Quote:
Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery
I do think there is a difference between a generic-use COTS robot part (a gearbox) and a game-specific COTS robot part (an intake). That may be the distinction that upsets some people.
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I think this is what it boils down to.
The VersaPlanetary is probably the best example of this. It has enabled amazing mechanisms (which is good- inspiration and stuff), but isn't an amazing mechanism (which is good- students still have to design).
Individual COTS items that don't achieve end goals enable students to create those sweet mechanisms that do, and that's typically where the cool engineering that students learn the most from. There's very little interesting or challenging about figuring out how to get an 8mm, 2mm key shaft to 1/2" hex; it's just resource and time consuming. There's a lot that's challenging and interesting about selecting pinch distance on flywheels, moment of inertia, gear ratio, etc.