Why

While mentoring the software team of 997 CHS, it became clear to me that the FRC (FIRST Robotic Controller) is underpowered. It didn't have enough memory for all of the code that I had the students write. To make things fit, they had to delete all of the error checking and only include one autonomous action sequence. Also, our idle wheel navigation was limited in its resolution by how quickly the software could read the optical encoders.

Unfortunately FIRST rules do not allow the team to replace the FRC. However, the rules do allow the FRC to be augmented. There are significant constraints on the "external" electronics. But it is still possible to add a co-processor. That is what this project is about.

At the same time, this seemed like a good project to share across several FIRST Oregon teams. The teams will not share robot code. But just the infrastructure behind that code. And all of the participating teams will have quite a leg up on the competition.
--- Allen Brown

Meetings

• 20040819 - Selecting the co-processor.
• 20040826 - Planning Power. Schedule.
• 20040902 - Development system.
• 20040909 - Protocol discussion.
• 20040916 - Orientation for new members.
• 20040923 - Protocol development.
• 20040930 - Protocol development. Function enumeration.
• 20041007 - Coding assignments.
• 20041014 - Code style feedback/workshop.
• 20041021 - Coding workshop. -- No discernable progress.
• 20041029 - Coding workshop. -- No discernable progress.
• 20041105 - Coding workshop. -- No discernable progress.
• 20041112 - Coding workshop. -- Asumu got several functions clean. I wrote cn_command.
• 20041203 - Coding workshop. -- Jeff cleaned up some functions. Ray studied C.
• 20041210 - Coding workshop. -- Jeff cleaned up some functions. Ray studied C.
• Next meeting: 20041217 at John's house - Test cn_in_packet().