FIRST Community Spotlights

Are Boys Better Than Girls in Math?

Deirdre — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:28:01 GMT

According to ABC World News, a new study rejects the myth that boys are better than girls in math and science. Check out this video of high school students in New Jersey who use LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Powered by NI LabVIEW in the classroom.

Video: Interviews and Opinions on new FRC Controller

Deirdre — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:55:46 GMT

In this video, LabVIEW Champion and VI Shots Blogger Michael Aivaliotis interviews Ray Almgren, who leads the worldwide academic relations program for NI, and several FRC teams (2023, 1739, 47, 107 and 2053) to get feedback on the NI CompactRIO controller.

Share your thoughts in this discussion forum thread.

Additional NI LabVIEW Resources

Deirdre — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:46:09 GMT

I've gotten a number of emails from FIRST teams asking for more tutorials on how to get started with NI LabVIEW. We are developing some customized content to help you succeed in the 2009 FIRST Robotics Competition.

In the meantime, check out these engineering resources:

LabVIEW Guided Tour

Introduction to Graphical Programming

Tutorial: Get Started with LabVIEW

Tutorial:Customizing a Virtual Instrument

LabVIEW Online Trial

Additionally, check out this tutorial from WPI, which contains some information on how to program CompactRIO using C/C++

Building A Robotic Beckham

Deirdre — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:00:59 GMT

LabVIEW and Apple Technology at Virginia Tech

Apple just released this case study titled, "[Building A Robotic Beckham: LabVIEW and Apple Technology at Virginia Tech|http://www.apple.com/science/profiles/romela/]."

This document shows how students at RoMeLa, the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory at Virginia Tech, use Macintosh systems and National Instruments LabVIEW to turn out robotic creations that think and move by themselves.

Specifically, Apple showcaes DARwIn, the Dynamic Anthropomorphic Robot with Intelligence. He is humanoid, autonomous, and made of precision-machined aluminum. DARWin is only three years old, but moves and thinks independently. He comes in two versions, 16 and 24 inches tall, and is currently training to be a soccer player. He competed in the 2007 RoboCup competitions at Atlanta, Georgia, where teams from around the world put autonomous soccer-playing robots through their paces.

You can also see DARwin in action in this YouTube video.