[Gdeaver]

This is a good thread after this year. I was surprised by the shear number of teams this year who had the " my robot can't turn" problem. Yes many teams did have agile robots but so many did not. The need for traction on the bridge and design efforts to cross the barrier probably led to the problem. A large portion of First teams have gone with a type of conveyor belting on IFI, Andymark, or a custom wheel with a flat tread profile. There have been many discussions of COF for the different tread and wheel versions. To really take on the turning dynamics problem, I submit that teams will have to go beyond measures of flat surface static and dynamic models. The playing field surface is carpet and and robots sink into the carpet. This adds another dimension to the model. Also, note that the carpet that we play on has a grain which affect how a wheel turns in relation to the grain. I believe teams need to not only look at the COF testing but need to look at how different wheel profiles affect turning. Remember the old Skyway wheels that used to be in the kit? They had a V profile. Has any team taken the time to try V or rounded profiles to see the affect on turning? We did in the fall of 2010 and I submit that a flat tread is not optimal. Think about it.