[staplemonx]

We are trying to create a minibot with three function modes; off, 100% on and 5% on. We are trying to avoid the need for the motor controllers and the NXT brick for weight reasons. It looks like avoiding the motor controllers is not legal. But we are optimistic that we can create a legal circuit that could help us avoid the use of the NXT brick.

The plan our team is thinking about involves the three modes above.
The off mode would be how the minibot operates for the majority of the 2 minutes.

The 100% mode would turn on as soon as the first limit switch hits the pole. This mode would be the mode that is used to get the minibot to climb the pole.

The 5% mode, our guess at the percentage of power that would need to go to the motors to have zero acceleration thus zero velocity so it can just hold still once it hit the top of the minibot pole. We also talk about a 1 second delay on this mode after the second limit switch comes in contact with the top of pole plate. This would allow us to remove our minibot by hitting a third limit switch not shown here that would put the circuit back to off mode so that we can catch it when it falls.

Thanks for the help

JJ