie 8 years FIRST experience Co-General Manager for Team 1114 in 2004, winning 8 FRC awards Lead designer for two revolutionary FIRST drive systems (Hexadrive 2002, SimSwerve 2004) Specific Areas of Mentorship Mechanical Design, Competition Strategy 3rd year Systems Design Engineering major at the U. of Waterloo Current member of the Waterloo Regional Planning Committee

4. Gracious Professionalism

5. Gracious Professionalism The basis for all behaviour in FIRST ��learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process. We try to avoid leaving anyone feeling like they are losers. No chest thumping barbarian tough talk, but no sticky sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, pride and empathy comfortably blended.� �Compete like crazy for the 2 minutes you are on the field, co-operate like crazy all the rest of the time.�

6. Examples Teams help fix other teams robots Loaning/giving of parts and tools Joint cheering sections Teams give awards to teams that have caught their eyes Memorabilia trading Shirts, pins, pens, gizmos

7. Alliances

8. Alliances Since 1999, teams in the FRC compete as an alliance The format has usually been 2 v 2 In 2001 it was 4 v 0 Key: Remember, you are working with a partner It goes against Gracious Professionalism to sacrifice your partner�s goals in order to achieve your own You can leave some tasks to your partner

9. Alliances Qualification Matches Teams are randomly paired with another team for each match. This alliance lasts only for the duration of the match Elimination Rounds Teams form a permanent alliance of 3 teams, with two robots on the field at a time More details in the Elimination Rounds section of the presentation

10. Scouting

11. Scouting An area that is often neglected by many teams Offers a great opportunity to get a leg up on the competition Crucial for two main reasons Predict your opponents strategy for future matches Essential for alliance picking

12. Pit Scouting Make sure you check out every team at the event Start on Thursday Take pictures of every robot Three views You must get the team# with every picture Things to look for: Functionalities Type of Drivetrain #Wheels, Gearing, Motors Quality of Construction

13. Pit Scouting Ask questions Teams are very friendly and willing to answer questions Make sure to pick up any robot spec. sheets that teams have Be careful not to rely too much on word of mouth information, unfortunately some teams tend to embellish Good to send scouts in teams Minimum, 3 scouting teams of 2

14. Field Scouting Watch every match Things to keep track of: Autonomous modes Which tasks were performed Speed, Power General strategy Drivers and human players Make sure you capture this data for all four teams in the match

15. Field Scouting 1 team of at least 3-6 people Very tiring, some people have a hard time focusing for the entire day Rotate team members, allow time for ample breaks

16. Information Management You need a way to keep track of all the information your team collects Pen & Paper Have standard forms for Team and Match reports Fields for all the key information mentioned before Easy for everyone to use Database Very efficient way of doing things Require laptops & PDAs Can pose difficulties synchronizing

17. Strategy

18. Strategy The most important part of the competition, once the robot is done A great strategy can overcome a weak robot Good strategy and scouting can allow a mediocre robot to win the majority of its matches

19. Pre-Competition To develop a good set of strategies, you need to know what you can do Analyze and evaluate your robot�s abilities Be honest, don�t under or over-estimate Factor in the abilities of your drivers Create a playbook Possible match strategies that can be run Different strategies for different circumstances Defensive, High Risk, Safe

20. Strategies Each strategy should outline what your robot will do for the entire match Create time limits on actions. If something is taking too long, you have to move onto the next Many teams lose matches because they don�t abandon failed objectives Each strategy should have a contingency plan Flow charts are useful

21. During The Competition You will get a full match schedule on Friday morning when you enter the pit Go through the schedule and highlight all your matches For your first match, go through all scouting data on the 3 other teams Based on the abilities of all four teams, determine which strategy from the playbook is best

22. Chart Method Most years, FIRST robots can be grouped into 4-8 types The various combinations of types of robots in a match will determine your strategy Make a chart which for every permutation has a corresponding strategy Assign the proper type to all robots, based on scouting data Before each match, use the chart to choose a strategy

23. Coordinating With Your Partner Once you�ve chosen a possible strategy, go find your partner for the next match Present your proposal Be prepared that they may have a different idea Discuss and decide which idea is best Remember, winning the match is the first priority, showcasing features is second A consensus must achieved, otherwise chaos ensues

24. Coordinating With Your Partner Never lie to your partner about your abilities If you aren�t sure that you can do something, make sure they know that Make sure your strategies are complementary Don�t try and occupy the same space of the field, leave each other room

25. In-Match The role of the field coach cannot be overstated Drivers can only watch the robot and the immediate area The coach must watch the entire field, keep track of the score and the robots The coach should make all decisions to deviate from the initial strategy Must keep the drivers aware of what�s going on

26. In-Match Field coach also must communicate with the alliance partner�s field coach You must be able to make on the fly decisions Too many teams lose matches because they behave in a very static manner

27. In-Match The drivers do not have time to look up at the clock The field coach should be updating the clock every 10 seconds, with a 10 second countdown at the end Instructions must always be given The driver will come to depend on the coach, don�t leave them hanging Everyone on the field must focus on the match Tune out the crowd and the announcer

28. In-Match Never lose sight of the main goal � Winning the match If you fall behind, don�t panic, calmly re-evaluate and come up with a new plan The field coach must also watch the referee, for warnings FIRST has strict rules about aggressive play Leave it all on the field Give it your all, don�t be afraid of damage That being said, don�t take overly dangerous risks

29. Post Match Sit down with the key team members, discuss what went right and what went wrong After a couple of matches, you�ll quickly discard and add strategies. You must adapt to the competition

30. General Strategy Tips Change things up Teams with good scouting will notice if you do the same thing every match Don�t be too conservative or too risky Know your abilities Don�t try and do too much in a match Learn how long two minutes is Run your practices with a timer

31. The Pit

32. Overview (Usually) 10' x 10' area with a table or two Keep robot between matches Make fixes, changes, tweaks Important for advertising

33. General Tips Neatness and tidiness essential Have people keep stuff in the stands, not in the pits Emphasize that the pit is for pit crew and drive team only Post list of matches in pit Ensure you're not caught off guard Schedule jobs around matches Drive team should meet in pit before each match Get key people in pit after every match

34. General Tips Cart essential for moving robot around Crate often makes a good table

35. Pit Crew Responsible for checking over, fixing, and tweaking robot between matches Must work well under pressure Important to have people who can fix things quickly Not necessarily the same people as those who designed and built the robot (although probably a lot of overlap)

36. Working in the Pits Safety glasses essential Even when not working on robot Safety Award No grinding, welding, or open flames allowed Machine shop available at each event Grinding, welding, milling, drilling, cutting, other machining Take raw materials, drawing/instructions to machine shop; machinists will do jobs in sequence No sound systems allowed

37. Tools Screwdrivers Allen keys Wrenches Adjustable wrenches Vise grips Needle-nose pliers Drill Drill bits Screwdriver bits Several files Crimping/wire-stripping pliers Clamps and vise Chain breaker Mallet (last resort!)

38. Spare Parts and Supplies Extra metal plate, channel, rod Nuts, bolts, washers Bushings and bearings Cable ties Electrical tape (insulation only) Electrical connectors Gears, sprockets, chain Grease / oil Surgical tubing Nylon / Delrin / HDPE / LDPE / Lexan Shaft collars Retaining rings Spare motors and electronics available at each regional Ask other teams if you don't have something Give stuff to other teams if they need it

39. Pit Checklist Replace battery Charge old battery Bolts tight Wires solidly connected Antenna fully screwed in Check for damage, bending Lubricate gears, sprockets, and chain Check any parts that were often damaged, worn, or loose in practice Occasionally tether robot and test all functionality Run wheels, listen for any abnormalities Check that sensors are operating as expected

40. Other Teams Should have at least one person in the pit who can answer questions from other teams (especially important Saturday morning before alliance picking) Make sure someone in the pit knows where coach and drivers are Walk around, look at other robots! Teams usually eager to tell you about their robot Lots of good ideas you can use in other years

41. Questions Technical: Full, honest answer (how you did it, why you did it that way, how well it works) Usually answer questions from opponents just the same as any other team Strategy: Keep secret (or simply say �different every match�) No advantage to you (teams will pick you based on robot quality and driver skill more than strategy) No educational benefit to them (only useful to help them beat you in a match; if they are an ally of yours, they will discuss strategy with you before the match)

42. Judging

43. Judging Many awards given out at FIRST events Technical and non-technical Judges may arrive any time Have people ready to answer questions Judges usually want to talk to students Know which awards you're aiming for Know what you want to say for each award

44. Elimination Rounds

45. Elimination Rounds Eight alliances play down to determine a champion Alliances consist of three teams, with only two playing in each match Each team must play in each series Best 2 out of 3

46. Alliance Selection This might be the most important part of the competition Without good scouting, this is impossible to do well

47. Alliance Selection How it works The top 8 teams a ranked according to won-loss record The number 1 seed is then given the opportunity to select any team from the field The selected team has the option of declining, but by doing so you can no longer accept any other offers (you still retain the right to pick) The process continues until 8 teams have picked a partner

48. Alliance Selection How it works (Cont�d) If a team from within the top 8 is selected, all the teams shuffle up by one spot So in theory, the 15th ranked team could end up picking! After the first 8 picks, the 1st ranked team picks a second alliance partner This continues until 8 alliances of three teams are formed

49. How To Pick An Alliance On Friday night every team should make a pick list There�s not enough time to try and do this on Saturday Every team must do it, because the standings fluctuate greatly on Saturday morning Even if you don�t end up picking, the list comes in handy for helping a partner make a second pick

50. How To Pick An Alliance Making a pick list Your pick list should consist of no less than 23 teams Rank teams based on their performance on the field, things that were noticed during pit scouting and compatibility with your robot Don�t fall into the trap of picking solely based on the seedings. The seedings can be highly misleading Look for teams with past success Especially during the current season. If they�ve already won a regional, they�re probably doing something right

51. How To Pick An Alliance Making A Pick List (Cont�d) Pay attention to you strategy charts Look for a partner that gives you a lot of flexibility in strategy Be careful with teams who have had technical failures Go check to see if all repairs have been made

52. How To Pick An Alliance The Alliance Captain Must be a high school student Is the person who goes on the field and makes the pick Must have an accurate, easy to read list An opportunity for sponsor recognition

53. Working With Your Alliance After the alliance selection, there�s approximately 1 hour until the elimination rounds begin Have a meeting with your new alliance and discuss strategy Have all the key players from the three teams introduce themselves Start planning you match strategy for the first round

54. Working With Your Alliance Plan who�s playing in which match Dependant on who your opponent sends out Also plan on who�s taking which side of the field Share scouting and strategy information At this point there�s no need to hide anything You�re one big team for the rest of the competition

55. General Elimination Round Tips You�re robot will be re-weighed before the elimination rounds Matches come fast and furiously, make sure you have enough batteries Have a portable set of tools and spare parts, so you can make quick repairs by the field You will not have time to go back to the pits between matches

56. General Elimination Round Tips Elimination matches are always played differently than qualifying matches Tougher opposition, higher intensity, more defense What worked Friday morning may not work Saturday Afternoon In past years each alliance has one 6 minute timeout to use in the eliminations Use it wisely. Save it for a breakdown

57. Other Tips

58. Other Tips Your robot will be weighed, sized and inspected on Thursday FIRST will publish their inspectors� checklist Make sure you eat and stay properly hydrated FRC events are intense environments, don�t succumb to the pressure Don�t put too much pressure on any one individual The venue will be loud, if you aren�t used to loud noises, get ear plugs There�s a tendency to do a lot of strategizing at night. Leave time for sleep.

59. Other Tips No negative cheering Teams don�t �Boo� at FRC events Bring lots of promotional materials Banners and handouts are great Pin trading is big in FIRST All teams have team shirts/uniforms Display your team number prominently Gracious Professionalism at all times Have fun!

60. Resources

61. Resources General Resources www.firstrobotics.uwaterloo.ca firstcanadianregional.org www.chiefdelphi.com The whitepaper section is an excellent resource for scouting software, during the season www.soap108.com A video archive of matches http://robotics.nasa.gov/events/webcasts.htm Webcasts of FRC events http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2005/rgevents.htm Match results for all regionals

62. Questions? Karthik Kanagasabapathy (kkanagas@student.math.uwaterloo.ca) Ian Mackenzie (ianmackenzie@canada.com)