Programming

This year we have advanced in programming in 3 ways:

Color recognition sensors for the robot to know
what field square to land on during autonomous.
Camera recognition of a custom team sleeve
on a scoring element, again to more accurately
maneuver to a place on the field
And finally, the ultimate in programming challenges,
odometry.

Odometry

This recent achievement involved our programmers deriving and programming vector formulas, which were implemented to enable the use of 3 newly mounted dead wheels positioned between our mecanum wheels.

FTC odometry is a method of obtaining field positioning data from the wheels to precisely control the robot's movement and achieve consistent acquisition and placement of game elements, ultimately leading to a higher score. With the implementation of odometry, our robot can now begin in a designated (X, Y, θ) coordinate and navigate to a precise destination, resulting in repeatable movements and improved game strategy.

Why odometry?

The addition of odometry to our robot has significantly improved its maneuverability during autonomous mode. This accomplishment was a collaborative effort involving all team members, who were invested in the design, installation, and programming of the new mechanism. Despite the challenging nature of the math involved in odometry, our seniors were always ready to help and encourage the curiosity of our younger members. We first learned the mathematical calculations required for changes in displacement and angles, and then installed the dead wheels before tuning the mechanism and training our robot to move in straight paths while adjusting the drivetrain values for the code.