Motion Profiling
Trapezoidal motion profiles let your robot move smoothly and predictably — accelerating to speed, cruising, then decelerating to a precise stop. Essential for consistent FTC autonomous routines.
Motion Profiling
Trapezoidal velocity profiles for smooth, controlled movement — the foundation of FTC autonomous routines.
Motor ramps up at max acceleration until reaching peak velocity. Duration = v_max / a_max.
Constant velocity. Only present if distance is large enough — short moves produce a triangular profile.
Mirror of acceleration — motor decelerates at the same rate to arrive at the target with zero velocity.
When distance is too short to reach max velocity, the profile becomes a triangle. Peak vel = √(a_max × dist).
How it Works
1. The Profile
The simulator generates a velocity profile for a mechanism traveling a set distance. Adjust Max Velocity and Max Acceleration to see how the profile shape changes — including the switch from trapezoidal to triangular when the distance is too short to reach peak speed.
2. Tuning Guide
- Distance: Total travel. Short distances produce a triangular profile — the robot never hits max velocity.
- Max Velocity: The cruise speed. Higher = faster overall movement, but requires more deceleration distance.
- Max Accel: How aggressively to ramp up/down. Low values = smoother but slower to respond.
Want to implement this in code?
Our motion profiling guide covers the math and provides a ready-to-use Java implementation for FTC autonomous.
View Motion Profiling Guide →