[eedoga]

So...we decided to go with magnets. We found 110 lb electromagnets on the interwebs, and the current plan is to use three of them to hold the robot down onto the pole. This should create enough "normal force" to allow the wheels to drive up the pole. the current design uses three electromagnets. two at either end, and one in the middle on Nylon straps that are just short of the pole. The magnets would then pull the robot down compressing the springs slightly. As the robot drives and reaches the cross beams the electromagent would be turned off allowing it to pass over the cross beam. with the other two magnets holding the robot down. the magnet would then be reactivated on the other side.

My current concerns...
- The battery getting hot from running the electromagnets.
- Adding three spike relays to our current cramped electronics board
- Having the magnets stick to things other than the pole
- Electrical issues stemming from having such powerful magnets in close proximity to everything else...
- the rules on electromagnets which I haven't looked up yet myself, but the team seams to think are A-OK...

Edoga