I am excited to share information about a new robot coming to the market, the Studica VMX FRC-compatible Training Bot. Created by the Studica Robotics team, this bot nicknamed the FRC Trainer, offers a unique way to help robotics teams. For one, it is not a typical FRC robot. It is smaller in scale, sturdy, lightweight, and much less expensive than a typical FRC robot. The affordability and size make it perfect for the classroom. Schools can have multiple FRC Trainers and use it as a robotics and programming platform for anyone wishing to join their FRC team. It’s an open platform so that students can design and create add-ons for it.

An intelligent and autonomous robot, it uses a VMX Advanced Robotics Controller. This controller can be programmed in C++ and Java. Using this VMX offers a multitude of modern digital communications interfaces like the roboRIO. Yet, the VMX has more memory and more CPU horsepower than the roboRIO.  With a Linux-based operating system, users can directly access most modern devices (things like Intel RealSense tracking, LIDAR, and depth cameras).

Benefits for Robotics Education

I see this robot being able to really help teams because it allows students to learn how to create and program for FRC competitions. If you’ve worked on a team, you understand that teams generally only have a few students who can train on the competition robot. I see the FRC Trainer giving all students the opportunity to get hands-on training.

Relatively inexpensive, it offers schools looking to teach coding through robotics a great way to equip their labs. Because of the price point and size, any classroom can easily have multiple FRC Trainers. It’s a great way to bring STEM robotics into the classroom while preparing students for the FRC competition. Another cool feature is that teams can start practicing even before the actual competition robot is built. The structure is compatible with other popular products and can accommodate student-designed features such as an elevator lift, intake, and shooter.

Team Applications

Using an open environment allows teams to work with off-the-shelf, cutting-edge technologies. I see applications for the FRC Trainer benefiting many different groups within a team. It fills key gaps in the areas of training and off-season development for teams using C++ and Java.

• Drive Team: With the included FRC Driver Station and Dashboard, new members of the team can have more time to practice. New members of your drive team can get started familiarizing themselves with the tools they will use in the competition right away. As I mentioned above, this can all be done before the competition robot is even built.
• Electrical Team: Electrical students can learn key wiring concepts and skills through hands-on practice. This gives them more time to get acclimated before they start working with the competition robot.
• Build Confidence: This compact and affordable bot can be used to help you allow students that have a passion for robotics to pursue it. For any students who might feel a bit intimidated, this bot can help them build confidence. So, while the more experienced members are preparing for competition, you can prepare next year’s team.
• Mentors & Teachers: The best thing about the FRC trainer for those in charge is that it offers support. They won’t need to create custom solutions for teaching programming to FRC students and team members. The FRC trainer also comes with helpful educational material for teaching robotics.
• Off-season FRC training platform: Full WPI Library support is available which allows the development of FRC-compatible software directly on the board, using the same tools and libraries as on the official FRC RoboRIO platform.
• Post-season cost-savings platform: Using the WPI Library, last year’s robot can be kept running using the low-cost VMX-pi platform, while the more expensive FRC RoboRIO platform is removed for use in next year’s robot.

The Studica VMX FRC Training Bot is currently available for pre-order at www.studica.com.