Minibot Falling Solutions
 

There might be multiple threads of this question, but i would like to make a general one with multiple ideas.

My team today has built a minibot prototype, and it works pretty good. We are running into a problem when the minibot slides down from the top. The minibot moves great upward, but drops like a stone.

What are some of your team's ideas on keeping the minibot's downward movement controlled and safe to avoid a hard crash?

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

We were hoping that the motor, being geared, would provide enough resistance to falling. Our main concern, though, is getting the motors to stop because I was trying to see how much torque the motors provided by trying to stop the wheel from spinning. Good news: plenty of torque. Bad news: motor began to smoke after a few seconds.

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

Try putting memory foam at the bottom of your bot. A nice soft landing.

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

Start thinking some more, this is illegal per Team Update #6.

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

Memory foam isn't on the approved materials list. Your only potential options would be rubber bands, surgical tubing, non-slip pad, or hook and loop fastener.

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

Yeah, we have a 1 to 2 gear ratio, and it just falls ways too fast.
Our motor as well has begun to smoke


Memory foam sounds like a great idea, but does it effect the weight strongly?

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

Double posting so I don't have to edit a post...

Are these minibots falling/dropping just from the weight of the minibot backdriving the motors? I'll admit I haven't looked to see how fast they backdrive, but falling like a stone doesn't seem likely... If this is the case, however, I vote rigging up a light switch to switch the positive lead on one or both motors from the positive battery lead to the motor's negative lead. Instant regen braking and all that.

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

We are planning on using a switch to start the climb, and a switch to make the minibot stop at the top, and then move down slowly. I'm sorry "dropping like a stone" is somewhat an exaggeration, but it just doesn't slide down at a slow, safe pace.
What do you think now that memory foam is not allowed?

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

Memory foam was never on the allowed materials list for the Minibot. However, it's not on the disallowed materials list for the Hostbot.

I had an idea: If the robot's arm just so happened to be up at the end of the match, just so happened to be about 10' tall, and just so happened to have a device at a shoulder joint that would allow any claws to be operated by hand without robot power being turned on, I don't think the refs can use the "special equipment" rule to disallow that being used to bring the Minibot down. It's part of the Robot, after all...

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...inibot+warning

It explains a solution for prototyping, but not for the real bot. Surgical tubing or something on the bottom might help.

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

I know it was never allowed. And your idea sounds very possible and smart. Our team is deploying our minibot by using drawer glides attached to a scissor type of device. I thought with your idea, if it would a good idea to put the memory foam on the end of the scissor where the minibot would deploy onto the pole. Now my concern is the hostbot is allowed to have a part of itself on the pole platforms when the minibot is deployed onto the pole

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

c/p from team update #6

<G59> TEAMS must retrieve MINIBOTS from the TOWER quickly and safely without special equipment and while standing on the floor after each MATCH. Violation: The FIELD crew will retrieve the MINIBOT if the TEAM does not. A second violation may result in a YELLOW CARD.

so you kind of need the minibot to come back down now or you need some really tall team members.

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

What if we buy a really long overcoat and have 3 people stand on each other's shoulders, then they wear the coat. It would appear that it is one person, but it's not.

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

Yes, but does the hostbot need to be completely off the pole tower before deploying the minibot?

Re: Minibot Falling Solutions
 

Wrap the coat in tin foil to give that metallic look too