Intro & post-mortem of my 2015 performance

[Andy Grove]

Hi,

I just found out about this group from someone at my local makerspace (the Gizmo Dojo in Broomfield). 

I've entered my autonomous vehicle "G-Force" twice now at Sparkfun AVC ... in 2014 and 2015. It's a fairly low tech bot powered by an Arduino Mega and has GPS, compass and ultrasonic sensors.

In 2014, we did really well, which I put down to beginners luck (we came 2nd in peleton class).

In 2015, it was a total disaster.

I've only recently gotten around to looking at the data and debugging to see what went wrong and I found an embarrassing mistake in my navigation math. The funny thing is, that due to the orientation of the course in 2014 (Boulder reservoir), my bugs didn't have much of an impact, but at the new location they really did cause problems.

Anyway, that bug is fixed now and I hope to start testing my bot soon and prepare a bit more in advance for this year.

I wrote up more detail about it on my blog: http://theotherandygrove.com/post-mortem-of-sparkfun-avc-2015-performance/

I heard that you guys sometimes meet up to work on your entries? I'd be interested in coming along.

Thanks,

Andy.

[Michael Shimniok]

welcome! I hate when that happens ( a bit too often) :) looking forward to reading your blog.

As time draws near the sharc folks may gather and work on their robots. There is also the Parker rover rally that people gather to work on.

I have been overwhelmed with a variety of crap for the last year so I have been neglecting everything robotics.  Doubtful that I will enter this year, again.

But, eager to hear from those who do and will happily help if I can.

Hopefully I will have my rover power module ready for sale soon though. :)

Ok I haven't totally ignored robotics--

I'll be presenting to the robot club at my daughter's Elementary school Monday hopefully to help and or Inspire them.

If anyone has words of wisdom for kids that will be or are thinking about building robots to compete, lemme know.

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[Ted Meyers]

Denver area robotics events:

I haven't heard anything on the Parker Rover Rally yet; I seem to recall that Brian was considering moving it to later in the summer this year.

Most of SHARC is currently very busy with a rather involved robotic/rocketry project that will also take place later in the summer.  (We are returning a rover from 10,000 ft AGL using a guided parachute and octocopter).

Oh, and there is also the aeromodelling/robotics event at Wings Over the Rockies at some point later this spring; SHARC will certainly have a table there.

But, I'm sure that we will get together to build and test at some point later this spring/summer.  Also, if you are anywhere near Aurora, I frequently set up a test AVC track at a local school parking lot (when school is not in session, in the summer), and anyone is welcome to join me.  Looking forward to seeing you, Andy!

Ted