Programming Level 2 - Robot Control Systems

Learning Objective

Apply Level 1's generic foundation to the FRC-specific control system: implement closed-loop feedback and motion profiles, integrate sensors (encoders, gyro/accelerometer, limit switches) using vendor libraries (CTRE Phoenix, REVLib) with proper calibration, develop command-based robot architecture with subsystem management, practice developing and testing code in robot simulation before it touches hardware, and create autonomous routines using PathPlanner or Choreo. This level is self-guided and typically takes a couple of months; completing it means you can perform most of the day-to-day programming the team needs.

Prerequisites

• Programming Level 1 - Programming Fundamentals
• Electrical Level 1 - Basic Electronics

Primary Resources

• WPILib: What Is Command-Based Programming?
• WPILib: Motion Profiling in Command-Based
• WPILib: Robot Simulation
• WPILib: Path Planning (PathPlanner & Choreo)

Tasks

1. Advanced Robot Control

   • Implement PID control loops
   • Create motion profiles
   • Design state machines
   • Handle multiple control modes

2. Sensor Integration

   • Read and process encoder data using the appropriate vendor library (CTRE Phoenix, REVLib)
   • Integrate gyro/accelerometer input
   • Implement limit switch logic
   • Develop sensor calibration routines

3. Command-Based Programming

   • Create robot subsystems
   • Implement commands and command compositions
   • Manage subsystem dependencies and requirements
   • Handle command scheduling

4. Simulation & Dashboards

   • Run and drive the robot code in WPILib's simulator with no physical robot present
   • View live telemetry using a dashboard (Shuffleboard, Glass, or Elastic)
   • Diagnose a simple bug using simulation instead of testing on the physical robot

5. Autonomous Development

   • Design autonomous strategies
   • Create modular autonomous routines using command compositions
   • Generate and follow a path using PathPlanner or Choreo
   • Test and validate autonomous modes in simulation and on the robot

Level 2 Completion Requirements

• Successfully implement a PID control system
• Create a working autonomous routine using PathPlanner or Choreo
• Demonstrate developing and testing a change in simulation before deploying to hardware
• Pass a code review with a senior programmer

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