1995

Archive tag	1995
Game Information
Game name	Ramp n' Roll
Number of teams	59
Number of official events	2
Chairman's Award winner	151
Winner	100
Finalist	126
	← 1994 1996 →

The 1995 FIRST Robotics Competition season formally began on January 6th, 1995 at the kickoff event in Nashua, New Hampshire. Attendees were introduced to Ramp n' Roll, the kit of parts materials, some of the rules, and the playing field. Competition season consisted of the 1995 New England Tournament in Nashua, New Hampshire and the National Championship at the EPCOT Center at Disney World. Originally, an additional "regional" was planned for February 27 and 28 in Charlotte, North Carolina, but was canceled due to the low number of teams that signed up to participate^[1]. A third regional was planned for Dallas, Texas for March 3rd and 4th circa late 1994^[2] but was dropped before kickoff. Teams did not need to qualify for the Championship and could participate in the New Hampshire Tournament, Nationals, or both.

This year was the first year that a "live" score was available during the match, with each successful score being accompanied by a "swoosh" sound effect.

Documentation[edit | edit source | hide | hide all]

Partial game manual and updates[edit | edit source | hide]

^[3]
1995 Rules Updates^[3]

Kickoff[edit | edit source | hide]

Footage on the FRC Archive ^[4]

Playing field and scoring[edit | edit source | hide]

The playing field [1]
Ramp dimensions [2]
Speed Bump dimensions [3]
Field Goal dimensions [4]

The field is a carpeted modified "T" with three titular ramps leading up to a platform at the top of the "T". Two uncarpeted slopes connect the center ramp with the two side ramps and a back wall and netting separate the drive teams from the field. The top of the T is 30 feet wide and the raceway extending downwards is 12 feet wide. The total length of the field is 40 feet. The thicker portion of the field including the ramps and field goal is 12 feet long, with angled corners parallel to the slopes transitioning the platform area to the raceway. The raceway includes the four inch tall speed bump, flanked by two eight inch tall walls, halfway down its 28 foot length. The platform is four feet square and 30 inches off the ground. The field goal is made from two inch inner diameter PVC and is located 15 inches from the front edge of the platform, part way down the front Ramp. The top of the horizontal bar is five feet from the floor, with uprights six feet apart and extending up four feet above the horizontal bar. The field is surrounded by a 4" wooden perimeter with a steel fence installed on top.

Teams 157, 191 and 144 setting up their robots for a match at the New England tournament [5]

Three robots in the red, yellow, and blue positions play simultaneously in the seeding rounds and earlier rounds of playoffs, with one on one matches later on. Robots start lined up facing away from the ramps and towards the cluster of six balls down the raceway. Each team has two matching color balls, one 24 inches and one 30 inches in diameter, that start at the end of the field and past the Speed Bump. To count as scored, the ball must break the vertical place above the horizontal bar of the Field Goal uprights. Scoring a 24 inch ball is worth two points and scoring a 30 inch ball is worth three points. The team that matches the color of the ball, not necessarily the team that scored it, receives the points. Tiebreaks are determined first by the large colored ball at the highest elevation from the floor and then by the large colored ball closest to the center of the platform.

Each match lasts two minutes. The control system is automatically enabled and disabled when matches begin and end.

Game strategy[edit | edit source | hide]

Although it was written in the rules that grabbing or grasping the field goal was against the rules, and the intention seems to be that balls would be shot or lifted and dropped through the field goal, the overwhelmingly dominant method of scoring was for robots to collect a single ball in a large fork or other grabber and lift it completely through the field goal so that it counted as scored and then bring the grabber back through the field goal to score again in the other direction. Team Update #1 clarified that this was a valid method of scoring as long as the ball fully passed through the field goal. Arms and other lifting mechanisms could not rest on top of the Field Goal and some robots would tip up on one set of wheels as the weight of their arm and grabber passed through the field goal. Catapults were generally outperformed by robots that would sit behind the field goal on top of the ramp. Some robots incorporated stabilizers that would be deployed when in position at the top of the ramp.

Teams -53 and 100 scoring back and forth at the National championship. Team -53 has a pair of flip-down stabilizers extended [6]
Teams 126 and 190 scoring back and forth at the National championship [7]
Team 141 launching a ball while 100 gets in position to score repeatedly [8]

When starting in the middle (blue) position, it was easiest to charge the bump and grab the small blue ball at the close end of the pile and then try to make it up the ramp to score. Scoring first was almost always a tactical advantage. From one of the side starting positions it was usually more advantageous to wait for the bump to clear and grab one of the larger balls to score more points. Being able to score from the central ramp as well as the platform behind the field goal was also advantageous, especially if not scoring first^[5].

Robot construction[edit | edit source | hide]

As was the norm for the era, the majority of robot components came from the kit of parts or Small Parts catalog. The Small Parts allowance for 1995 was $425, with some of the $500 budget already spent on two high-torque couplings to couple the drill motors to the drivetrain. No more than four pulleys and/or sprockets and 10 feet of belt and/or chain from outside sources could be used, and these components had to be used in the drivetrain. Fasteners were not included in the parts allowance. A DEC LA75 dot-matrix printer was included in the kit, although like previous years the motors and electronics could not be connected to the control system. Robots must fit unconstrained inside a 30 inch tall cylinder that is 36 inches in diameter at the start of a match and could weigh a maximum of 70 pounds including batteries. Adding or removing mechanisms that would "alter the operation of the machine" was not allowed after the first seeding match of a competition. Teams that competed at the 1995 New England Tournament were allowed to modify their robots for the five days following the competition before shipping the robot to the National competition.

Robots had to display their sponsor and school name so that judges and referees could identify them during a match. Canonical team numbers were assigned, but were only used to order from Small Parts and pick up kits of parts.

Control system[edit | edit source | hide]

The transmit side of the control system, with two PC flight sticks and RNET radio [9]
The receiver box (lower middle) and relay box (upper right), with RNET radio, servos, limit switches, and two drill motor battery boxes [10]
The receiver and relay boxes on team 45's 1995 robot [11]

Two off-the-shelf PC flight sticks from CH Products were included in the kit of parts. These plugged into the bespoke Transmit Box and allowed for three axis of proportional control from each joystick (two for the joystick itself and a third for a thumb wheel) with two digital buttons on each joystick. An additional port on the transmit box could be used to wire in an additional custom controller at the expense of some of the controls on the joysticks.

The receiver box directly output eight PWM signals which could be used to drive small servo motors, the Tekin speed controllers, or larger seat motors through the six-channel relay box. The relay box could be wired so that limit switches would turn on or off motor output independent of joystick control. PWM Y-cables could be used to trigger more than one relay from a single PWM output from the receiver box, allowing one control to activate multiple motors.

The transmit and receive boxes contained no software-programmable hardware, with joystick and button inputs just passing directly to the robot where the signals could be wired to speed controllers or relays. The two flightsticks' y-axis outputs were often wired directly to each side of the drivetrain, similar to the way a simple modern tank drive might be implemented in software. The transmit box did contain functionality to send inputs from different joysticks or button boxes plugged into its ports. Outputs by default assigned to the joystick buttons could be rerouted to trigger from the other "joypad" controller included in the kit. The other method of mechanically programming the control system was through wiring limit switches into the relay box, allowing for an activated switch to turn off a relay output, or a relay output to remain on until a switch is hit.

The transmit and receive boxes could communicate wirelessly using a pair of RNET radios or a tether cable and adaptor plugged directly between the two boxes. RNETs would be surrendered before competition began and operating in the pits required use of the tether and tether adaptor.

Four Delco seat motors and two Milwaukee drill motors with gearboxes were included as well as two Tekin reversing speed controllers. Two Textron pneumatic pumps and a selection of pneumatic hardware were also included.

Team list[edit | edit source | hide]

*Teams that only competed in 1995 never received negative team numbers.‎
More information about pre-1998 team numbers is available here.
Team number	Team name	Team location	Robot	Archive link	Events attended
-116	Aavid Engineering, Inc. & Gilford High School	Laconia, NH		1995 frc-116	1995nh, 1995cmp
6	Alliant Techsystems Inc. & Washburn Senior High School Minnesota's Mighty Millers	Hopkins, MN		1995 frc6	1995cmp
83	Alliant Techsystems Inc. & Kamiak High School	Mukilteo, WA		1995 frc83	1995cmp
-108	The Boeing Company & Lindburgh High School	Seattle/Renton, WA	The Talon	1995 frc-108	1995cmp
23	Boston Edison Company & Plymouth North High School	Plymouth, MA		1995 frc23	1995nh, 1995cmp
1995frc6*	Carrier Corporation & Canastota High School	Syracuse, NY		1995frc6	1995nh
42	Daniel Webster College/Lockheed Commercial Electronics Corp & Alvirne High School	Nashua, NH		1995 frc42	1995nh
43	Dart Container Corporation & Mason Public High School The FOAMIN' BullDAWGS	Mason, MI	Dart Vader	1995 frc43	1995cmp
45	Delco Electronics Corporation & Kokomo High School KHS FIRST	Kokomo, IN	H2Kat (Hurryin' Hoosier Kat)	1995 frc45	1995cmp
1995frc10*	Davis-Standard Division & Stonington High School	Pawcatuck, CT		1995frc10	1995nh
1995frc11*	Davol Inc., Subsidiary of C.R. Bard, Inc. & Central High School/Times2	Cranston, RI		1995frc11	1995nh
148	E-Systems, Inc. & Greenville High School	Greenville, TX	The Lion C.L.A.W. (Can't Lose, Always Win)	1995 frc148	1995cmp
-114	E-Systems-ECI Division & Lakewood High School	St. Petersburg, FL	ESY-CAT	1995 frc-114	1995nh, 1995cmp
61	EMC/Foster Miller & Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School/Milford High School	Upton, MA		1995 frc61	1995nh
166	Ferrofluidics Corporation/Hampshire Chemical Corporation & Merrimack High School	Nashua, NH	Tomahawk III	1995 frc166	1995nh, 1995cmp
108	Florida Atlantic University/Huron Machine Products & Dillard Computer/High Tech Magnet School U.F.L.E.M. (Understanding Fundamental Leadership in Engineering & Mechanics)/Mixed Nuts	Boca Raton/Ft. Lauderdale, FL		1995 frc108	1995cmp
37	Florida International University & Mast Academy	Miami, FL		1995 frc37	1995cmp
99	Freudenberg-NOK & Memorial High School	Manchester, NH		1995 frc99	1995nh
1995frc19*	G.E. Elfun Society @ General Electric Co. & Fitchburg High School/Montachusett Regional Technical School	Fitchburg, MA		1995frc19	1995nh
73	Harris Corporation & Edison Technical School	Rochester, NY		1995 frc73	1995nh, 1995cmp
74	Haworth, Inc. & Holland Public Schools	Holland, MI		1995 frc74	1995cmp
80	Honeywell, Inc. & Cortez High School RoboColt	Phoenix, AZ		1995 frc80	1995nh, 1995cmp
-110	Honeywell, Inc.(HTC) & North Community High School	Minneapolis, MN		1995 frc-110	1995cmp
81	Honeywell's MICRO SWITCH Division & Freeport Senior High School Freeport Pretzels	Freeport, IL	Redcoat Raptor	1995 frc81	1995cmp, 1995cmd
177	International Fuel Cells & South Windsor High School	South Windsor, CT		1995 frc177	1995nh
90	Johnson & Johnston Associates/Astro Precision Machine, Inc./ Brooks Automation & Salem High School J.A.B.S.	Hampstead, NH		1995 frc90	1995nh, 1995cmp
151	Lockheed Sanders & Nashua High School	Nashua, NH	Purple Twister	1995 frc151	1995nh, 1997cmp
-51 (213)	Markem Corporation & Keene High School	Keene, NH		1995 frc-51	1995nh, 1995cmp
1995frc29*	Martin Marietta Corporation/Northwestern State University & Louisiana School for Math Science & the Arts	New Orleans, LA	Jack the Ripper	1995frc29	1995cmp
120	NASA Lewis Research Center & East Technical High School TECH FORCE	Cleveland, OH		1995 frc120	1995cmp
-97	Navi Dowty & Associates, Inc. & D.C. Everest High School	Wausau, WI	T-REX	1995 frc-97	1995cmp, 1995cmd
124	Northeast Utilities Company/U.S. Coast Guard Academy & New London High School/The Williams School	Hartford, CT		1995 frc124	1995nh
69	NYNEX Corporation & Somerville High School	White Plains, NY/Somerville, MA		1995 frc69	1995nh
126	NYPRO Inc. & Clinton High School	Clinton, MA	Big Bopper	1995 frc126	1995nh, 1995cmp
131	Osram Sylvania, Inc. & Manchester Central High School C.H.A.O.S. (Central High And Osram Sylvania)	Manchester, NH		1995 frc131	1995nh, 1995cmp
1995frc36*	PATHS/PRISM & Strawberry Mansion Middle/Sr. High	Philadelphia, PA		1995frc36	1995cmp
141	Prince Corporation & West Ottawa High School	Holland, MI	The Machine that Changed the World	1995 frc141	1995cmp
-53	Procter & Gamble Company & Aiken High School	Cincinnati, OH		1995 frc-53	1995nh, 1995cmp
144	Procter & Gamble Company & Walnut Hills High School	Cincinnati, OH	Pulp Friction	1995 frc144	1995nh, 1997cmp
146	Public Service of New Hampshire & Manchester West High School Blue Lightening	Manchester, NH		1995 frc146	1995nh, 1995cmp
100	Raychem Corporation & Woodside High School	Menlo Park, CA	Stealth	1995 frc100	1995cmp
20	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute & Shenendehowa High School	Troy, NY		1995 frc20	1995nh, 1995cmp
-115	SMC Pneumatics, Inc. & Ipswich High School	Topsfield, MA		1995 frc-115	1995nh
98	Southern Methodist University & St. Mark's School of Texas	Dallas, TX		1995 frc98	1995cmp
155	Stanley Works & Berlin High School/McGee Middle School ARES (Astounding Redcoats Equipped by Stanley)	New Britain, CT	Redcoat RAPTOR (Robotic Apparatus Prepared To Overwhelm Rivals)	1995 frc155	1995nh, 1995cmp
157	Stratus Computer/The Whiz/ADRA Systems/Water Instrument Operations & Assabet Valley Regional Vocational School Aztec Empire	Marlboro, MA		1995 frc157	1995nh, 1995cmp
55	Texas Instruments, Inc. & Austin Academy for Excellence	Dallas, TX		1995 frc55	1995cmp
-105	Texas Instruments, Inc. & Denison High School	Sherman, TX		1995 frc-105	1995cmp
129	Texas Instruments, Inc. & Sherman High School	Sherman, TX	Killa Armadilla	1995 frc129	1995cmp
161	Textron Automotive Company & Cass Technical High School Textron Technicians	Troy, MI		1995 frc161	1995cmp, 1995cmd
121	TIMES2/Naval Undersea Warfare Center Div. Newport & Rogers High School	Providence/Newport, RI	ET2	1995 frc121	1995nh, 1995cmp
1995frc52*	U.S. Naval Academy Alumni/Sandia National Laboratories & Cibola High School	Albuquerque, NM		1995frc52	1995cmp
173	United Technologies Research Center & Bulkeley High School/Hartford Public High School Cobras	East Hartford, CT		1995 frc173	1995nh, 1995cmp
72	University of North Carolina at Charlotte & Harding University High School	Charlotte, NC		1995 frc72	1995cmp
110	University of Texas at Arlington & Richland High School	Fort Worth, TX		1995 frc110	1995cmp
171	University of Wisconsin @ Plattville/Wisconsin Power and Light & Platteville High School	Platteville, WI	Doominator	1995 frc171	1995cmp
-99 (148)	Womack Machine Supply Co. & Dallas Christian School	Dallas, TX		1995 frc-99	1995cmp
190	Worcester Polytechnic Institute & Mass Academy of Math & Science	Worcester, MA	Scorpion II	1995 frc190	1995nh, 1995cmp
191	Xerox Corporation & Joseph C. Wilson Magnet High School X-Cats	Webster/Rochester, NY	Thundercat	1995 frc191	1995nh, 1995cmp