We are one of 12 teams in USA registered and paid so far. Will wait until we get the tech before we really start building and stuff. Until then, we will do a small design brief (as already have done normal vex briefs) and learn all associated concepts. Side note: in vex AI competition, can use 3d printers and ANY sensors compatible with VEX robot brain with rs485 interface. Could have kinda distinct build/code teams? People who like building focus on that, and people who are more focused on code focus on that. Also is kinda other group for electronics-- perhaps incorporated into code team
Vex AI manual: https://content.vexrobotics.com/docs/vrc-change-up/Appendix-D-Print-05252020.pdf Introduction video VAIC intro, Introduction Page: https://www.roboticseducation.org/vex-ai-competition/
LETTER FROM VEX:
Notes on VEX Forum: https://www.vexforum.com/t/why-is-vaic-registration-so-expensive-a-cost-breakdown/83068/87
Hello everyone, The VAIC registration is for 2 robots (because each team uses 2 robots, just like they do in VEX U). At the bottom of this post is a list of items that come in the VEX AI Hardware kit you receive when you register. If you look up all of the items and add the development costs that Dan has already mentioned, you see that it adds up very quickly.
To be clear. This is a Pilot year. We have told all of the HS teams who have applied that the equipment that they get from 3rd party vendors will not be legal next season. I have been on email, voice calls, and video conference calls with potential HS and University teams, where I tell them that there is a startup cost this year that will be repeated again next year. If they want to be part of this program now, they will need to cover that startup cost for 2 seasons. If they are not able to cover that high startup cost, then they should wait until the VEX hardware becomes available next season. At that point, it will be available for sale on their website. The year after that, they will only have software and development costs to cover, because they will own the hardware they need. Before approving the US teams, I reached out to every one of them and confirmed that they understood that the equipment they were getting would have to be replaced next season. In countries outside of the US, we had our international offices call each individual coach (I am not bi-lingual) . Only 2 told us that they would wait until next season to start a team.
For the VAIC-HS program, 50 teams have been notified that they are approved into the pilot season. If any of those teams decide to not participate this season, then we will invite one of the teams that applied but did not get selected (wait listed teams). If you would like to be on a VAIC-HS pilot team this season, you can still apply. But this season is just for teams that want to try it out and have the funding to cover the cost of development. It is always more expensive to buy technology when it first comes out, then to wait for more users. We have people dedicated to making this program successful and are only collecting registration fees from 100 teams. When there are 10,000 teams, that development cost gets spread out and becomes less of a burden. 2x V5 Robot Radios 2x NVIDIA Jetson Nano 2x Micro SD Card with VEX AI Software 20220-2021 2x Power Cable for Jetson Nano to V5 Brain 2x USB Dongle Software License Keys 6x USB A to Micro Cables 18-inch 2x Intel Dual Band Wi-Fi for Jetson Nano 4x Wi-Fi Antennas 2x Cooling Fan for Jetson Nano 2x Intel D435 RealSense Depth Camera 2x FLIR Firefly Camera with Microlens installed 2x FLIR Cable 1x VRC Field Position Code Strip for the VEX Field 1x Opaque plastic field wall covering
Potential Mentors: Dr. K., Tom D., Mr. Marshall, Mrs. Bing
Prospective members: Sean Stassi, Eli Fast, Sammy Socol, Samantha Chang, Zoe McGha-/Schleter, Sam Walter, Aaron Jung, Alexander Werth, Damian Musk, Dylan Huang.
Reminder: This is pilot year, getting accepted to vexAI means automatic worlds qualification.
Possible problem could be that we have several highly advanced people who want to join but are in middle school--maybe can ask for an exception based on small size of program/based on kids taking high school classes?
Idea: Separate team into build and code teams. People with multiple commitments can go ham for a few weeks on build team, then not really need to do anything, or could miss some coding meetings with no problems.
FOR ZOOM MEETINGS: Not sure when exactly they would be--would be figured out over time.