FTC Basics
What does FTC stand for?
FIRST Tech Challenge
What device acts as the main computer on an FTC robot?
The Control Hub
What method is commonly used to repeatedly run TeleOp code?
loop() in iterative OpModes, or the repeated body of a LinearOpMode after initialization.
Why is autonomous important in FTC?
It allows the robot to score and perform tasks without driver control and can earn points/advantages depending on the current game.
What coordinate system is commonly used when doing field-based robot localization?
An X/Y coordinate system with heading.
What is the maximum number of motors a Control Hub can directly control?
4
What sensor can measure a robot's orientation and acceleration?
LMU
What does setPower(1.0) generally mean for an FTC motor?
Command the motor to run at full commanded power.
What is one major advantage of scoring quickly?
What is one major advantage of scoring quickly?
What does odometry attempt to determine?
The robot's position and heading based on measured wheel/encoder movement.
What programming language is commonly used for FTC Android Studio programming?
Java
What type of drivetrain allows a robot to move sideways without turning?
Mecanum
What does telemetry allow you to do?
Send information from the robot to the Driver Station for monitoring/debugging.
Why might a team intentionally choose a slower but more reliable mechanism?
Reliability can prevent failures and missed cycles, potentially producing more consistent scoring.
What is field-centric driving?
Driving where the joystick directions correspond to the field rather than the robot's current orientation.
What are the two major phases of an FTC match?
Autonomous and TeleOp
What component converts electrical energy into mechanical rotation?
Motor and servo
What is PID control used for?
Precisely controlling something such as position, velocity, or heading using proportional, integral, and derivative feedback.
What is a cycle in FTC?
A repeated sequence such as acquiring a game element, transporting it, and scoring it.
Why can wheel slippage cause odometry errors?
The encoders measure wheel rotation, but slipping means wheel rotation does not perfectly correspond to actual robot movement.
What organization runs FIRST Tech Challenge?
FIRST
What is the purpose of an encoder on a motor?
To measure the motor's rotation/position, allowing the robot to estimate movement and control motion.
Why might a robot overshoot its target when using a simple proportional controller?
The correction can be too aggressive, causing the robot to pass the target before slowing down enough.
Why is minimizing unnecessary robot movement important?
It reduces cycle time, power consumption, mechanical wear, and opportunities for errors.
A robot knows its X position, Y position, and heading. What three values make up its basic 2D pose?
X, Y, and heading (θ).