SparkFun Electronics Commentsurn:uuid:214d0e4e-f1b1-d287-ce26-ac5b4c9f82492024-03-28T09:41:10-06:00SparkFun ElectronicsKamiquasi on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Kamiquasiurn:uuid:c806032c-ff7e-b926-14f0-d6d234cbc3002011-08-19T01:47:16-06:00<p>A quadrotor was used in the 2011 competition. You'll have to keep an eye out for the 2012 rules to see if you can enter a quad or heli for 2012, though.</p>
Customer #245715 on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Customer #245715urn:uuid:9b7a59a3-7baa-6551-ef58-27a73c9292fd2011-08-19T01:10:15-06:00<p>can you use a rc helicopter or a quad copter for the uav part of the Competition</p>
mappum on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010mappumurn:uuid:870396cf-1776-829d-79a1-ac8dec1b05402010-04-11T20:04:26-06:00<p>I wish I lived close enough to take part in this :/<br>
When are you guys going to expand and have a Seattle warehouse?</p>
Flobgobbit on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Flobgobbiturn:uuid:a4d6c58e-6198-6adf-f5d8-9173df1c7cea2010-04-09T10:14:49-06:00<p>Can one team have more than one robot?</p>
azrobbo on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010azrobbourn:uuid:8c91fe93-16c5-994a-2175-5222e6aaa0d32010-03-15T11:40:55-06:00<p>In future years - might you consider holding courses on the Thursday and/or Friday before the event?<br>
This would provide extra incentive for folks who live far away, and want to travel in to watch the competition. I realize the many people at Sparkfun are probably getting ready for the competition, but there has to be a few folks around who could teach the course.<br>
Just a thought, that might drive even higher spectator attendance.</p>
stevie on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010stevieurn:uuid:1688414e-2906-f8e5-a550-4c7b4df79b782010-03-13T07:57:47-07:00<p>EPIC FLAG PHOTO!!</p>
MichaelShimniok on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010MichaelShimniokurn:uuid:4871d021-4286-7406-355a-a95eded3496f2010-02-10T19:47:01-07:00<p>Say, this event happens during National Robotics Week... maybe you should post details here to drum up more interest? :) <a href="http://www.nationalroboticsweek.org/events" rel="nofollow">http://www.nationalroboticsweek.org/events</a></p>
john.t.erickson on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010john.t.ericksonurn:uuid:d8c9d374-5ed3-6c61-8ed5-a95b81fc83132010-01-28T09:56:37-07:00<p>Out of stock :( Well, I've started by build log anyway: <a href="http://johnlaptop.spaces.live.com/" rel="nofollow">http://johnlaptop.spaces.live.com/</a></p>
AdamB on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010AdamBurn:uuid:47c02c75-a32b-5bf2-a018-9aefa345e98f2010-01-22T07:51:01-07:00<p>When does the clock start for your lap time? For the UAV (air class) in particular, I'm thinking when it crosses the start/finish line (like a lap in a car race) but I didn't want to design around that without checking first.<br>
Also, is there any height restriction on the course for a vehicle in the air, as long as it is outside the four walls of the SparkFun building?</p>
Alex V on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Alex Vurn:uuid:97f369cb-09e1-c4be-9e11-39794a7001022010-01-21T20:11:33-07:00<p>Can't help but notice that the new banner suggests signing up to this event, even tho it has been filled up (out of stock) for a while...</p>
Sriv on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Srivurn:uuid:98d4c4ce-af07-b240-afe4-118f7380d2972010-01-21T12:50:03-07:00<p>Villiam, the bubbleshare site is not showing ur stuff. can you plz post it somewhere else?</p>
Jim_Blues_Harp on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Jim_Blues_Harpurn:uuid:653ae184-8fbf-295c-c9ab-996c39909e1a2010-01-13T12:06:03-07:00<p>I just found out about the competition, and I've got a team together, but we'd like to have some idea of how long the waiting list is before we go signing up and putting a lot of time and energy into this. If it's a short wait list compared to the number of team slots, then we'll probably go for it. If not...</p>
Sam R. on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Sam R.urn:uuid:7c780ce5-9d8e-1591-29ff-ff6a1a2ebe732010-01-05T14:04:09-07:00<p>Is there anyway that a small group of two highschool students could maybe enter? Even if it is out of stock??<br>
Thanks,<br>
Sam R.</p>
Sam R. on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Sam R.urn:uuid:e1c2e18c-e5f9-bb36-f951-26cf2741a5af2010-01-03T09:24:07-07:00<p>Well now its "no stock". ;( I wish I could go!<br>
Sam R.</p>
Sam R. on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Sam R.urn:uuid:64718bd4-4b69-e6ec-f8f1-7080446b89512010-01-03T07:28:10-07:00<p>Wait, if it is out of stock that means that no one else can enter?????? NO!!!!!!!!!!!! :(<br>
Sam R.</p>
Alex V on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Alex Vurn:uuid:3d995abe-e18e-7118-008f-826b7f80792f2010-01-02T14:48:15-07:00<p>I bought a "ticket", but how do I show for it? Under order tracking I have it as "New Order" in terms of the status... is this correct? Didn't get a confirmation or anything (I bought it a while back).</p>
imMute on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010imMuteurn:uuid:c42f7e06-f28d-4acc-d31a-76824cecaaf92010-01-01T15:00:40-07:00<p>I so want to go just to watch and shoot the breeze with SparkFun employees. Now.. to figure out how much a round trip plane ticket from Minneapolis to Denver is..</p>
Nate on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Nateurn:uuid:463e283f-e992-79df-65e0-e82a0dd1fbda2009-12-24T11:50:17-07:00<p>Hand-launch is allowed, but auto take-off and landing will earn you massive respect points. These points are about as valuable as "internet dollars".</p>
Nate on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Nateurn:uuid:b7ec5663-9571-df03-40c1-c17e50cf59a42009-12-24T11:43:48-07:00<p>A remote/wireless start button is allowed. A remote kill switch is also encouraged.</p>
Nate on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Nateurn:uuid:5b0f6098-464d-ca61-33c5-28ab1b3440242009-12-24T11:39:45-07:00<p>Hi! You might not have the last spot ;) We will be allowing people to backorder and then take the spot of any teams that drop.<br>
Practice runs the day of the event will be tricky as we will have a large crowd and a full roster. We will probably open up practice runs the day before (Friday).</p>
TeamBonScott on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010TeamBonScotturn:uuid:19c926c5-6a06-ab12-92af-bbebd5e43ce52009-12-11T07:53:52-07:00<p>I understand w/r/t no computations being performed on a base station, but can we have a base station provide the initial start command and then solely receive debug info, or do we need a physical button on our robot?</p>
elmer_fud on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010elmer_fudurn:uuid:d2de3d77-26c1-66d7-2809-d30d704063bc2009-12-04T16:45:56-07:00<p>I think there were some people that showed up the weekend before for practice runs last year. Our teams went and scouted out the course a few weeks/months ahead of time last year.<br>
As for rules for/against/about practice runs Nate will have to respond for the "official" answer</p>
DonutsCoffeeMuffins on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010DonutsCoffeeMuffinsurn:uuid:636cb6cb-a2eb-6f47-fae2-121da8a221ce2009-12-02T14:04:41-07:00<p>It sounds like the rules disallow the hand-launch of a plane. Is that correct? My plane has no landing gear, so I'm trying to figure out how to get it airborne without getting disqualified...<br>
Thanks!</p>
TeamBonScott on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010TeamBonScotturn:uuid:f7d28be9-d0b3-4d2e-2b6f-d53345396f942009-11-29T20:24:18-07:00<p>Attention all. While we have just purchased the last (and most winning-est) spot in the competition, we look forward to some healthy competition. ;)<br>
Nate, any limitations on practice runs (i.e. only the day of, or whenever's clever)?</p>
gordonrp on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010gordonrpurn:uuid:f48bf4fc-28e4-4e69-3476-79fe8fb4fabd2009-11-15T21:53:12-07:00<p>Just signed up! We are already building something. It will be exciting to meet other like minded people etc! Will be driving up from Austin, TX. See you there...</p>
Emcee Grady on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Emcee Gradyurn:uuid:8e9d7cfb-339e-1c46-3d29-31012a1407512009-10-16T09:36:16-06:00<p>You're in luck...it IS on a weekend! Fly out Friday night and be back in time for Monday morning organic chem! Huzzah :)</p>
Otatiaro on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Otatiarourn:uuid:bebcce20-edd8-adb4-12c1-6b8a51a198722009-10-16T03:27:00-06:00<p>This thing is damn cool ...<br>
If it wasn't thousouds of mile away from me, I would be here ...<br>
I May think about proposing the same competition in France next year !<br>
Best regards,<br>
Thomas Legrand.</p>
CiricTech on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010CiricTechurn:uuid:f166a154-460b-dd2c-2fa7-1b3b23e2fea52009-10-15T20:52:38-06:00<p>I really wish this was on a weekend or some time I had off from school. So yeah for those of us in school you should have one of these on a weekend so I can fly in and make it back in time for class. On a side note this is Sweet!</p>
rtadlock on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010rtadlockurn:uuid:3cd469ec-f18d-63c6-28f4-5abe0efde6862009-04-10T14:11:01-06:00<p>Thanks! Can't wait to check it out.</p>
Emcee Grady on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Emcee Gradyurn:uuid:11e46994-7a19-4dc5-16ea-7343974c48582009-04-10T13:36:24-06:00<p>Absolutely! Bring a few friends if you want!</p>
rtadlock on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010rtadlockurn:uuid:da66a99f-c813-7e76-6b65-9155a5c993a92009-04-10T12:02:05-06:00<p>I live just outside of Boulder and I was wondering if it I can just come watch the competition?</p>
Jack Biggs on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Jack Biggsurn:uuid:6ab02717-6454-c56f-abaf-e6516591813d2009-03-30T21:22:41-06:00<p>is that Chris Anderson? head of DIY Drones? these guys are gonna be in for some rough competition :)</p>
Jordii on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Jordiiurn:uuid:07548c3c-b435-0190-adf1-2da3ac5694c42009-03-30T10:27:51-06:00<p>Hey my love land Tijuana! LOL</p>
DennisFerron on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010DennisFerronurn:uuid:2a84d7a4-5a16-a1ea-a48c-c8df5709ccad2009-03-26T08:47:58-06:00<p>Uh oh, my robot is quite capable of both hopping a curb and mowing down a few bushes (or small trees!). Maybe I better program the IR heat sensor to also make it avoid (cold) water!</p>
Emcee Grady on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Emcee Gradyurn:uuid:e322972a-5c66-3653-5f96-a45f2a2ac62a2009-03-13T09:49:49-06:00<p>And by "hope" I meant "hop." D'oh!</p>
Emcee Grady on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Emcee Gradyurn:uuid:a2540d89-be4a-0c8b-8573-75cd3bcab67f2009-03-12T15:51:38-06:00<p>That is indeed a pond - though you'd have to hope a curb and traverse some bushes/weeds to fall in!</p>
DennisFerron on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010DennisFerronurn:uuid:5b437330-cb31-eb9c-66d8-167e4b0ae3592009-03-01T22:40:56-07:00<p>The grey area at the 4 o'clock position in the aerial photo you provided of the parking lot looks suspiciously like water! Do you have a pond next to the parking lot? (I'm wondering if I need to add an "emergency water avoidance" protocol to the robot; or simply fill the cracks in the case with silicone so it'll float if it falls in.)</p>
project240dotnet on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010project240dotneturn:uuid:d4542cc1-a368-ea38-a098-4ba9a6340a8b2009-02-23T17:25:43-07:00<p>Does anyone, Sparkfun employee or otherwise, have a video tour of the parking lot?<br>
Viliam, thanks for the GPS track, quite useful. If you are planning on riding around the building again, could you mount a video camera to the handlebars and film the route, perhaps in one or both directions?<br>
I am curious to see what surface can be expected on the course. In all cases, I am certain that a Mini Z would be a bit unsuitable for the race.</p>
trevor on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010trevorurn:uuid:7257ce9e-7e20-da49-3bb1-cfdb797ee9d02009-02-17T10:23:05-07:00<p>Don't sweat it overmuch. Just chronicle it as much as possible.</p>
trevor on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010trevorurn:uuid:1231f7c0-2245-f0a0-2885-77eb8520215f2009-02-17T10:21:24-07:00<p>Yes, I believe that we'll have a video camera capturing the event, and we plan on posting the edited movie shortly thereafter.</p>
trevor on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010trevorurn:uuid:018d4e02-daf6-9c15-1bb9-73f9d0e45fcc2009-02-17T09:56:30-07:00<ol>
<li>Nothing can be left behind on the track. If you have a launcher, it needs to be autonomously cleaned up by the vehicle.</li>
<li>This hasn't been specified, so until someone makes a rule about it, I guess not?<br>
Why, are you working on a rocket-powered vehicle?</li>
</ol>
trevor on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010trevorurn:uuid:d89764e8-745c-8ff5-7da3-e5e66537e8222009-02-17T09:53:42-07:00<p>The chances of it not only snowing, but snowing enough that we move it inside, on April 15 of this year when almost all of the snow is being deposited on the western slopes of the Rockies, is so low as to be negligible.<br>
I'm pretty sure we'll tough it out through anything but a full-on blizzard, outside.<br>
Trevor</p>
rmeyer on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010rmeyerurn:uuid:c6df3a44-fdf7-408c-b89d-8467eaa38abb2009-02-15T14:54:05-07:00<p>You require pictures chronicling each day of the build?<br>
:(<br>
What if I have an existing vehicle I want to enter? Could I just post pics of any additional preparations from here on?<br>
(The current vehicle I have is already autonomous and GPS guided- any preparation would be in increasing the speed and testing the obstacle avoidance at the higher speeds.)<br>
<a href="http://robmeyerproductions.com/Javelina2.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://robmeyerproductions.com/Javelina2.jpg</a></p>
CalebHC on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010CalebHCurn:uuid:682a05ca-7235-a2f3-2714-7262db868ecb2009-01-07T19:16:41-07:00<p>Will anybody be recording this event? I would love to see it after it's all done! :)</p>
viliam on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010viliamurn:uuid:2bf758d6-b212-8223-7b95-f4a88c123cbb2009-01-06T17:39:03-07:00<p>http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/528292/overview<br>
This is a GeoChron generated track of three laps around the SFE building on a bike. I tried to stay as close to the curb as i could but there was a car parked on the north side of the building so i had to avoid it. The yellow track represents where i was biking and the green track is the GPS position. Please note i did not have WAAS enabled.<br>
This should give an idea of what to expect from GPS.</p>
guardianguy on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010guardianguyurn:uuid:cedd1984-e7de-7e95-10ff-9d2ae7255b6e2009-01-03T08:44:01-07:00<p>"your bot/car/plane/heli has to drive itself." Can a dog be the "mechanical" part of it and the robot forces the dog to move around the building? kind of joking but kind of not...no human interaction..the dog is like a "car" and the robot navigates.</p>
Emcee Grady on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Emcee Gradyurn:uuid:bd194de3-19da-0728-459d-293161c34c442009-01-02T15:30:13-07:00<p>Good thinking!</p>
morcheeba on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010morcheebaurn:uuid:060863b9-4346-68ca-ec4b-fcc110e98eae2009-01-02T14:43:29-07:00<p>I thought the forums might be better able to handle the 3+ months of dialogue we'll probably have on this subject, so <a href="http://forum.sparkfun.com/viewtopic.php?p=62490" rel="nofollow">I started a thread.</a><br>
I kicked it off with a photoset from my walking tour of the course.<br>
Looking forward to the competition!!</p>
brennen on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010brennenurn:uuid:a37ad1b8-c35b-313e-7663-1cd220fcb0712009-01-02T14:11:56-07:00<p>Some kind of honorable mention might have to go to anyone whose car can just social-engineer FedEx into driving the box in a circle around the building.</p>
Emcee Grady on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Emcee Gradyurn:uuid:0160dd5b-af64-4fd5-8427-4679f1dda5782009-01-02T13:48:47-07:00<p>I will only be impressed if the guy's car knows it has arrived at SparkFun, hacks its way out of the box, and THEN wins. :)</p>
afosterw on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010afosterwurn:uuid:1c8d8ad0-d8bd-2120-ff8f-0d0d3283b8522009-01-02T12:20:52-07:00<p>A few questions:<br>
1. Can there be some sort of launcher for the start, as long as it too is autonomous.<br>
2. Does the vehicle need to stop itself at the finish line.</p>
PieRSquare!Round on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010PieRSquare!Roundurn:uuid:684fd968-1c7b-ddf5-22cc-ae337420b4fb2009-01-01T11:51:57-07:00<p>They make it sound like there will be snow, will your car have chains?</p>
PieRSquare!Round on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010PieRSquare!Roundurn:uuid:4fc20e72-06de-6365-5a74-df31d3f2e1a32009-01-01T11:49:54-07:00<p>What does the competition turn into if it moves inside? That's the part that worries me.</p>
TheRifleman on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010TheRiflemanurn:uuid:34fc9bd4-63a0-df35-5efa-40c5fdb0024b2008-12-31T14:11:39-07:00<p>Kings to the guy who lives too far away to make it, FEDEX's his entry and wins anyway.</p>
morcheeba on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010morcheebaurn:uuid:5d5c9565-6f9a-fef3-43a2-b09c0292e6e02008-12-31T12:53:23-07:00<p>style points only if you drift it!</p>
mmmlinux on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010mmmlinuxurn:uuid:765649d7-1839-0d6e-daa2-2c923881d2762008-12-30T18:25:32-07:00<p>I wish i lived closer, i would love to enter the competition.</p>
amk503 on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010amk503urn:uuid:9893e9b1-8a12-3bba-6083-d8f86cd358d32008-12-27T14:47:49-07:00<p>I'm thinking the modified gas powered RC cars cruising at 60mph will be the thing to beat :)</p>
amk503 on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010amk503urn:uuid:68a0757f-e28d-0e27-9633-585c9a18d1992008-12-27T14:34:58-07:00<p>Oh I'm so there. I was at the sparkfun building just a few days ago picking up parts for an autonomous bot I'm building. This is just too appropriate.</p>
Zlite on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Zliteurn:uuid:5e779df8-6df1-67b0-83c8-e2168f9b6a962008-12-26T14:23:11-07:00<p>Quadcopters will be the vehicles to beat.</p>
Bauman on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Baumanurn:uuid:17d6951f-65ac-8047-2e4b-7414914af2ce2008-12-24T19:38:36-07:00<p>can our 1 vehicle be several different mini vehicles, unteathered to eachother?</p>
Nate on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Nateurn:uuid:03adc9d5-54bf-3042-89a6-263b9e295c792008-12-24T11:49:46-07:00<p>:) Ya - the "20 in stock" is just to let us know how many people/teams to expect. We figured it would just be us engineers standing outside in the middle of a good spring blizzard, but you never know!</p>
Zlite on CLS-09016 - Autonomous Vehicle Competition - April 17th, 2010Zliteurn:uuid:67b499cf-62a8-298b-b4f0-7f7a272073052008-12-24T00:24:46-07:00<p>"20 in stock"? "Price $30"?<br>
Somebody needs a more flexible content management system for Christmas ;-)</p>