Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

Our prototype for the ball collector on our robot for the 2012 Rebound Rumble game is finished! Check it out:

Click here to see the awesomness!

Made with PVC and surgical tubing, and narrarated by the Great and Powerful Ryan Fuller!

(I'm the one in the red sweatshirt btw)

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

Looks great! However, I have a few questions:

Where would you have that on your robot? (middle, very front, etc)

If it's in the very front, are you aware that those multiple pieces of surgical tubing count as multiple appendages extending out of the drive base?

For the sake of this really awesome ball roller, please double check that to make sure it's legal! I'd hate to have something so awesome rack up penalties for you every time you use it.

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

Unless I'm missing something obvious here, please explain why:
a. each of those pieces of surgical tubing count as separate appendages,
b. you can't have multiple appendages that aren't extending past 14 inches.

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

A) They are not connected, and therefore are considered separate when they extend beyond the frame perimeter.

B) I may have misunderstood, but I thought it doesn't matter the length of an appendage if multiple are out of the frame perimeter.

If What you said in B) is true, then I take back my original post, and will proceed to implement this design on our robot. ;)

If not, then I'll go read the game rules another time. I'll probably do that anyways, since "A game rule a day keeps the robot inspector away!"

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

[G21] Blue box:

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

I see no reason why an inspector would count them as separate appendages. They aren't really extending, and if anything, the roller itself then becomes an appendage. In addition, i think it would just be cruel to consider those separate appendages.


whoops completely forgot about that rule. I probably shouldn't post on CD so assertively when I'm sick :P

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

It's alright. Hope you feel better! It's not very productive to be sick in the middle of build season, you know. :p

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

As much as I agree with you, this has yet to be clarified by the GDC/Q&A, and until such time, it would good to keep a backup in mind.

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

I think I have a way to keep this "legal".

Get sets of surgical tubing and glue/zip-tie them together so they become one wide strand. Make 4 of these, and place each set 90 degrees apart from each other on the rotating rod. Each will count as one extending past the frame perimeter since they will be glued/zip-tied together, and only one set will be outside the frame perimeter at a time since they are 90 degrees apart from each other.

I don't see anything illegal with that, though like always, I could be wrong. ;)

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

ATTN ALL:
Our chassis will be "C" shaped with our rolling mechanism situated on the inside of the "C", therefore having none of the parts extending from the outside of the chassis, looking sort of like this:

(X marks the spot)
=======================
==wheel===wheel===wheel==
==----------------\xxxxxx/
==-----------------\xxxx/
==------------------\xx/
==------------------/xx\ <-- Balls go this way
==-----------------/xxxx\
==----------------/xxxxxx\
==---------------/xxxxxxxx\
==wheel===wheel===wheel==
=======================

Cruddy ascii art is cruddy, lol.

I hope that answers any questions you had!

I was wondering what mechanism is driving the ball collecting device. Like what kind of motors you are using and if you are using a gear box.

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

Please do not state things like this as if you know they are fact. The only fact is that this is not true until you see it asked and answered in the Q&A.

Don't assume that you know what appendage is defined as.

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

For those who haven't seen it:
emphasis mine. (Interpret as you will.)

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

We're using two Fisher Price motors, although it is reeeally over powered, so we will try and change that.

Also, everyone else, calm down about the technicalities. We are all trying our best to follow the rules, and if they break any, we will fix it. It's all part of the design process and is not something to get super worked up over. It's just a game :D

Re: Team 1458 Ball Roller Prototype
 

Good design. Looks like it will work at any angle.:)