Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

Here's a short clip of our autonomous mode testing

http://youtu.be/sGQk0-u0HMI

Re: Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

Nice stuff. But are the points for the totes really worth the points lost because of the knocked bins?

Re: Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

Depends on the alliance and robot. There are several teams that pick up bins that have been tipped over.

Re: Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

A team that can't pick up knocked over cans is not really a useful can robot.

Re: Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

I like the slapper you got there for the containers.
I'm sure enough teams can pick up knocked-over RCs to make this a useful auto mode.

Re: Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

It might be that there are more robots that can pick up an upright container, faster than they can pick up a sideways container. A tipped container generally has to be picked up from one end or the other, while an upright container can be picked up from any orientation.

Like most aspects of this game, you have to weigh the extra time it takes to get a tipped container, vs the points you get by knocking it over.

Re: Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

Excellent point.

Our team decided to only pick up recycling containers that have fallen over. They seem to get knocked over by accident, and it's much easier to knock over an upright container than right a fallen container. It was also easier to build an intake that grabs totes and fallen containers without any special actuation to switch between the two. We had the idea and built the container swatter on Friday to help with this.

As you pointed out, picking up a fallen container can be difficult and time consuming. However, there are quite a few benefits that may outweigh the time penalty. Not only do you get a decent number of points, but you end up with three yellow totes stacked and in a known location relative to your robot. You can then take this stack over to the step and get a coopertition stack without having to track down, collect, and stack all three yellow totes that were moved separately in autonomous mode.

Re: Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

If two partners can push/carry containers into auto zone, maybe you could write a mode that pauses a bit to give partners time to get the first two out of the way, then you could swing the arm out and herd the third can into auto zone when you turn to go out. Add points for three containers.

Re: Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

We only pick up cans that are on the side. Easier to place litter when the can is on its side.

Re: Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

Looks great guys!

And knocked over cans don't take much to upright. Our team does it well and in only a couple seconds.

Re: Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

We actually prefer them knocked over. We found we can pick them up very easy. Hopefully I will post a video later. Our pick up is probably a bit unique.

Re: Team 236 Three Tote Autonomous Pickup
 

I agree with that comment. However, quite a few robots will still not be able to do this task. Sometimes the mechanisms like a claw seem to right bins if you grab them, and then they spin over while they're in the claw.

We can pick up knocked over rc's. See you in Waterbury