Team 1816-The Green Machine is pleased to announce that it is one of 18 FIRST teams nationwide selected to beta test the new FRC control system. FIRST has adopted the Compact RIO (cRIO) for advanced robotics for the 2009 competition season and beyond. The cRIO, developed by National Instruments, can be programmed using “C” or LabView. The kit is expected to arrive around the fifteenth of the month, and then the work will begin to understand how the new system works, especially when it’s placed in a competition robot. By participating in the program, the team will help FIRSTiron out problems with the new control system, as well as help other FRC teams make a smooth transition to the new system. The team will have a little over a month to learn, program, and experiment, after which the Green Machine expects to host workshops for other Minnesota and regional teams become accustomed to the technology. Criteria for selection to be a beta tester included years of participation in FIRST as well as demonstration of attributes consistent with a Chairman’s Award team. Earlier this year, Team 1816 won a regional Chairman’s Award at the FIRST Minnesota Regional. The Green Machine is very proud to have been given this opportunity and looks forward to sharing the new cRIO with everyone in the FIRST community.
