Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Team 1114 is proud to present our 2011 robot, Simbot Steve. Simbot Steve is named after the founder of Team 1114, Steve Rourke, who tragically passed away in May. Our 2011 season has been dedicated to honouring Steve's memory and legacy.

Special thanks to Teams 254 & 968 for inspiring our elevator design. Also thanks to all our generous sponsors, especially Innovation First International and VEX Robotics who went above the call of duty in manufacturing many parts for us.

For full technical specifications of the robot please visit: http://www.simbotics.org/first/robots

For more media (including full size pictures) which is being constantly updated please visit: http://www.simbotics.org/media

If you have any questions, please ask away.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Awesome robot as always. Can't wait to see it in STL.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Great robot with great meaning. I'm glad you would honor your founder in such a way, I'm sure he would be proud.

I can't wait to see it in action, it looks like it can put on a good show.

I've always wondered, though... Why is there always a styrofoam cup on your robot?

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Awesome minibot name!

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Why an elevator? 1251 is using an elevator design also but I'm wondering what lead 1114 to the same conclusion. Part of me is wondering this becuase alot of the other team IFI robots are actually using arms e.g. 148 and 217. Love the robot, from some of the scores I observed from last weekend its another beast of a machine.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Beautiful. Best 1114 bot yet. (Well maybe except for 2010.. or 2009, or 2008, or 2007... ;) )

edit:
Does your roller claw have a jaw like 254 and 148?

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

I stopped by Pittsburgh for a couple hours to see this (and a couple other teams). Very cool robot. The only thing more impressive than the robot was the attention to detail with regards to strategy. There were several little minor details I saw in a couple matches that really impressed me.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Awesome Machine.

I can't wait to see it in person.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

I wish that circle wasn't there so I could check out that manipulator. Can't wait till videos from Pittsburg come out if they do so I can watch all of this monster's matches.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

It's actually a plastic cup. We have two on the robot that house lights that are used to give feedback to the coach, drivers and human player regarding tube status.

The decision to go with an elevator was done for many reasons. In 2007 we went with an arm so we could score over top of opponents. With the protected scoring zones this year, we knew that level of functionality was not needed. A large advantage of the elevator was that it allows you to be the same distance from the scoring pegs when scoring on the various levels. Also, the compactness of the design allows us to minimize our footprint while scoring, thereby giving our partners more room to manuever.

Nope. We discussed having a jaw, but determined that reversing the rollers and dropping the elevator simultaneously allowed for the quick style release we desired, without adding an extra motor/cylinder. Seeing how effective 148 and 254 have been with their jaws is impressive, but we're still very happy with the decision we made.

Here's a better shot:

http://www.simbotics.org/media/galle...-regional/2982

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Another classy robot from an even classier team.
Your team has always inspired our team to work harder and be better.

I remember when we were on the same field in Atlanta during Overdrive ... we had totally lucked into 2nd or 3rd qualifying position and were in awe of your robot and your driver. When your drive team came over and actually talked to us...it made our day... I will never forget the look on our drive team's face...

We, of course, didn't have the success on the field that you guys had (and deserved) but that little experience really meant something to us.

So, just remember what an inspiration that your team and mentors are to many other teams and remember what a little thing can mean to a young team.

We hope to see you again in St. Louis.

thanks for being an real inspiration to the rest of us!!!

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Totally agree but don't forget about 2006! ;)

Beautiful! Can't wait to get a couple pictures of the lift assembly! I really wanted to do a lift to maximize the space in the home zone but felt it was a bit too much in a rookie year, but season 2 is coming up! :p

0.98 second minibot! 1114 dislikes 3 digit numbers unless it is a score or the first number is a zero!

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Hi Karthik,

Was reading the description of your robot on 1114's web site. Could you describe how the counterbalance works on the lift?

Thanks!

• Counterbalanced by a 5kg constant force spring

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Is there any video of this past weekend floating around yet? I have a hunch a still picture doesn't do this robot justice.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Would love to see your team in Seattle someday... ;)

I'll buy the coffee, you bring the poutine !

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Karthik, I forgot to ask, but what's the dealio with the plastic cups on the side of your bot?

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Dustin,

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

I'm digging the fishing rod Karthik.

Clever solution to the hardstop for the roller claw. Definitely easier, cleaner, lighter than our aluminum piece.

-Brando

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Why so many claws? All the better to eat tubes with?

http://www.simbotics.org/media/galle...ld-season/2956

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Such a slick looking bot. Like every year, truly an inspirational robot.

I can't wait to see a video! The pictures are nice, but I want to see this robot in action. I'm super interested to see the 0.6 second floor-to-ground and the minibot.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Nice robot 1114, wish 222 could have came to play with you guys at Pittsburgh. :)

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

We mounted the spool of the 5 kg constant force spring to a shaft which is attached to the first stage of the elevator, which is fixed to the base of our robot. The other end of the spring is attached to the second stage of the elevator. When the elevator is in the down position, the spring is extended. The spring pulls up on the elevator, thus counter balancing its weight. The stages of the of lift are linked together directly, as opposed to a continuous cascading drive, thus it takes twice as much force on the second stage to lift the 3rd stage (the roller claw), making a 5 kg spring necessary.


None that I've seen yet, but I'm sure the Pittsburgh Regional folks will be archiving their webcast somewhere.

Plus, the last time we used a fishing rod on our robot things worked out pretty well. http://www.simbotics.org/media/galle...mpionship/2137

Our philosophy is that you can never have enough spares. You never know when someone will snap your arm off.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

2007.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

I've heard tell that I'll be getting a DVD copy of the FIRST feed from the regional at some point soon - hopefully this week.

First person who agrees to chop it up and get it on TBA gets a copy.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

I noticed in some of the pics on your site that during a couple(or one) match(es) that you had on blue bumpers when your alliance partners had on blue. Did your red ones break or something?

Also this is an awesome looking bot. I wish I able to go to some comps this year and check them all out. Maybe next year...

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Awesome. Can't wait to see this one up close. Loving the use of the FP gears, fishing pole, beer cups. You guys always seem to have some system that has that hand made feeling.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Beautiful machine as always. Can't wait to see it in person in St. Louis. Good luck in Waterloo and Toronto.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Karthik,
Awesome robot, once again Simbotics set the bar high right off the bat! I wish we could have deployed the minibot you lent us, your team was extremely helpfully in helping us tune our deployment arm, especially Todd and Brandon - we just couldn't pull it off on the field.... Also thanks for picking 3492 as a defensive robot, you guys taught them about teamwork and coopitition, in spades! BTW, they were able to raise the funds for St. Louis - thanks for giving them the opportunity!

Travis,
I would be happy to parse the DVD for you and load it onto TBA, let me know if you need my help!

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

So excited to see this robot in person at Waterloo!

Great work (as usual) Simbots!

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

1114, what an amazing robot!!! After competing with you at the Pittsburgh regional, you once again set the bar extremely high for other FIRST teams. You are truly an inspiration for everyone involved in the robotics community. 1629 students thoroughly enjoyed joining forces with you for one of the seeding matches. Their first reponse when they came back to our pit was, "They are the nicest people and team we have ever come up with strategy with." Keep up the great work, and we hope to see you in St. Louis!!!

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

That minibot is nothing short of amazing, great work! Is there any chance that there's a good picture of it floating about the web that I missed?

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

What a wonderful tribute to Steve! It looks like "Simbot Steve" features great engineering brilliance in honor of a man with great engineering brilliance! Well done!

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

I'm guessing those were pictures from practice day. Bumper colour was not being enforced on Thursday.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

What spring are you using for the counterbalance?

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

CFS5.2 from Misumi

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

I think I just found a new supplier. Going to their website is like going to a local hardware store and oogling the possibilities of each product's use.

Re: Team 1114 Presents Simbot Steve
 

Karthik, how can you MC FLR, and not bring 1114 there!?

I would like to see either 1114, 2056, or 217 lose a match outside of champs :P

And if you have three "unbeatable" teams, one of them has got to lose!


Also, amazing robot. I thought it was a typo when you said .6 second lift. Wowowowowowowo.