Unofficial FLL FAQ_06-c - General
UFAQ Table of Contents

Q6.1) The PDF documents we print from the MN FLL site (www.hightechkids.org/fll) have strange characters in them.
A) Get the latest version of Acrobat reader. If the problem still persists, see if there is a later version of your printer driver.

Q6.2) What is a programming garage?
A) It is an IR opaque box in which you program your robot. It can be as simple as a cardboard box. This prevents your programming tower from programming other robots in the vicinity. If you keep your robot inside this box when not needed, it helps to prevent your robot from being accidentally programmed!


Humor

In relation to the catapult supplied with Mission Mars
When our MAV launcher was newly built, it was capable of sending the sample canister on a trajectory that left the vicinity of Gusev crater. Now that the re-useable space vehicle has been flown one too many times by the space agency, the launcher is incapable of injecting the canister into even a low orbit and the canister always comes crashing back down onto Gusev crater. Moreover, the canister usually lands directly on top of the Great Wall of Mars and ricochets into the ice drilling operation, creating much havoc. Has anyone else experienced this performance degradation and what have you done about it? I believe that it may be a thrust issue with the launcher's energy storage devices but I was wondering what sort of launch performance everyone else was experiencing before my team performs a complex repair EVA?

In relation to the loss of the Spirit rover
January 22, 2004 NASA scientist revealed that they have lost communications with the Spirit mars rover. It has been over 24 hours since any non garbage data has been received. They are investigating what type of hardware or software failure could explain the problem. It is rumored that thousands of FLL team members around the world are tying up the phone lines at NASA. They are all trying to tell NASA that a Martian just took a flash photo of the rover. Dr. Justin Case is reputed to be on route to NASA to help them download new firmware. Just before he was whisked away by helicopter he was overheard saying "Make sure you have the latest version of RoboLab waiting for me when I get there".

In relation to the number of balls needed for the No Limits competition
Q) How many balls does each team have at the beginning of the tournament?
A) "Eight shall be the maximum number of balls, and the maximum number of balls shall be eight. Nine balls shalt thou not permit. Seven is right out. Once the number eight, being the number of balls counted, be reached, then no further balls shall be permitteth..."


Poetry
FLL Poem for 2001 Challenge:
Twas the night before FIRST Lego League, and all through the house,
Not a computer was stirring, not even a mouse.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of robots danced in their heads.
The coaches were sleepless and pacing the halls
Wondering if they had taught their kids anything at all.
Oh med supply, oh weather tower, can you be deployed?
If our robot malfunctions we'll be so annoyed.
Oh instrument, oh scientists in need of a rescue,
Back at the ship we will have a big barbecue.
Oh ice core, oh red flags, oh ten brown fuel barrels,
When our programming works, we break out in carols.
Oh weather balloon, oh ice floe, quite a challenge to us,
With very low clearance, we never got across.
To all of the teams, we wish you good luck
And hope that your robot does not run amuck!


FLL Poem for 2002 Challenge:
Twas the night before FIRST Lego League, and all through the house,
Not a computer was stirring, not even a mouse.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of robots danced in their heads.
The coaches were sleepless and pacing the halls
Wondering if they had taught their kids anything at all.
Oh food loops, oh building supplies, can you be delivered?
If our robot malfunctions we'll be in a tither.
Oh modular housing, what shall we do?
No matter how hard we try, we can only stack two.
Oh bridge repair, oh windmill, how can it be?
We must be successful with a percent higher than 50.
Oh gathering of toxic barrels, don't be our disgrace,
If only our robot can get back to base.
If we can clear the soccer field of those pesky old rocks.
We'll take off our shoes and dance in our socks.
In the midst of competition we don't want to hear "whoops"
When our robot can't gather all the food loops.
And what about research, you want a solution?
How can a robot reduce pollution?
Good luck to y'all - when it's all said and done,
it doesn't matter who won,
but that our cities will flourish for many years to come.
Humming quietly, In the garage,
A team member clicks rapidly Through a barrage
Of Lego programs that fly past the screen
To pilot a robot (that sometimes acts mean)
All over a 4 * 6 table Accomplishing tasks
That were a challenge at first; But now a team member asks:
"How can we make This bot more robust?
'Cause surely we don't want the tourney... A bust??"
So then he grabs Bricks, beams, axles and more,
In the hopes of creating Attachments galore.
Programs and attachments that work-All the time!
Maybe a robot That turns on a dime!
So grab the Ritz crackers,
Get Mountain Dew-We'll be here a while
Creating a new Robot that works so well
Every team member stands, shaking,
From pride and from joy, Even the coach is quaking!
The coach praises the team And says "Good job everyone!
But one more thing- It still is not done –
You need research to present!" The coach says frantically,
So the team gets to work (Of course, very coolly)
The team makes a video To raise awareness of the need
Of accessible places and things So take heed!
So with the research all done And a great working robot,
The team heads to the tourney With only one thought:"
We did the work, Not the coach, not a friend;
And we're SURE that We didn't bend
Any important FLL rules, But we're not here to win,
Because we already have –
We learned, worked hard and had fun,
And that's really what counts
(though it is nice to take home a trophy)
Remember that, if your robot screws up,
And faces are red, angry and poofy.
Remember, it's not any special award;
It's what's inside... What you learned, what you did.
So remember, when things seam daunting next year,
Don’t. Fear. Just remember the FLL values-
Teamwork, cooperation and learning;
And maybe, just maybe,
If you show the judges, you might be earning
The coveted Director's Award.
But if not, it's okay...You can always try again next year, anyway!


FLL Poem for 2004 Challenge:
*Twas the night before tourney and all through the house
Not a computer was stirring not even a mouse
The robots were tucked all snug in their case
In hopes of great missions launched from home base
The kids were in jammies the coach, she was too
Wondering if their hard work was enough to get through
When out in the garage there arose such a clatter
Coach jumped from her bed to see what was the matter
Away to the door she flew like a flash
Turned on the light tripped on a skate. CRASH!
The fluorescent lights shimmering down on the mat
Gave a sight to behold for coach and the cat
For what to her wondering eyes should appear
But a bevy of elves with a cold case of beer
More rapid than DSL those little guys came
They whistled and shouted and called out their names
Now! Codeman! Now Sensor! Now, Tester and MayGo!
On, Robust ! On, Wheeler! On, Teamwork and Lego!
To the top of the stairs and open the gate
Now test away, test away fix that wheel mate.
With gracious professionalism and a wink of their eye
They met each obstacle with a cheer and a cry
So up to the table those little guys flew
The robot fed dinner for elves and pets too
And then they jumped down no one got hurt
Robo pushed in the chairs and swept up the dirt
One was dressed in red another is blue
But most were in black with a few in grey, too
A bag full of beams they flung on the table
They engineered, fixed and mended where able
Their eyes how they twinkled as they sucked back the drinks
All over 21 clearly, me thinks
They chattered and laughed until the wee hours
Working marvels and wonders on that robot of ours
Suddenly and sadly as quickly as that
They undid their work and tidied the mat
Then they hit the white flag and jumped in car
Obviously arriving from somewhere afar
Driving out in the night a chorus of elves sang
“Sorry sweet children you must do it yourselves”
Written by Rookie Coach Tracey Ananmalay
With deference and thanks to Clement Clarke Moore


Inspirational
I am not sure why I am writing this message. Perhaps it will have a cathartic effect on me. Perhaps it will make other coaches understand that what they are going through is normal. It is 10:00PM on Friday. In little over 10 hours from now, my team will be competing. We are not prepared. We normally do not meet on Fridays, but we held an emergency meeting after school till 7:00 PM. We made some good process, but we only got the ball halfway up the hill. Our best score is perhaps 150 points if all the planets (including Mars) are aligned and we have a following wind. Our research project is a fantastic idea, but the execution is just passable. Our team spirit is high, but the tee-shirts we ordered (in plenty of time) will not be ready. But (here comes the cathartic part) it does not matter. The kids will compete, they will get to see the other bots, they will do their thing in front of the judges, and yell their heads off. The coach will do the same. And at the end of the day, if they do not get to the podium, it will be disappointing but not devastating. In fact I hope it stiffens their resolve to work harder and better next year. For those competing this weekend, have the best of FUN. That’s what it is all about.

I just loaded the car. Hope I didn't forget anything. If we're lucky we will run some of the missions and they will go as planned. Our robot is much too sensitive to positioning in the base. However, it has been a great rookie year no matter what we score. My kids have learned to think out of the box and build without directions. They can think in programming terms and break a problem down step by step. They are starting to understand how to work together and not worry about whose idea it was. So, we're going to be at our tournament at 8:30 tomorrow morning, unprepared to handle whatever comes our way. But handle it we will. My biggest thrill this year was when one of the kids looked at me and said "But it looked so easy on television. Reality is so much harder!" I told him that he had nothing left to learn, my job was done!

It is 9:00PM and the last of the team has just left my home. They had arrived here after school. I worked them to near death, feed them dinner than worked than to death again. Going into tonight's meeting we had all the parts but we needed polish. Tonight they sparkled. This is a 4th year team that is mostly original members. They have worked together well from day one. This year I was a bit worried in that our qualifying competitions are VERY early. So I changed my strategy with them. From the second meeting we held, I forced them to run at the table (a solid 16 points – the bonus objects!) and give me their research presentation (pulled out of thin air). We have been doing that each meeting. I think it has made them realize what was still left to be done, and gave them a great boost when their score started to climb up. Interestingly, the presentation they created on the third meeting is the one they went back to a month later after they tried a bunch of other ideas. The off-the-cuff presentations I forced on them was a good idea because they learned they can discard work. Before, if they had invested even a minute of effort, they would not toss it. So tonight they alternated going to the table, doing the research presentation, and making small corrections to the presentation. We agreed not to touch the robot software but just work with the devil we know rather than the devil we do not. As it is they have a very reliable and solid score. If nothing else, we still know how to get a solid 16 points! Tomorrow we compete. Win, draw, or loose we will have a great time, and that is what matters most. Good luck to you all.

Just a word to all you teams competing this weekend. I am sure you are all as tired as I am. It has been a real push these last few weeks to get everything done in time. I wish you the best of skill. I will not wish anybody luck. You all have plenty of skill. Just assembling the mission models took skill. Hands up; how many of you got it right the first time? So at the very least we learned to follow instruction. In the grand scheme of things that is not a bad skill to have! We have also learned just a little bit about those of us that have disabilities. Some may be visible and some may be hidden, but we all suffer from some limitation compared to the "average". Anybody want to take a stab at defining the 'average'? So win, lose, or draw, the season has been a success.

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Disclaimer: This FAQ is not an official FIRST document. It is an accumulation of knowledge derived from six thousand messages posted to the FLL forum over three seasons. It has been reviewed by numerous people, but may still contain errors. Use at your own risk.
Readers are encouraged to submit errors, suggested wording changes, new topics, or comments to Skye Sweeney at skye@fll-freak.com
Copyright 2003-2006 Skye Sweeney; Last Updated on 10/28/2006