Getting Started

Hello everyone!

If you're reading this it's because your interested in building an awesome autonomous robotic boat with the University of Toronto's ASV Robotics team. That's great news, and cause for celebration. Thanks so much for your interest!

Starting May 14, we have a little over 30 days to build a smart, solid, and hopefully waterproof robot boat. This is, first and foremost a project for fun and learning. So, before you go any further, read the Team Member Manual. It's got only 3 points, and they're all important. It's essential reading. Consider a guide to what the team's all about:

1) This project is about having fun and enjoying yourself

If you aren't having fun, stop and figure out why. It'd be better to have a good time and build a leaky hunk of junk than have a miserable time and win the competition. So, this is the order of priorities: #1 Enjoyment, #2 Success. Think of it as a hobby project, not a competitive event.

2) Respect people of all skill levels

Everybody on the team has a different background and different skills. There will be probably be some things that you're awesome at, and some things you're less awesome at. Everyone is just like you. So, mutual respect is the name of the game. If someone doesn't know something, teach them how to do it. If you don't know something, ask someone to teach you.

3) Our design strategy: start with crap. If you can't beat crap, move on to something else.

Cause we've got limited time, it's important that we don't try to build the most perfect piece of software, hardware, etc. for three weeks, only to have it never ever work. "But it was beautiful!", you'll say. "It was a masterpiece!" Maybe so. But something that does work crapily is always better than something that doesn't work fancily. So, let's all start with the crappiest solutions to problems, and try and improve on those if we've got the time.

Alright! This is going to be a hell of a time.

Looking forward to it,

Alex Levy & Anton Rubisov
Co-Captains
University of Toronto ASV Robotics Team

P.S. If you're interested in contributing, please add your name and info to the "Team Members" page. After that, check out our next meeting time. Then, take a look through the wiki, and see what catches your eye. Thanks!

coastie_theo1.jpg
Our robot boat will likely be better than this robot boat.
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