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Unread 24-03-2015, 16:41
cglrcng cglrcng is offline
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Re: Anti-tipping algorithm

Anything to keep any bot from tipping over (that works), is absolutely great. (Glad to see others quickly share all kinds of solutions often, what helps one in this game absolutely helps all! Those QPA's will skyrocket too across the board, as will Playoff averages).

So far I have seen a ton of very nice saves, some very smart other drivers righting tipped over bots rather quickly on their alliances after mishaps that, are somewhat salvageable, and seen some actually right bots fully laying flat on their backs....Call those "The friendly emergency forklift towbots" when in trouble drivers. (Look left or right drive team when in trouble, as the AAA, emergency OnField & FieldSide Service, is actually standing right there next to you!) No need to dial 911.
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Then I asked myself...How can this apply to our team....

We have an external forklift type mainly HP fed stacker (though that isn't it's only possible usage), & the cg is quite centered unloaded). And once loaded they tip back the elevator and the entire stack for great centered cg again, line up at the scoring platform and tip the stack back forward. So tipping of robot isn't a problem...so far.

Tipping of the 6 high/capped stack is of course more than possible, if a single mecanum wheel gets up on the ramped edge, and the other one off on the carpet (they have felt that wrath and learned from it highly), and if the stack isn't really straight. But, unloading perpendicular to the scoring platform is an easy adjusted driving solution there.

As long as stack is locked properly in place (paying full attention & careful stacking and aligning totes along the way up of course, they are getting better and better w/ each match in aligning during the build).

Once loaded W/ a 6 tote high stack or 5 tote w/ RC capped laying on side, our drivers can actually do in practice fairly fast 360 spins and not drop anything and or tip over stack or bot.
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Then I read this particular found coding/software solution thread about some who have that existing cg problem (and having seen some bots on vids have the loaded, or the unloaded, mainly unloaded cg issue in matches previously, it is a very simple & easily performed solution to the major tipping problem..."Segway Your 2015Bot" (what a tribute to Dean Kamen's 2 wheeled transport invention BTW).

I can't imagine yet, what the capabillities of the Robo Rio and plug in boards (and many different hardware/programming itterations), will be, just 3 years downline. (Already, they are nothing short of amazing).

The sharing across the board is too (and appreciated), it certainly appears to have made our first switchover year from WCD to a mecanum drivetrain much smoother it appears so far. I guess the team waited just long enough there. (Though some previous now graduated and in college students on the team, sure wanted to go that direction over the last few years I know). There was lots of talk, very little action as long as defense and pushing were keys.

I hope our team does not ever (this year), see it (this thread), and actually try it (this year). They just designed for cg loaded & unloaded, so they'd be creating huge problems I would think (fixing something that isn't actually broke), and nastily imagine...Though I could be wrong also.

I'd have extreme nightmares even thinking about the nasty possibilities of watching that tipped back fully loaded elevator start the Segway Shuffle and balancing act....That bot would surely go down in flames if it did....(Beyond looking rather a bit tipsy...as in having consumed adult beverages tipsy).
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Those installing the solution so far...Any way you developed so far, to shut it off when you do not need it? (As in when the cg is in the full comfort zone?) Such as a driver station button hardware solution, or another programming tweak solution?

Or does it just quickly correct and forget? Just wondering about an unloaded ok cg bot going quickly over the scoring platform ramps, and the possible affects of that positional vertical lean X 2 (up then down), when driving over...Does the bot get jerky there? (I just imagined one that may start dancing on the ramped portion, as it tries to quickly drive over the hump). Or one in auto hitting the ramp and "Doing the Segway...Right Into The Zone!"

My hat is off to all those that designed those plug in boards (and those adopting them), and made them avail. to all commercially the very first RoboRIO changeover year. The sky appears the limit, and the game, and timing for this game was absolutely right on there.

Early adoption of any technology is always fun. Working adoption is really fun. But, finding simple solutions to very complex problems is best.