Team Frostbyte 754

f you guys haven’t heard, FIRST has teamed up with National Instruments, the folks that make LabView, and are deploying new robot controllers. These new controllers are called “CompactRIO” and are quite an upgrade from the old IFI pic controllers. Here is an excerpt from WPI’s website, link.

“The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) has adopted the CompactRIO (cRIO) control system for advanced robotics for its 2009 season and beyond.  The cRIO from National Instruments can be programmed in LabVIEW or C.

National Instruments (NI) is dedicated to supporting engineering education and today’s students at every level.  By supporting hands-on learning combined with cutting edge technology, NI works to provide a fun and engaging environment to get students excited about engineering and science.  This approach is a key piece to the puzzle to encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.  Through this partnership with FIRST, products, mentors, and financial support can be provided to help nuture future engineers.”

Here’s a couple of the new improvements:

• 32-bit real-time processor
• 802.11 wireless ethernet
• FPGA I/O control
• Programmable in C & LabVIEW
• Wireless debugging
• Laptop dashboard
• Intelligent robotics algorithms
• Real-time vision processing
• 50G shock rating
• Easier connectivity
• More sensor choices
• More I/O lines
• Customizable I/O possible in future years

Here’s a nice picture from WPI’s website

Links for further information:

• http://first.wpi.edu/FRC/csoverview.html
• http://www.usfirst.org/community/frc/content.aspx?id=8976
• http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67006
• http://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-1662
• http://www.slideshare.net/nifirstrobotics/ni-first-robotics-controller-training/

Videos:

• http://www.youtube.com/nifirstrobotics
• http://first.wpi.edu/FRC/csmedia.html

Looks like we have an exciting year ahead of us!!