April 7, 2014

The 2014 Michigan State Championship Seminar Series

Team 1718 is proud to present the 2014 FIRST Robotics Michigan State Championship Seminar Series
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Eastern Michigan Convocation Center, located in the Eagle’s Nest

The Eagles Nest is located up the stairs in the Main Lobby Entrance.

This year, seminars will be taking place in 2 room simultaneously. They are first come, first serve, and seating is limited!

9:00 AM to 10:00 AM Sessions 
Room 1: Knowing the A’s, B’s, and C++s: Programming for FIRST robotics 
Omar Zrien, Team 3539, Byting Bulldogs 
Learn how to use C++ effectively to create a competitive robot. 

Room 2: Know your opponent: Learn how scout FRC competitions 
Jim Zondag and Isaac Rife, Team 33, The Killer Bees 
This seminar will explain how to create metrics for scouting and scout effectively at competitions. Pick lists, weighting, and evaluating potential partners will all be included in this seminar. 

10:00AM -11:00 AM Sessions 
Room 1: LabVIEW: Inside and Out 
Greg McKaskle, National Instruments R&D 
This will be an advanced seminar, diving deep to expose the inner workings of LabVIEW and how to use it effectively in FRC. It will also focus on tools and techniques for optimization, debugging, and simulation of robot code. 

Room 2: FIRST Design: Effective mechanical mechanisms for FIRST 
Adam Freeman, Team 67, The HOT Team 
This session will cover general engineering and design elements and calculations that lead to making functional FRC mechanisms. We will focus on real FRC design examples from common drive train, arm, and mechanisms. 

11:00AM -12:00 PM Sessions 
Room 1: 2015 Control System: Preview and Q/A 
Greg McKaskle, National Instruments R&D 
This seminar will include a demonstration of the new system, information about becoming a beta team. 

Room 2: One Good Turn Deserves Another 
Chris Hibner, Team 51, Wings of Fire 
Learn about the dynamics of turning and how to make sure you have a drivetrain that handles smoothly. 

12:00 PM -1:00PM Sessions 
Room 1: What is Offensive Power Rating (OPR) 
Dr. Ed Law, Team 2834, Bionic Black Hawks 
Learn the history of OPR, DPR and CCWM, and how to calculate them. Discover the issues with calculating sub-OPRs for autonomous points, teleop points, etc. 

Room 2: Quality Function Deployment (QFD): Using a quality system to build success into your design Probable Scoring Rate (PPUT): Training, Time Mngt. Quality 
Ron Weber, Team 3641, The Flying Toasters 
QFD will help your team ascertain critical design needs and wants in a measurable manner. PPUT is a process that will help your team in developing and optimizing your scoring strategies. 

1:00PM -2:00 PM LUNCH N’ LEARN Sessions (Bring your Lunch) 
Room 1: Organizing & Hosting a FLL Tournament 
Lisa Yaxley, LLMSW, Team 217, ThunderChickens 
There are many steps to hosting a successful FLL tournament. This Lunch N’ Learn seminar will have an open discussion on the basic “Nuts and Bolts” of coordinating the event, from one of the largest and most thriving FLL Regional Tournaments in Michigan. 

Room 2: The Business of FIRST: Fundraising, Sponsorship, & The Chairman’s Award 
Paul Gianferrara, Team 1718, The fighting Pi 
This seminar will cover different methods to raise funds, and ways to woo sponsors to invest in your team. In addition, we will cover the Chairman’s Award and how to maintain outreach programs.