pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

Very cool, although I must imagine that 4 omni wheels makes it pretty easy to push around.

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

Art, you've done it again.

What next? Beatty's 2002 machine in Vex? ;)

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

Billfred, don't give me ideas!!!!!

Very cool stuff here. How many motors total are there on that thing??

I just bought a kit and the first thing I did was a 3 motor version of a holonomic drive (two center drive wheels, one motor controlling two perpendicular wheels). Not as good as the real thing, but something to get the kids thinking before the season starts.

Kev

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

Am I correct in saying it is NOT super easy to push around because the wheels are not all pointing in the same direction? BTW, have any videos of it driving?

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

Coincidentally, I'm on the verge of finishing my own omniwheel robot. I got the chassis together yesterday but haven't actually powered it yet (electronics aren't ready). I was pushing it around and noticed that the traction wasn't great, but it was decent. I think that the problem is it's too light. It probably weighs <2lb. The motors won't backdrive, but it will slide.

I'm using these wheels, by the way.

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

I got to see the Holonimic Drive in action yesterday and it was amazing. Very sleek movement and it seemed like the drivers handled it fairly easy. We wont even go into the beauty of the rest of the robot. Unfortunately they were not able to compete in the competition.

I do recommend that you check out the Savage Soccer site...we had alot of fun yesterday at WPI and the game was absolutely amazing. I think FIRST could learn a few things from these guys!

-Andy Grady

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

It is somewhat easy to push around, as one of the Vex Squarebots from our team was able to push it pretty easily across the linoneum floor. It has a lot more traction on carpeted floor, and it becomes harder to push. Also, the weight really helps get it more traction. When it was only the basic chassis, the wheels would slip on smooth flooring, and it would not get good traction. But this was solved once I built all the manipulators onto the chassis.

EDIT: The robot uses seven motors - four for the drive, and three for the manipulators.

I should a video of it driving around some time soon, as I have been non-stop busy for like the past month. But, if anyone was every wondering how a holonomic drive robot would perform in snow, today's your lucky day!





I took these pictures this morning when a few snow showers brought us another 1 1/2 of snow. It works okay on the sidewalk, but it was sliding all over the place. I was able to tape a little kiddie snow shovel on the front, and I was able to try to shovel some snow. This makes me want to build one of these out of Vex parts next, so I can shovel my driveway from the park bench on my front porch.

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

That just looks like a very bad idea. Especially the wires dangling on the ground. Great fun though, until the magic smoke is released.

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

Oh, the magic smoke will just make make it seem a bit more like Christmas.

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

Why not just retrofit a powered snowblower to drive autonomously?

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

it might just be me, but i would be scared of an autonomous snowblower. just brings thoughts of it getting messed up and making one of the smaller neighborhood children into "ground beef".

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

ground meat. unless you somehow hit a cow it wont be beef would it?

ew.

but how about a remote controlled one? maybe not autonomous..

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

Finally! I had a few free hours free after school today (what a novel idea ;)), so I decided to assemble the video of my Vex Holonomic Drive robot. All of the video was shot this past weekend at the Savage Soccer Demonstration at the WPI Robotnautica FLL Tournament. Many thanks to WPI for hosting the Savage Soccer competition, which presented a perfect excuse for me to build a holonomic drive. :p Here's the link:

17.9 Mb - Windows Media Video - http://www.team228.org/index/multime...omic-drive.wmv

Now onward, to another new Vex robot! ;)

Re: pic: it's a Vex Holonomic Drive!
 

Art, better get working on another white paper for this one. :rolleyes: