2023:Controls
Overall Concept
- The laptop height should be just tall enough to fit a power brick underneath
- The controllers should be on a stand to the right of the laptop
- The broken switches and LED toggle button should also be to the right of the laptop, in front of the controllers
- That the bling should be on the inside of the top
- The top should hinge open instead of latch
- The top of the (closed) laptop should be about level with the surface of the controls
Ideas
-9V Battery shape (1511 V)
-5 presets: (ground, 1st cube, 1st cone, 2nd cube, 2nd cone)
-Keep it short (because the scoring is in front of the table)
-Has a place to store the controllers
-All PlayStation controller
-Have wheels like last year?
-NO ZIPPERS
-No funny angles (unlike 2020)
-Cabinet like 2020
-Shapes on the sides that look like renewable energy sources (windmill, solar panel, etc.)
-Lightbulb/fan?
-"Radiation"
 Clamshell top (opens to the right) - Space for controllers built in (no sliding components) - Broken switches in front of controller space - Top will be the same size as the bottom - Computer sits slightly lower in the box - Where handle goes is undecided - 9 Volt battery design - Solar panels on the inside of the top |
Design Info
Slide out drawer of broken switches: approx. 5 inches tall (5 inches is way too tall for Calla, this is a problem)
Keep it simple
Last year's laptop dimensions: 16.75 x 11.875
Maximum dimensions: 41.25 in. tall, 60 in. long, 14 in. deep
Recommended dimensions: 4 in. tall, TBD in. long, 13 in. deep 27" long by 13.5" deep
Buttons it needs to have:
- Broken switches (using rocker style from prior years, to help keep laptop close to the bottom)
- LED controls
Bling
- Mini solar panels (connect to Arduino, read voltage to drive a windmill?
- Solar panels link (need 4 of them): https://www.amazon.com/Sunnytech-330ma-Module-Polysilicon-Charger/dp/B00HQXQOIQ/
Possible handles:
- https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Commercial-Mounting-200x65mm-7-9x2-6inch/dp/B08XNLYLNK/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2ANO60456TSYR&keywords=heavy+duty+handles&qid=1674168461&sprefix=handles+for+heav%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-6
- https://www.amazon.com/Reliable-Hardware-Company-RH-0540BK-2-Handle/dp/B00JQYVGEK/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2ANO60456TSYR&keywords=heavy+duty+handles&qid=1674168461&sprefix=handles+for+heav%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-7
- https://www.amazon.com/Reliable-Hardware-Company-RH-0511BK-Recessed/dp/B00JQYVJNS/ref=sr_1_43?crid=2ANO60456TSYR&keywords=heavy+duty+handles&qid=1674168461&sprefix=handles+for+heav%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-43 (would need two)
- The hinge should be on the right and the latch should be on the left
To Do
MAKE SURE TO TAKE YOUR TOOL AND/OR GAME TESTS EVERY DAY UNTIL YOU PASS THEM, ESPECIALLY IF A MONTOR IS NOT THERE AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.
Not Started
- Find a 120V power connector, use 3-prong panel mount connector.
- Find a panel mount Ethernet connector, there should be some in the cabinets.
- Find and order solar panels. Options below. ~13"x8" would be half of the laptop area:
- 5.35" x 4.33" ($8 ea) [would need 4 for 10.7" x 8.66": $32] - seems like the best option, but take a week to come
2.4" x 4.3" (3 for $17.46) [would need 2 sets for 3x2 7.2" x 8.6": $34.94]1.96" x 1.96" (10 for $15.50) [would need 2 sets for 5x4 grid for 9.8" x 7.84", but not enough Arduino analog pins for this: $31]
- Get out Arduino PWB
- Come up with lighting scheme - What's lit up, where are the lights being run.
- Finalize overall design scheme - Lettering, paint, battery terminals, design for stuff on the inside of the cover (solar panels) etc. Are we putting a charge indicator on the side that discharges during the match?
- Design battery terminals (potential 3D print)
- Design a cable retention scheme to hold the USB connector to the PS5 controllers, may be able to find this online.
- Determine hinge design for the top cover - pick hinges
- Determine latch design for the top cover - can we hide the latches in the battery terminals?
- CAD
- Laptop stand - Can probably use the design from last year or something similar, doesn't need to be complicated.
- Main Case - 27" long by 13.5" deep and high enough to hold the laptop on the laptop stand
- Need some kind of bracket to hold the power connector and Ethernet connector, concept has these facing up on the left side behind the laptop.
- Top cover - Needs to be the same overall dimensions as the main case.
In Process
- Looking at different handles (See design info for links)
- Determine the
overall sizeheight of the 9V battery style controls (other dimensions are 27 in. long, 13.5 in. deep)- controllers to the right of the laptop (orientation TBD due to depth, might need to rotated 90 degrees to fit in 14" depth)
- determine what kind of top we will have over the laptop (e.g. comes completely, flips/folds out to the sides, roll top desk style, etc.)
- Pick a handle, check McMaster Carr/Amazon/etc. to see what's available.
Completed
- Pick which overall style we will go with
- Ordered Ps5 controllers
- Ordered broken switch USB board
- Gathered (i.e. we already have):
- USB-C cables for controllers
- Arduino for bling (UNO R3)
- LEDs light strips for bling
- Determine height of pull out draw for broken switches/buttons (3.4 inches)
- this made the laptop too high for Calla to see over it
- at 6pm 1/15 we realized we had the wrong driver station shelf height, so are going to re-visit this
- Get images of the sketches on the wiki
- Figure out what we will use for broken switches and order them - Looking at using small rocker switches from a few years ago.
- Add the overall concept drawing that Gabby did to the wiki, it's in the box on the controls shelf. Create a separate section with a description of the overall concept, most is captured in the notes from 1/17.
- Determine the overall size of the 9V battery style controls
- broken switches to the right of laptop
- these could be next to laptop or maybe something that flips out (we may not have height to have a drawer going under the laptop)
- Need to either design or find a design for the controller holders, there should be designs on the internet.
Meeting Minutes
1/14
Attendees: Byers, Eric, Sam, Gabby, Sami, Hailey, Tyler
Work Completed:
- primed this Wiki page
- Reviewed previous controllers for reference
- Made some ideas for the 2023 controller
- Voted on controller drawings
- Made some measurements for controller dimensions
1/15
Attendees: Byers, Sami, Sam, Tyler
Work Completed:
- Made some CAD ideas for the controls (but it looks more like an USB than a battery)
- Measured some controls dimensions
- Looked at how many buttons/switches we have (we have 6 LED rectangle buttons (4 are green) and at least 10 switches)
- We should use switches instead of buttons because we have more of them
- PS5 controllers were picked (talked with Calla & Peter); they are on the shopping list
- Found 2 orange 6' USB C cables [put on controls shelf]
- Put USB to Joystick board on shopping list (for broken switches)
1/17
Attendees: Sam, Sami, Tyler, Ben, Byers, Eric, Gabby
Work Completed:
- Added images of the controls ideas to the wiki
- Discussed the design of the controls
- Decided that the laptop height should be just tall enough to fit a power brick underneath
- Decided that the controllers should be on a stand to the right of the laptop
- Decided that the broken switches and LED toggle button should also be to the right of the laptop, in front of the controllers
- Decided that the bling should be on the inside of the top
- Decided that the top should hinge open instead of latch
- Decided that the top of the (closed) laptop should be about level with the surface of the controls
1/18
Attendees: Byers, Sam
Work Completed:
- Started making a CAD model for the design of the controls
- Controllers and broken switch joystick board came in
- decided on previous year's rocker broken switches; put on shopping list
- narrowed down the options for the solar panels
1/19
Attendees: Sami, Gabby, Sam
Work Completed:
- Add the overall concept drawing that Gabby did to the wiki, it's in the box on the controls shelf. Create a separate section with a description of the overall concept, most is captured in the notes from 1/17.
- Determine the overall size of the 9V battery style controls
- broken switches to the right of laptop
- these could be next to laptop or maybe something that flips out (we may not have height to have a drawer going under the laptop)
- Considered that the handles should be on opposite sides (one slightly above the other, so that both the top and bottom have handles)
- Considered that it may be better to have controller holders with a box shape, so that it isn't specific to the just PS5 controllers, can store other items, and would be easier to CAD.
- Looking at different handles (See design info for links)
- Decided that 4 of the the 5.35" x 4.33" ($8 each) solar panels would be the best ones to use
- Need to either design or find a design for the controller holders, there should be designs on the internet. (A sunken in box/bin)
- Decided that the hinge should be on the right and the latch should be on the left
1/21
Attendees:
Work Completed:
1/22
Attendees:
Work Completed:
1/24
Attendees:
Work Completed:
1/25
Attendees:
Work Completed:
1/26
Attendees:
Work Completed:
1/28
Attendees:
Work Completed:
1/29
Attendees:
Work Completed:
1/31
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/1
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/2
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/4
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/5
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/7
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/8
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/9
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/11
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/12
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/14
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/15
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/16
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/18
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/19
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/21
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/22
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/23
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/25
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/26
Attendees:
Work Completed:
2/28
Attendees:
Work Completed:
3/1
Attendees:
Work Completed:
3/2
Attendees:
Work Completed:
3/4
Attendees:
Work Completed:
3/5
Attendees:
Work Completed:
3/7
Attendees:
Work Completed:
3/8
Attendees:
Work Completed:
3/9
Attendees:
Work Completed:
3/11
Attendees:
Work Completed:
3/12
Attendees:
Work Completed:
3/14
Attendees:
Work Completed:
Controls Rules 2023
DRIVER STATION
Height of driver station shelf: 41.25 3ft .75in (36.75) inches
Total height of driver station: 6ft 6in (78 in)
Maximum height of controls above the floor 6ft 6in (78 in)
Maximum height of controls: 78 - 36.75 = 41.25 in
9.9 OPERATOR CONSOLE
R901 *Use the specified Driver Station Software. The Driver Station Software provided by National Instruments (install instructions found here) is the only application permitted to specify and 9 ROBOT Construction Rules V2 109 of 141 communicate the operating mode (i.e. AUTO/TELEOP) and operating state (Enable/Disable) to the ROBOT. The Driver Station Software must be version 22.0 or newer.
R902 *The OPERATOR CONSOLE must have a visible display. The OPERATOR CONSOLE, the set of COMPONENTS and MECHANISMS used by the DRIVERS and/or HUMAN PLAYERS to relay commands to the ROBOT, must include a graphic display to present the Driver Station Software diagnostic information. It must be positioned within the OPERATOR CONSOLE so that the screen display can be clearly seen during inspection and in a MATCH.
R903 *Connect FMS Ethernet directly to the OPERATOR CONSOLE. Devices hosting the Driver Station Software must only interface with the FMS via the Ethernet cable provided at the DRIVER STATION (e.g. not through a switch). Teams may connect the FMS Ethernet cable to the device running the Driver Station Software directly via an Ethernet pigtail, or with a single-port Ethernet converter (e.g. docking station, USB-Ethernet converter, Thunderbolt-Ethernet converter, etc.). The Ethernet port on the OPERATOR CONSOLE must be easily and quickly accessible.
[Teams are strongly encouraged to use pigtails on the Ethernet port used to connect to the FMS. Such pigtails will reduce wear and tear on the device’s port and, with proper strain relief employed, will protect the port from accidental damage.]
R904 *OPERATOR CONSOLE physical requirements. The OPERATOR CONSOLE must not
A. be longer than 5 ft. (~152 cm)
B. be deeper than 1 ft. 2 in. (~35 cm) (excluding any items that are held or worn by the DRIVERS during the MATCH),
C. extend more than 6 ft. 6 in. (~198 cm) above the floor, or
D. attach to the FIELD (except as permitted by G301).
R905 *FIELD wireless only. Other than the system provided by the FIELD, no other form of wireless communications shall be used to communicate to, from, or within the OPERATOR CONSOLE.
[Examples of prohibited wireless systems include, but are not limited to, active wireless network cards and Bluetooth devices. For the case of the FIRST Robotics Competition, a motion sensing input device (e.g. Microsoft Kinect) is not considered wireless communication and is allowed.]
R906 *No unsafe OPERATOR CONSOLES. OPERATOR CONSOLES shall not be made using hazardous materials, be unsafe, cause an unsafe condition, or interfere with other DRIVE TEAMS or the operation of other ROBOTS.
