How to Use the Robot Scouter App

May 18, 2022 | Programming

Welcome to the future of robotics! The Robot Scouter is an open-source Android application designed to revolutionize the scouting process in FIRST competitions. This app focuses on making scouting easy, efficient, and collaborative. Let’s dive into how you can utilize this fantastic tool!

Table of Contents

Features

Robot Scouter provides various features to enhance your scouting experience:

  • Full offline support
  • No setup required (i.e. no databases)
  • Customizable scouting templates
  • Advanced export capabilities
  • Integration with The Blue Alliance

Scouting

Scouting with Robot Scouter is simple yet powerful. Here’s how it works:

  • Multiple users can scout either the same team or different ones simultaneously.
  • The app supports split-screen mode on Android N devices, allowing for efficient scouting of multiple teams.
  • You can select from various metrics such as:
    • Header (title)
    • Checkbox (true/false)
    • Stopwatch (for cycle time)
    • Counter (numerical)
    • Item selector (list)
    • Notes (text)

Templates

Templates in Robot Scouter are fully customizable. You can create templates that are independent of each year’s game, with defaults provided for the current year’s competition.

Exporting

Exporting data for analysis is a breeze:

  • Generate advanced spreadsheets with statistics and charts for each team.
  • A global average sheet helps you compare teams easily.
  • Excel spreadsheets can be converted to Google Sheets for further analysis.
  • JSON exports are also supported for custom analysis using tools like Tableau.

Contributing

If you’re interested in enhancing Robot Scouter by adding features or fixing bugs, it’s super easy! Just read the contribution guidelines before diving into the code.

Environment Setup

Getting Robot Scouter set up is straightforward:

1. Run .gradlew setup
2. If you are using Firestore, create your Firebase project and replace the dummy google-services.json.
3. Run .gradlew presubmit to ensure the CI build passes.

Learning

Familiarize yourself with Firebase to understand the core technologies behind Robot Scouter. Pay attention to:

Psst…

If you want to stay updated on the latest builds, consider joining the alpha testers group and the beta program.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues while using the Robot Scouter app or during the installation process, here are some troubleshooting ideas:

  • Ensure that you have a stable internet connection for the initial download of templates and updates.
  • Check that you are using a compatible Android device with the latest operating system updates.
  • Verify that your Firebase project setup is correctly applied, particularly the google-services.json file.
  • If functionalities aren’t working as expected, reinstallation of the app may resolve conflicts.
  • For advanced functionality issues, consider reaching out through the community forums or the GitHub repository.

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Conclusion

With the Robot Scouter app, scouting at FIRST competitions becomes not only manageable but also a fun collaborative effort. Utilize the features offered, and start revolutionizing your scouting experience today!

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